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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. 462
CIVIL AVIATION
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Ascot and Windsor)
Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 28th April 2026
Coming into force - - 16th June 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 security arrangements
for persons travelling to and from the 2026 Royal Ascot horse racing event.
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) (Ascot and
Windsor) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 16th June 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 0900 hours and ending with 1330 hours on
each of the 5 days beginning with 16th June 2026 and ending with 20th June 2026, no unmanned
aircraft is to fly below 1,300 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—
(a) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 1.25 nautical miles which is centred at
512902.0N 0003614.0W between 512808.5N 0003737.9W and 512750.0N 0003541.0W,
(b) straight lines joining successively the following points—
(i) 512750.0N 0003541.0W,
(ii) 512618.0N 0003545.0W, and
(iii) 512609.9N 0003643.6W,
(c) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 2 nautical miles which is centred at
512515N 0003934W between 512609.9N 0003643.6W and 512635.3N 0003711.7W,
(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).(d) the anti-clockwise arc of a circle having a radius of 0.65 of a nautical mile which is
centred at 512635.0N 0003814.0W between 512635.3N 0003711.7W and 512710.2N
0003840.8W, and
(e) straight lines joining successively the following points—
(i) 512710.2N 0003840.8W, and
(ii) 512808.5N 0003737.9W.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any unmanned aircraft—
(a) flying in accordance with a permission issued by the Thames Valley Police Service, or
(b) operated by or on behalf of a Police Air Support Unit.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
Karen L Michaels
Grade 7
28th April 2026 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 Ascot and
Windsor in relation to the security arrangements for persons travelling to and from the Royal
Ascot 2026 horse racing event that is scheduled to take place there on 16th to 20th June 2026,
inclusive.
The Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport agree that the flying of unmanned
aircraft should be restricted in the vicinity 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)(a), the Thames Valley Police Service
may be contacted as notified.
Full details of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by Aeronautical Information Circular
(AIC) 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 0330 1382471.
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