S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S
2026 No. 1170
CIVIL AVIATION
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Tilbury Docks,
Essex) Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 6th November 2026
Coming into force - - 16th November 2026
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 3(1) by reason of...
S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S 2026 No. 1170 CIVIL AVIATION The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Tilbury Docks, Essex) Regulations 2026 Made - - - - 6th November 2026 Coming into force - - 16th November 2026 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 3(1) by reason of the intended holding there of a multi-agency exercise.
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) (Tilbury Docks, Essex) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 16th November 2026.
Interpretation
2. The times referred to in regulation 3(1) are Co-ordinated Universal Time(b).
Restricted airspace
3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), during the periods beginning with 0900 hours and ending with 1700 hours on the two days of 16th and 17th November 2026 no unmanned aircraft is to fly below 1,200 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by a circle having a radius of 1 nautical mile which is centred at 512706N 0002149E.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any unmanned aircraft flying in accordance with a permission issued by the Exercise Lead.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport Karen L Michaels Grade 7 6th November 2026 Department 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) which is the same as Greenwich mean Time (GMT).EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations impose restrictions on the flying of unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of Tilbury Docks, Essex for a multi-agency exercise. The Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that it is necessary in the public interest to restrict the flying of unmanned aircraft in that area for that purpose.
The times referred to in regulation 3(1) are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is the same as Greenwich mean Time (GMT) In relation to the permission referred to in regulation 3(2), the Exercise Lead may be contacted as notified.
Full details of these Regulations will be promulgated by Briefing Sheet and Notice to Aviation
(NOTAM).
The point of contact in the Civil Aviation Authority is Mr Thomas Shainberg, Airspace Regulator, Safety and Airspace Regulation Group, on telephone number 01293 983880.
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