Established an emergency no-fly zone for drones below 2,000 feet near Drymen, Stirling, effective 16 October 2026.
These Regulations prohibit the flight of unmanned aircraft below 2,000 feet above mean sea level within a specified one-nautical-mile radius of Drymen, Stirling.
The restriction applies to all unmanned aircraft operators, except those flying under the direction of Police Scotland.
The measure took effect immediately at 9:30 p.m. on 16 October 2026 to facilitate the management of an ongoing emergency.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that a restriction is necessary for reasons affecting the public interest due to an emergency that has arisen in the area.
The document states that the measures are intended to be temporary and will be revoked once the emergency has passed.
Proponents would argue that the restriction ensures the safety of emergency operations by preventing interference from unmanned aircraft.
The order invokes article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 as the legal basis for exercising these emergency powers.
Arguments Against
Legal scholars may note that the document does not specify the nature of the emergency, potentially making the necessity of the scope difficult to evaluate.
Civil liberties groups often raise concerns regarding the lack of prior notice for emergency regulations that take effect immediately.
Operators of unmanned aircraft may face implementation difficulties if they are unaware of the sudden restriction in the 1 nautical mile radius around the specified coordinates.
The duration of the restriction is ambiguous, as it depends on a future determination that the emergency has passed.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Drymen, Stirling, Scotland) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 and come into force with immediate effect.
This section provides the official name of the regulations and establishes their legal validity.
It mandates that the rules apply immediately from the moment of signing at 9:30 p.m. on 16 October 2026.
Restricted airspace
No unmanned aircraft is to fly below 2,000 feet above mean sea level over the area specified in Column 1 of the Schedule, being an area bounded by a circle of the radius specified in Column 2 and centred on the position specified in Column 3.
These Regulations do not apply to any unmanned aircraft flying in accordance with directions given by Police Scotland.
Section 2 prohibits any unmanned aircraft, commonly known as drones, from flying lower than 2,000 feet within the designated emergency zone.
Section 3 creates a specific exemption for drone flights that are authorized or directed by Police Scotland.
SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
Table 1
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |--------------------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Stirling, Scotland | 1 nautical mile | 560537N 0042452W |
The Schedule defines the exact geographic boundaries of the flight restriction.
It specifies a circular zone with a 1 nautical mile radius centered at the coordinates 56°05’37”N and 004°24’52”W in the Stirling region.
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