Police officers in the UK are set to receive stronger powers in a bid to crackdown on people flying drones illegally or irresponsibly.
Dedicated teams will now be on the lookout for those breaking the rules and will have powers to confiscate drones and issue on-the-spot fines.
Those severely flouting the rules including anyone endangering aircraft could receive a prison sentence of up to five years.
It comes a week after a drone user was fined more than £5,000 for flying illegally over MI6’s building in central London.
Under the current rules, anyone operating a drone that either weighs 250 grams or more, or one fitted with a camera, has to register with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). They must also pass a test on the CAA website.
There are more than 200,000 registered drones in the UK but authorities believe there are still thousands of unregistered pieces of equipment.
Drone owners are expected to abide by the following rules:
- Stay well away from aircraft, airports and airfields
- Don’t fly closer than 50m (164ft) to people and don’t fly over them
- Never fly over crowds
- Keep 150m away from built-up areas
As well as safety and privacy issues, the police are also concerned about the use of drones for illegal activities such as smuggling drugs into prisons.
They will also be on the lookout for drones, amid some high-profile events happening in the UK, including the current Euro 2020 football competition, and the Cop26 climate change conference in Glasgow in November.
Shaun Hipgrave, Home Office Director responsible for counter-drones said: “This represents a landmark moment for the UK in tackling this new and developing threat.”
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