Drone operators in the U.K. are now barred from operating above 400 ft or within 1 km (0.6 mi) of airport boundaries under new restrictions that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says are favored by about three-quarters of U.K. citizens.
The restrictions took effect last week, at the same time the CAA released the results of research that found that 77 percent of U.K. citizens questioned believed that regulation of drones should be increased. About 75 percent of those in the drone community agreed, the CAA said.
The survey conducted for the CAA of more than 2,000 adults and 350 drone users found that 93 percent of the public and 96 percent of drone users considered compliance with the rules and guidelines of the CAA’s Dronecode “vital.” The Dronecode is a set of simple rules for safe and responsible drone use.
The survey found that the drone community’s awareness of the Dronecode has increased from 54 percent in 2017 to 71 percent in 2018.
“As recreational drone use becomes increasingly widespread across the U.K., it is heartening to see that awareness of the Dronecode has also continued to rise,’ said CAA Assistant Director Jonathan Nicholson. “Drones are here to stay, not only as a recreational pastime but as a vital tool in many industries … so increasing public trust through safe drone flying is crucial.”
The CAA’s research also found that 45 percent of U.K. drone users use a related app to help them fly more safely; 73 percent of those not currently using an app said that they plan to begin using one in the future.
