Pilots insist new drone laws must go further to avoid ‘catastrophic collision’
Pilots have responded with alarm to the announcement of new laws on drones, saying they’re pleased the Government is taking steps but the restrictions need to go much further to make the use of drones near airports safe.
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has previously called on the Government to tighten laws on drones after the steep rise in near-misses with aircraft in recent years.
The proposed new laws include limited restrictions that will allow drones to be flown up to 400 feet just one kilometre from an airport boundary, says BALPA.
It claims ‘this is a very dangerous situation’ as aircraft will already be lower than this at this point as they approach the airport. It said the new regulations must go further to avoid potential collisions.
BALPA flight safety specialist Steve Landells, said: "We’re pleased the Government is taking near-misses seriously and making changes to the law, but it is crucial that these go further to avoid a potential catastrophe.
"We hoped we would see something similar to the regulations introduced in Australia, which state that unmanned operations must not be flown within three nautical miles of an airfield.
"Safety in the UK is no less important than in Australia.
"BALPA is not anti-drone and we understand the commercial considerations in not making laws too restrictive, but a hobbyist drone has no business being flown near an airport and allowing this to happen increases the risk of a catastrophic collision."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
All eyes on Qatar as Qatar Airways leads a season of global events