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S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S
2025 No. 1252
CIVIL AVIATION
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Edinburgh) (No. 2)
Regulations 2025
Made - - - - 28th November 2025
Coming into force - - 29th December 2025
The Secretary of State has decided that it is in the public interest to restrict the flying of unmanned
aircraft in the area specified in regulation 3(1) by reason of Edinburgh Hogmanay Celebrations
that are due to take place there.
The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by
article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016(a).
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Edinburgh)
(No. 2) Regulations 2025, and they come into force on 29th December 2025.
Interpretation
2. In Regulation 3(1) the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time(b).
Restricted airspace
3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), during the periods specified in paragraph (2), no unmanned
aircraft is to fly below 2,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by a circle having
a radius of 1 nautical mile whose centre is at 555655N 0031202W.
(2) The periods referred to in paragraph (1) are—
(a) between—
(i) 1700 hours on 29th December 2025 and 0100 hours on 30th December 2025,
(ii) 1800 hours on 31st December 2025 and 0200 hours on 1st January 2026.
(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any unmanned aircraft—
(a) operated by or on behalf of a Police Air Support Unit, or
(b) flying in accordance with a permission issued by Police Scotland Air Safety and Security
Unit.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
(a) S.I. 2016/765, amended by S.I. 2024/990; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.
(b) Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).Karen L Michaels
Grade 7
28th November 2025 Department for Transport
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations impose restrictions on the flying of unmanned aircraft in the vicinity Edinburgh
City Centre by the reason of the Torchlight and Hogmanay Celebrations that are due to take place
there between 29th December 2025 and 1st January 2026 (inclusive).
At the request of Police Scotland, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport
agree that the flying of unmanned aircraft should be restricted in the vicinity of the event location
for reasons of public safety and security.
The times mentioned in regulation 3(1) are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is the same
as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
In relation to the permission mentioned in regulation 3(3)(b), the Police Scotland Air Safety and
Security Unit may be contacted as notified.
Full details of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by Briefing Sheet and Notice to
Aviation (NOTAM).
The point of contact in the Civil Aviation Authority is Mr David Ridley, Airspace Regulator,
Safety and Airspace Regulation Group, on telephone number 03301 382471.
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