The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Download Festival, Leicestershire) Regulations 2025
These regulations temporarily restrict unmanned aircraft flights within a one nautical mile radius of Donnington Park, Leicestershire, from 0500 UTC on June 10th to 2200 UTC on June 16th, 2025, during the Download Festival.
The restrictions, implemented at the request of Leicestershire Police for public safety reasons, allow exceptions for flights permitted by the police. The regulations are supported by the Air Navigation Order 2016.
Arguments For
- Intended benefits: Enhanced public safety at a large-scale event by mitigating risks associated with unauthorized drone flights.
- Evidence cited: Leicestershire Police's request, agreement between the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport indicate a recognized safety concern.
- Implementation methods: Clear spatial and temporal restrictions, enforcement via Leicestershire Police permissions.
- Legal/historical basis: Article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 provides the legal power for these regulations.
Arguments Against
- Potential impacts: May inconvenience legitimate drone operators in the restricted area during the festival.
- Implementation challenges: Enforcement of the restrictions rely on Leicestershire Police's capacity and resources.
- Alternative approaches: Increased public awareness campaigns, temporary flight restriction zones controlled via technology (e.g., Drone detection).
- Unintended effects: Potential for conflict between festival attendees and law enforcement during drone enforcement.
- 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 by reason of the intended gathering there of a large number of persons at the 2025 Download Festival. 2. The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016( a ).
The Secretary of State determined that restricting drone flights near Donnington Park during the Download Festival is vital for public safety due to the large crowd.
This decision is justified under Article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016.
- These Regulations may be cited as the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Download Festival, Leicestershire) Regulations 2025 and they come into force on 10th June 2025.
The regulations' official title is the 'Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Download Festival, Leicestershire) Regulations 2025', and they became effective on June 10th, 2025.
- In regulation 3 the times referred to are Co-ordinated Universal Time( b ).
All times mentioned in regulation 3 are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
Subject to paragraph , beginning at 0500 hours on 10th June 2025 and ending at 2200 hours on 16th June 2025 no unmanned aircraft is to fly below 1,000 feet above mean sea level within the area bounded by a circle having a radius of 1 nautical mile centred at 524940N 0012235W.
Between 0500 UTC on June 10th and 2200 UTC on June 16th, 2025, no unmanned aircraft can fly below 1000 feet above sea level within a one nautical mile radius of 52.4940°N 1.2235°W (Donnington Park).
This is subject to the exception stated in the next paragraph.
Paragraph does not apply to any unmanned aircraft flying in accordance with a permission issued by Leicestershire Police.
Leicestershire Police may grant permission for specific unmanned aircraft flights, which would be exempt from the general restrictions.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport 3rd February 2025 David J Best Grade 7 Department for Transport
These regulations were signed by David J Best of the Department for Transport on February 3rd, 2025, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport.
EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations impose restrictions on the flying of unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of Donnington Park during the 2025 Download Festival that is due to take place there between 10th June 2025 and 16th June 2025 (inclusive). At the request of Leicestershire Police, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that the flying of unmanned aircraft should be restricted in the vicinity of the event location for reasons of public safety. The times mentioned in regulation 3 are Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) which is one hour behind British Summer Time (BST). In relation to the permission mentioned in regulation 3, Leicestershire Police may be contacted as notified. Full details of this Statutory Instrument will be promulgated by Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) 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.
This explanatory note summarizes the regulations.
It clarifies the reason for the restrictions (public safety at the Download Festival), confirms the agreement between relevant authorities, specifies the time zone used, provides contact information for Leicestershire Police and the Civil Aviation Authority, and explains how the regulations will be officially announced.
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