The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Birmingham Christmas Market) Regulations 2026

Published: Wed 4th Nov 26

Restricted the operation of unmanned aircraft over the Birmingham Christmas Market during late afternoon and evening hours on specific weekends in late 2026.

These Regulations prohibit the flight of unmanned aircraft below 1,500 feet above mean sea level within a specified area of central Birmingham during the 2026 Christmas Market.

The restrictions apply to all drone operators during designated hours on Friday and Saturday evenings between 6 November and 19 December 2026.

The West Midlands Police Counter-UAS Team holds the authority to grant exemptions to these flight prohibitions.

Arguments For

The Secretary of State asserts that the restrictions are necessary in the public interest due to the intended gathering of a large number of persons at the annual Christmas Market.
The document states that both the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that flight limitations are required for reasons of public safety and security.
The regulations provide a mechanism for authorized flight through permission from the West Midlands Police Counter-UAS Team, allowing for controlled aerial activity if necessary.

Arguments Against

Recreational and commercial drone operators may face disruptions to planned activities in the Birmingham city center during the specified weekend periods.
The use of specific geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) to define the restricted area may be difficult for casual unmanned aircraft users to interpret without specialized mapping tools.
Legal scholars might note that the regulations grant discretionary power to the West Midlands Police to permit or deny flights without specifying the criteria for such decisions.

Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Birmingham Christmas Market) Regulations 2026 and they come into force on 6th November 2026.

This section establishes the official name of the regulations and sets the date they become legally active. The rules take effect starting 6 November 2026.

Interpretation

The times referred to in regulation 3(2) are Co-ordinated Universal Time(b).

(b) Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

This provision clarifies that all times mentioned in the document follow Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC).

This standard is equivalent to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), ensuring a consistent reference for the start and end of the flight restrictions.

Restricted airspace

3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), during the periods specified in paragraph (2) no unmanned aircraft is to fly below 1,500 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by—

(a) 522852N 0015455W,
(b) 522856N 0015446W,
(c) 522856N 0015438W,
(d) 522854N 0015433W,
(e) 522852N 0015423W,
(f) 522851N 0015420W,
(g) 522854N 0015416W,
(h) 522905N 0015402W,
(i) 522907N 0015354W,
(j) 522902N 0015348W,
(k) 522900N 0015345W,
(l) 522858N 0015345W,
(m) 522857N 0015342W,
(n) 522855N 0015338W,
(o) 522853N 0015327W,
(p) 522845N 0015325W,
(q) 522843N 0015321W,
(r) 522837N 0015326W,
(s) 522834N 0015327W,
(t) 522834N 0015326W,
(u) 522833N 0015326W,
(v) 522833N 0015327W,
(w) 522834N 0015330W,
(x) 522835N 0015333W,
(y) 522832N 0015338W,
(z) 522831N 0015343W,
(aa) 522831N 0015344W,
(bb) 522835N 0015348W,
(cc) 522834N 0015350W,
(dd) 522830N 0015401W,
(ee) 522843N 0015419W,
(ff) 522845N 0015423W,
(gg) 522843N 0015433W,
(hh) 522848N 0015437W,
(ii) 522847N 0015443W,
(jj) 522847N 0015446W, and
(kk) 522852N 0015455W.

(2) The periods referred to in paragraph (1) begin with 1400 hours and end with 2300 hours on each of the—

(a) 6th November 2026 and 7th November 2026,
(b) 13th November 2026 and 14th November 2026,
(c) 20th November 2026 and 21st November 2026,
(d) 27th November 2026 and 28th November 2026,
(e) 4th December 2026 and 5th December 2026,
(f) 11th December 2026 and 12th December 2026, and
(g) 18th December 2026 and 19th December 2026.

(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any unmanned aircraft flying in accordance with the permission of the West Midlands Police Counter-UAS Team.

This section creates a restricted flight zone for unmanned aircraft (drones) at altitudes below 1,500 feet above mean sea level.

The restriction is defined by a series of precise geographical coordinates covering an area in Birmingham.

The ban is active between 14:00 and 23:00 hours on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the market period, ending on 19 December 2026.

Drone operators may only fly within this space if they obtain specific authorization from the West Midlands Police Counter-UAS Team.

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