Draft Bill Should Be Published Next Spring

A drone regulation bill recently unveiled in the U.K. would give police broad powers to seize drones and drone parts if an operator is suspected of flying the aircraft illegally.

If a drone were being flown over a prohibited area, such as a prison, the bill would allow authorities not only to order the person operating the aircraft to land it but to confiscate parts of the aircraft as evidence.

Engadget reports that the law, if approved by Parliament, would also codify rules requiring the registration of drones weighing more than about half a pound, and prohibiting flight near airports and above 400 feet.

Operators would have to pass a safety awareness test, and us a flight planning app that would ensure that ane planned flight was legal.

While authorities in the U.K. are already using rules from the Civil Aviation Authority to act on drone-related violations, the new rules would give them more legal authority to enforce those rules. The bill is expected to be published in the spring of next year, at which time it will be open for amendments and consultation.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Report