Drones’ no-fly zone within 5km of airports

THE ‘no-drone zone’ around UK airports is extended today to just over three miles.

New legislation to introduce the change, widening the exclusion zone from 1km to 5km, follows the chaos at Gatwick in December which saw around 1,000 flights grounded after drone sightings. In total there were 125 nearmisses between drones and aircraft reported last year – up 34 per cent on 2017.

Anyone caught recklessly or negligently endangering an aircraft with a drone can be jailed for up to five years. From November, owners of larger gadgets will be required to register them.