Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the growth of the use of military, commercial, and private drones, what plans, if any, they have to license or control their use, especially in relation to the potential aural and visual impact of non-military drones on urban, rural and coastal airspaces.

Civilian Remotely Piloted Aircraft operations are closely regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and are treated in the same manner as that of an equivalent manned aircraft. However, until such time that remotely piloted aircraft systems can demonstrate that they are both airworthy and capable of avoiding other airspace users, all operations must be contained within segregated airspace, to which access for manned aircraft is prevented or closely controlled.

The Department for Transport is currently developing its policy in respect of civil Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, and in 2015 intends to engage in a public dialogue on issues such as environmental impact, safety and privacy.