UK SORA replaced the old OSCOperating Safety Case method on 23 April 2025. Since then, how many people have actually got through it, how long does it take, and why do applications fail? We wanted the real numbers, so we asked. In July 2026 we sent the CAACivil Aviation Authority an FOIFreedom of Information request, and its reply (reference F2026-001859) covers every UK SORA case it received up to 30 June 2026.
Here's what it shows at a glance.
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How many UK SORA applications has the CAACivil Aviation Authority received?
The CAACivil Aviation Authority received 186 UK SORA cases between the launch on 23 April 2025 and 30 June 2026.
- Issued
- Rejected
- Declined
- Still open
- Variation
- Test site
Source: CAA FOI F2026-001859 spreadsheet · cases received Q2 2025 to Q2 2026
View the data
| Quarter received | Issued | Rejected | Declined | Still open | Variation | Test site | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2025 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| Q3 2025 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 36 |
| Q4 2025 | 10 | 23 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 44 |
| Q1 2026 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 63 |
| Q2 2026 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 30 |
| All | 37 | 71 | 3 | 66 | 5 | 4 | 186 |
Q2 2025 is a part quarter, starting at the launch on 23 April. Most cases from 2026 were still open when the CAACivil Aviation Authority replied, so those bars will keep changing as they close.
How many UK SORA applications are approved?
Of the 111 cases that had reached an outcome by 13 August 2026, 37 were issued. That's one in three. The other 74 were rejected (71) or declined (3), and the CAACivil Aviation Authority counts applicants who withdrew among its rejections.
Cases received in 2025 have had the longest to run, and the picture is much the same. Of those 93 cases, 24 were issued, 43 rejected and 21 were still open. Three cases from the launch quarter were still open more than a year after they went in.
Findings are the norm. A finding is an issue the CAACivil Aviation Authority raises that you have to put right before it will approve that part of your application. In the CAACivil Aviation Authority's words, "87% (162) of SORA applications have had at least one finding raised." Approval doesn't mean a clean run either, because at least 13 of the 37 issued cases must have had a finding too.
Why are UK SORA applications rejected?
Most rejections come down to one thing, getting the numbers behind the SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level wrong.
Source: CAA FOI F2026-001859 reply · reasons for the 71 rejections
View the data
| Reason for rejection | Share of rejections |
|---|---|
| Incorrect SAIL calculator inputs | 61% |
| Applicant withdrew or cancelled | 18% |
| Insufficient or invalid evidence | 10% |
| Administrative errors | 7% |
| Not suitable for UK SORA | 4% |
The CAACivil Aviation Authority's full wording for its top reason was "Incorrect SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level Calculator inputs (ARCAir Risk Class, mitigations, population density, CGAcontrolled ground area, airspace, dimensions, etc.)". Those are the figures you work out before the portal will give you a SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level, from the population under your flight to the airspace and the safeguards you claim. Our guide to how to apply for UK SORA lists each one, with where the CAACivil Aviation Authority explains how to work it out.
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How long does UK SORA take?
From the day the CAACivil Aviation Authority receives a case to the day it completes it, the median has run from about two to six months.
- Median
- Average
Many of these cases were still open
Source: CAA FOI F2026-001859 reply · average and median days, by quarter received
View the data
| Quarter received | Median days | Average days |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2025 | 69 | 133.3 |
| Q3 2025 | 181 | 175.9 |
| Q4 2025 | 99 | 110.0 |
| Q1 2026 | 105 | 90.1 |
| Q2 2026 | 56 | 77.5 |
The CAACivil Aviation Authority only counted cases with both a received and a completed date, so cases still open are left out. At 13 August 2026 that was 28 of the 63 cases received in Q1 2026 and 17 of the 30 in Q2 2026. The slowest cases are the ones missing, so the recent drop may not hold once they close.
The figures cover every completed case, whether it was issued or rejected, so they aren't the same as time to approval. The CAACivil Aviation Authority didn't split them between Assessment 1 and Assessment 2, or between its own time and the time applicants spend answering findings. For comparison, the CAACivil Aviation Authority says a PDRA01Pre-Defined Risk Assessment 01 application now takes 24 hours on average.
Which SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level do UK SORA applicants get?
Almost every case so far has been at the low end of the scale.
Source: CAA FOI F2026-001859 spreadsheet · totals row, 186 cases
View the data
| SAIL | Cases |
|---|---|
| SAIL 1 | 55 |
| SAIL 2 | 121 |
| SAIL 3 | 5 |
| SAIL 4 | 2 |
| SAIL 5 | 2 |
| SAIL 6 | 1 |
| All | 186 |
Only 10 of the 186 cases came in at SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level 3 or above. For most applicants that keeps the CAACivil Aviation Authority's Assessment 2 charge at £1,384 (SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level 2) or nothing at all (SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level 1), on its 2026/27 charges.
How many UK SORA authorisations are in force?
At 13 August 2026, 39 UK SORA authorisations were in force. For comparison, the CAACivil Aviation Authority listed 2,013 under PDRA01Pre-Defined Risk Assessment 01 and 103 still running under the old OSCOperating Safety Case method.
Those 103 OSCOperating Safety Case holders are likely future UK SORA applicants. OSCOperating Safety Case authorisations stay valid until they expire, and after that the CAACivil Aviation Authority says most holders will need to make a new UK SORA application.
The CAACivil Aviation Authority also told us it has seven full-time inspectors assessing operational authorisations. That covers every route, OSCOperating Safety Case, PDRA01Pre-Defined Risk Assessment 01 and UK SORA alike.
What this means if you're applying
- Get your SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level inputs right first. They're behind most rejections.
- Expect at least one finding. Almost nine in ten applications get one, so leave time to answer it.
- Plan in months. Median time to completion has run from about two to six months.
- Count the cost of delay. Every month without an authorisation is a month your drone isn't flying the operation you applied for.
About the data
- Source: the CAACivil Aviation Authority's reply to our FOIFreedom of Information request, reference F2026-001859, dated 14 August 2026.
- It covers UK SORA cases received from 23 April 2025 to 30 June 2026, with each case's status at 13 August 2026. The first quarter only runs from the launch on 23 April.
- The CAACivil Aviation Authority's total of 186 includes 5 variations (changes to an existing authorisation) and 4 test sites.
- The CAACivil Aviation Authority's quarter-by-quarter SAILSpecific Assurance and Integrity Level figures don't quite match its totals (three quarters are out by one case), so we've used its totals.
- The 87% and the rejection percentages are the CAACivil Aviation Authority's own figures. The other percentages are our working from the CAACivil Aviation Authority's numbers.
References
- CAA, reply to FOI request F2026-001859, 14 August 2026
- CAA, Charges for a UK SORA-based Operational Authorisation
- CAA, Moving from OSC to UK SORA