What and Where: UK Tightens Drone Regs

The UK governement recently updated the rules and regulations for operating a flying camera, and they aren’t all bad.

After several years of UK media hysteria regarding drones, hopefully these regulations will serve to calm perceptions of drone users and their hobby.

Some of the regulations take effect immediately while others are pending passing of a long-awaited Drones Bill.

The new rules:

• Drones weighing more than 250g cannot be flown without first passing an online safety test and registering with the Cival Aviation Authority.

This will have broad impact in the UK, since almost all recreational drones like the DJI Spark, Mavic Air, Mavic Pro and Phantom 4 weigh more than the minimum.

• Drones weighing between 250g and 7kg will be subject to a maximum flight ceiling of 400 feet.
• The existing flight ceiling of 1000 feet remains for those flying consumer drones fitted with first-person-view devices like DJI Goggles
• Drones may not be flown within 1km of airport boundaries
• Airport will be defined as any EASA certified aerodrome, licensed aerodrome and government aerodrome

The range of prohibition around the world for airport airspace varies significantly.  In Canada the restrictions around airports is 5.5km compared to 1km in the UK’s new rules.

The new UK aerodrome rule suggests that active, but unlicensed, aerodromes and farmyard landing stripswill not be subject to the 1km exclusion rule.

• Flying a drone while not registered with the CAA, as well as not completing the online tests will become a criminal offence carrying a fine of £1000 (approx US$1300).

The new criminality of unlicensed drone flight certainly adds a new dimension to an update on drone regulations, and brings police enforcement into an area usually only regulated by the CAA.

These changes to the rules and regulations will be introduced via amendments to the Air Navigation Order, laid before Parliament yesterday.

Airport distance restrictions and the new flight ceiling rules will take effect on July 30th, 2018.  Registration and online testing will become compulsory on November 30, 2018.

Responses from drone companies and industry activists was, like the rules themselves, a mixed bag.

China’s DJI Global, maker of consumer drones like the Mavic Pro and Phantom 4, dominates the global drone market with an estimated 70% market share.  DJI’s reponded to the new rules by commenting that they “strike a sensible balance between protecting public safety and bringing the benefits of drone technology to British businesses and the public at large.”

Others felt the drone registry itself was nonsense, and would do nothing to improve education nor safety.

Share your thoughts on the new UK drone regs in the comments section below.