The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Plymouth, Devon) (Emergency) Regulations 2026
Established an emergency restricted airspace for unmanned aircraft in Plymouth, Devon, effective immediately on 21 October 2026.
These Regulations prohibit the flight of unmanned aircraft at altitudes below 1,200 feet within a specific area of Plymouth, Devon, effective immediately from October 21, 2026.
The restrictions apply to all drone operators, except those flying under the specific direction of the Devon and Cornwall Police Counter-UAS Tactical Advisor.
The Secretary of State issued this order under the Air Navigation Order 2016 to address an active emergency situation in the interest of public safety.
Arguments For
The Secretary of State considers these restrictions necessary for reasons affecting the public interest due to an emergency that has arisen in the Plymouth area.
The regulations aim to ensure safety and manage airspace by preventing unauthorized unmanned aircraft from interfering with emergency responses.
The document specifies that the restrictions are intended to be temporary and will be revoked once the emergency has concluded.
Arguments Against
The regulations do not specify the exact nature of the emergency, which may lead to uncertainty for local drone operators regarding the necessity or duration of the ban.
The immediate commencement of the regulations provides no notice period for unmanned aircraft pilots who may already be operating in the area.
The restrictions place sole discretionary authority for exemptions with the Devon and Cornwall Police Counter-UAS Tactical Advisor, without a formal appeals process for denied requests.
Citation and commencement
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Plymouth, Devon) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 and come into force with immediate effect.
This section provides the official name of the regulations and mandates that they become legally enforceable at the moment of signing.
This immediate commencement is linked to the emergency status of the flight restrictions.
Restricted airspace
- No unmanned aircraft is to fly below 1,200 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 the Devon and Cornwall Police Counter-UAS Tactical Advisor.
Section 2 prohibits drones and other unmanned aircraft from entering a circular zone around a specific coordinate in Plymouth up to a height of 1,200 feet.
Section 3 provides an exemption for flights authorized or directed by the Devon and Cornwall Police's specialist tactical advisor for counter-unmanned aircraft systems.
SCHEDULE
Regulation 2
Table 1
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Specified area | Radius of circle | Position of centre of circle (latitude and longitude) | | Plymouth, Deveon | 0.5 nautical mile | 502147N 0040857W |
The Schedule defines the exact geographic boundaries of the flight restriction.
It establishes a circular exclusion zone with a radius of 0.5 nautical miles centered at the coordinates 50°21'47"N 004°08'57"W in Plymouth.
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