The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has appointed engineering consultancy AtkinsRéalis as its first approved assessor of commercial drones.
Under the contract, and as a Recognised Assessment Entity for Flightworthiness [RAE(F)] for drones, AtkinsRéalis engineers will assess drone flightworthiness for commercial operators applying through the UK Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) process and evaluate manufacturers’ drone designs under Safety Assurance and Integrity Level (SAIL) Mark policies.
These assessments will be submitted as recommendations to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which will then issue the appropriate authorization or certificate to successful applicants.
James Richmond, head of advanced air mobility at AtkinsRéalis said, “From expediting deliveries of live-saving medical supplies to the more efficient monitoring of our critical national infrastructure, drones are set to deliver significant benefits across multiple industries. This pace of change will hinge on constructive partnerships between industry and regulators, ensuring these aircraft integrate safely into airspace while encouraging innovation.
“Our aerospace certification experience, combined with our Future of Flight team’s understanding of the evolving aviation ecosystem, positions us to support this industry through assessments that maintain public confidence while unlocking new opportunities.”
Sophie O’Sullivan, director of future of flight at the CAA said, “UK SORA is the UK’s version of a drone risk assessment process that has been developed internationally with consensus from multiple aviation authorities. It represents a significant step forward in how the UK approaches drone certification.
“As we enable the safe expansion of the UK’s commercial drone market to support economic growth, Recognised Assessment Entities like AtkinsRéalis will play an important role in providing technical expertise to ensure drone operators and designers are compliant.”
As of March 2025, the CAA reported there was more than 470,000 active registered drone users in the UK.
Drone operators and designers can access AtkinsRéalis’ RAE(F) services through: www.atkinsrealis.com/raef
