New drone laws come into force

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New laws on flying drones are in force from Monday 30 July 2018 – and those found breaking them could face up to five years in jail.

All drones are restricted from flying above 400 feet and within one kilometre of airport boundaries.

The new laws will also require owners of drones weighing 250 grams or more to register with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and for drone pilots to take an online safety test to ensure the UK’s skies are safe from irresponsible flyers.

Drone users who flout the new height and airport boundary restrictions could be charged with recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or any person in an aircraft. This could result in an unlimited fine, up to five years in prison, or both.

Users who fail to register or sit the competency tests could face fines of up to £1,000.

The new laws are being made via an amendment to the Air Navigation Order 2016 after a year on year increase in drone incidents.

In addition to these measures, the draft Drones Bill will give police more tailored powers to intervene on the spot if drones are being used inappropriately.

Drone operators will also eventually be required to use apps – so they can access the information needed to make sure any planned flight can be made safely and legally.

For model aircraft flying associations who have a long-standing safety culture, work is underway with the CAA to make sure drone regulations do not impact their activity.

The CAA and airports will have the power to make exceptions to these restrictions in specific circumstances.

Baroness Sugg, Aviation Minister, said: “We are seeing fast growth in the numbers of drones being used, both commercially and for fun.

“Whilst we want this industry to innovate and grow, we need to protect planes, helicopters and their passengers from the increasing numbers of drones in our skies.

“These new laws will help ensure drones are used safely and responsibly.”

Drones have the potential to bring great benefits and are currently being used for a broad range of purposes across different industry sectors: they already help inspect national infrastructure like railways and power stations, and are even aiding disaster relief speeding up the delivery of blood. 

The industry could be worth £42 billion in the UK by 2030.

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