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The Air Navigation (Amendment) Order 2019
Jurisdiction: UK
Commencement: 13 March 2019
Amends: The Air Navigation Order 2016 (SI 2016/765)
Mini Summary
This Order regulates matters such as aviation safety standards and aircraft navigation which fall outside the scope of EU regulation. It covers aircraft, air crew, passengers, cargo, air traffic and aerodromes.
Amendment
This Order extends the flight restriction zone at protected aerodromes for small unmanned aircraft (SUA), commonly known as drones.
A protected aerodrome is an EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) certified aerodrome, a Government aerodrome, a national licensed aerodrome or an aerodrome that is otherwise prescribed as protected.
The new, extended flight restriction zone includes the ATZ (aerodrome traffic zone) and runway protection zones extending 5km from runway thresholds. This will protect aircraft in take-off and landing paths from unintended collisions with SUA.
All SUA flights within the flight restriction zone are prohibited at all times unless the required permissions have been obtained.
An ATZ is an established area at an aerodrome within which an ATCU (Air traffic control unit) or FISU (Flight information service unit) controls flights. It extends to a height of 2000ft above the level of the aerodrome.
All SUA flights below 400 ft now require permission from either the ATCU or the FISU at all times and from the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) if flights or part of flights are over 400 ft.
The rules for SUA over 7kg previously prescribed in the Air Navigation Order 2016 are no longer relevant and are revoked. This is because this Order has introduced one clear rule which applies to all SUA therefore making the previous rule which was specific to SUA under 7kg redundant.