22 July 2017•Update: 23 July 2017
By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
LONDON
Britain’s government has announced new measures to ensure safety and security for drones, as the emerging technology is estimated to reach a market value of £102 million ($132.5 million) by 2025.
Under the measures, all new drones will be registered to curb illegal flying near no-fly zones, such as airports and prisons.
The drones will also be electronically identifiable so the owner’s details are known to the police in case they break the law.
In a government statement, Aviation Minister Lord Callanan underlined that the U.K. is at the forefront of the exciting, fast-growing drones market, adding: “It is important we make the most of this emerging global sector.”
Callanan said drones are “proving vital for inspecting transport infrastructure for repair or aiding police and fire services in search and rescue operations, even helping to save lives.”
“But like all technology, drones too can be misused. By registering drones, introducing safety awareness tests to educate users, we can reduce the inadvertent breaching of airspace restrictions to protect the public,” he added.
The new law will implement a registration scheme and mandatory competency tests for all users of drones weighing 250 grams and above.
It will also bring forward work to create an authoritative source of U.K. airspace data, which will facilitate the implementation of geo-fencing and build greater awareness of airspace restrictions amongst drone users.
The government will also “explore further measures such as increasing penalties, creating new offences, and reviewing the powers available to law enforcement agencies to enforce relevant law.”
Drones have yet to cause any serious incidents in the U.K., but near-misses and sights over no-fly zones have occasionally been reported in local media. The value of the drone market was estimated to reach a level of £102 million in the next eight years in previous government predictions.
