Prohibited unmanned aircraft from flying below 1,000 feet within a 3-nautical-mile radius of Sutton Scotney due to an emergency.
These Regulations establish a restricted airspace for unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of Sutton Scotney, Hampshire, in response to an ongoing emergency.
The order prohibits unmanned aircraft from flying below 1,000 feet above mean sea level within a 3-nautical-mile radius of a specific geographical coordinate.
These restrictions apply to all unmanned aircraft operators, except those flying under the specific direction of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State asserts that the restrictions are necessary in the public interest due to an emergency that has arisen in the Sutton Scotney area.
The Regulations provide an exception for unmanned aircraft operating under the direction of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, allowing for coordinated emergency response or law enforcement activity.
Arguments Against
The Regulations do not specify the exact nature of the emergency, which may lead to uncertainty regarding the duration of the flight restrictions.
Operators of unmanned aircraft in the Hampshire area may face immediate disruption to planned activities due to the regulations coming into force without a prior notice period.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Sutton Scotney, Hampshire) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 and come into force with immediate effect.
This section establishes the official name of the regulations.
It mandates that the rules become legally enforceable immediately upon their signing at 10:45 p.m. on 5 September 2026.
Restricted airspace
- No unmanned aircraft is to fly below 1,000 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 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Section 2 prohibits the operation of unmanned aircraft, such as drones, at altitudes lower than 1,000 feet above mean sea level within the designated zone.
The zone is defined as a circle with a 3-nautical-mile radius centered on the coordinates N510840 W0012050 in Sutton Scotney.
Section 3 exempts aircraft from this prohibition if they are being operated under the instructions of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
Table 1
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | |---------------------------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Sutton Scotney, Hampshire | 3 nautical miles | N510840 W0012050 |
The Schedule provides the precise geographical parameters for the flight restriction.
It specifies the location as Sutton Scotney, Hampshire, sets the radius of the restricted zone at 3 nautical miles, and provides the exact latitude and longitude for the center of the restricted circle.
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