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S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S
2026 No. 454
CIVIL AVIATION
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Drax, North
Yorkshire) Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 23rd April 2026
Coming into force - - 27th April 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 gathering there
of a large number of persons.
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) (Drax, North
Yorkshire) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 27th April 2026.
Interpretation
2. In regulation 3(1) the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time(b).
Restricted airspace
3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), beginning with 0600 hours on 27th April 2026 and ending with
2259 hours on 3rd May 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 0.85 of a nautical mile centred at 534415N
0005948W.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any unmanned aircraft being flown in accordance with a
permission issued by the North Yorkshire Police Drone Team.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
Karen L Michaels
Grade 7
23rd April 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) is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST).EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations impose restrictions on the flying of unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of Drax,
North Yorkshire on 27th April 2026 to 3rd May 2026, inclusive. At the request of North Yorkshire
Police, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that it is in the public
interest to restrict the flying of unmanned aircraft in that area for reasons of public safety and
security.
The times mentioned in regulation 3(1) are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is one hour
behind British Summer Time (BST).
In relation to the permission mentioned in regulation 3(2), the North Yorkshire Police Drone Team
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 Thomas Shainberg, Airspace Regulator,
Safety and Airspace Regulation Group, on telephone number 03301 382515.
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