The British Airline Pilots Association has welcomed the CAA’s (Civil Aviation Authority) drone registration scheme, which comes into effect today, saying it hopes the new rules will help to improve airspace safety.

From today (5th November 2019), mandatory drone registration opens for drones over 250g and users must take an online test.

BALPA Head of Flight Safety, Dr Rob Hunter, said:

“We have been calling for drone registration for some time now as we believe that in the same way that other vehicles – be it those in the air or on the ground – are registered, so should drones.

“Drones bring huge potential commercial and leisure benefits, but ensuring they’re integrated into the skies safely is a key concern for BALPA.

“Following on from earlier improvements to restrictions around airports, this is another measure to encourage responsible drone operation, which is desperately needed to ensure a collision between an aircraft and a drone is avoided.”