See Full Document Text
S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S
2025 No. 1285
CIVIL AVIATION
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Whitfield)
Regulations 2025
Made - - - - 8th December 2025
Coming into force - - 10th December 2025
The Secretary of State has decided that it is necessary in the public interest to restrict the flying of
unmanned aircraft in the area specified in regulation 2(1) having regard to security considerations
associated with this location.
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) (Whitfield)
Regulations 2025 and they come into force on 10th December 2025.
Restricted airspace
2.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), no unmanned aircraft is to fly below 1,000 feet above mean sea
level within the area bounded by straight lines joining successively the following points—
(a) 510856N 0011641E,
(b) 510907N 0011655E,
(c) 510912N 0011707E,
(d) 510910N 0011724E,
(e) 510904N 0011734E,
(f) 510855N 0011736E,
(g) 510852N 0011732E,
(h) 510845N 0011735E,
(i) 510838N 0011730E,
(j) 510831N 0011707E,
(k) 510831N 0011658E,
(l) 510842N 0011641E,
(m) 510849N 0011638E, and
(a) S.I. 2016/765, amended by S.I. 2024/990; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.(n) 510856N 0011641E.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any unmanned aircraft—
(a) operated by or on behalf of—
(i) a Police Air Support Unit,
(ii) an Emergency Medical Service, or
(iii) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, or
(b) flying in accordance with the permission of Border Force.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
Joe Thompson
Senior Executive Officer
8th December 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 of
Whitfield, near Dover, in the county of Kent. At the request of the Home Office, the Secretary of
State for Transport considers that it is necessary in the public interest to restrict the flying of
unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of that location.
In relation to the permission mentioned in regulation 2(2)(b), Border Force may be contacted as
notified.
Full details of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by 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.
2