See Full Document Text
S T A T U T O R Y I N S T R U M E N T S
2026 No. 739
CIVIL AVIATION
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Blandford Forum)
Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 2nd July 2026
Coming into force - - 16th July 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 an intended Royal visit that
is 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) (Blandford
Forum) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 16th July 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), during the period beginning with 0900 hours and ending with
1500 hours on 16th July 2026 no unmanned aircraft is to fly below 1,300 feet above mean sea
level within the area bounded by a circle having a radius of 0.54 of a nautical mile centred at
505122N 0020953W.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any unmanned aircraft flying in accordance with a
permission issued by the Dorset Police Drone Team.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport
Karen L Michaels
Grade 7
2nd July 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
Blandford Forum, Dorset due to a Royal visit that is scheduled to take place there. At the request
of Dorset Police, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that the
flying of unmanned aircraft should be restricted 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 Dorset Police Drone Team 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 David Ridley, Airspace Regulator,
Safety and Airspace Regulation Group, on telephone number 03301 382471.
2