Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to protect aircraft operating out of UK airports from the safety risks posed by drones.

The Government’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of our citizens. That is why we apply one of the highest regulatory safety standards for commercial aviation in the world.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones.

There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. The Department and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines) to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. We are talking to both the Civil Aviation Authority and airports to develop potential technical solutions to the problems around airports, these include mandated geo-fencing and frequency jammers.

The Cross Government Working Group on RPAS has undertaken analysis of the use of drones for criminal purposes, including the potential use of drones for terrorist purposes, and the impacts of their negligent use near sensitive locations, such as airports. This work is kept under review and is being used to inform research and testing to improve mitigation techniques and strategies.

Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Secretary of State will be writing to the police to request their assistance in raising awareness of drone risks and restrictions.