Drones: Building trust in the future of unmanned aircraft systems

About the programme 

UKAS is working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to support the development of a new scheme for product certification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly known as drones. 

As the UAS sector continues to grow, clear and trusted assurance will be essential. The CAA scheme is being designed for use by certification bodies assessing organisations involved in the production of UAS. By aligning the scheme with ISO/IEC 17065, the programme will help strengthen confidence, consistency and credibility across this fast-developing market. 

Associated standards 

• ISO/IEC 17065 

• CAA UAS scheme 

Current status 

UKAS is preparing to run a pilot accreditation programme for the CAA UAS Scheme. Participating certification bodies will work closely with the UKAS Development Team to test, shape and refine the accreditation approach for this emerging and strategically important area. 

The pilot will help identify the most effective way to assess certification bodies against ISO/IEC 17065 and the relevant CAA UAS requirements. Through practical evaluation and active stakeholder engagement, UKAS will develop an assessment methodology that is robust, proportionate and capable of delivering reliable accreditation outcomes. 

Applications for the pilot programme are now being invited. 

Once the pilot is complete and the assessment approach has been finalised, UKAS will move towards granting initial accreditations, helping to provide the trust and assurance needed to support the safe and credible growth of the UAS market.