Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures presently exist to control unmanned aerial vehicles.

Civilian Remotely Piloted Aircraft operations are closely regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and are treated in the same manner as that of equivalent manned aircraft. However, until such time that remotely piloted aircraft systems can demonstrate that they are both airworthy and capable of avoiding other airspace users, all operations must be contained within segregated airspace, to which access for manned aircraft is prevented or closely controlled.

The use of unmanned aircraft is specifically covered by the Air Navigation Order, which legislates for the ‘general’ flying aspects and the flight of those equipped for surveillance. As well as these specific articles, a more general article which prevents a person ‘causing or permitting an aircraft to endanger the safety of any person or property’ also remains applicable.