The UK government has announced it will introduce draft legislation in the spring aimed at preventing unsafe or criminal use of drones.
Last year it ran a public consultation that recommended addressing safety, security and privacy challenges around drone technology.
Among the measures planned for the forthcoming Drone Bill plus secondary legislation amendments the government has planned are new powers for police to order an operator to ground a drone if it’s deemed necessary.
Police will also be able to seize drone parts to prove it has been used to commit a criminal offense, the government said yesterday[1].
It had already announced its intention to set out a registration plan for drones [2]weighting 250 grams or more. Yesterday it reiterated that the incoming legislative changes will mean drone owners are required to register their devices.
They will also have to sit safety awareness tests, as well as being required to use certain apps — “so they can access the information needed to make sure any planned flight can be made safely and legally”.
In a statement, aviation minister Baroness Sugg said: “Drones have great potential and we want to do everything possible to harness the benefits of this technology as it develops. But if we are to realize the full potential of this incredibly exciting technology, we have to take steps to stop illegal use of these devices and address safety and privacy concerns.”
“Do not take this lightly — if you use a drone to invade people’s privacy or engage in disruptive behaviour, you could face serious criminal charges,” added assistant chief constable Serena Kennedy, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Criminal Misuse of Drones, in another supporting statement.
While the UK...