The Lloyd’s Market Association (LMA) has welcomed the UK government’s proposal for drone legislation which will place new responsibilities on owners of drones weighing more than 250g, such as mandatory registration and the requirement to take a safety awareness test.
Paul Maguire, Chair of the LMA Aviation Committee and Head of Aviation at Faraday Underwriting Limited, said; “regulatory enhancements that trend towards improved safety standards in this market are welcomed by insurers.
“The LMA Aviation Committee is pleased to see the UK again leading the way with respect to the safe integration of drones into existing airspace and we look forward to working with other aviation authorities and regulators to help align international standards.”
The new legislation is set to be published in spring 2018, in comes after the Department for Transport consulted with the LMA Aviation Committee on the use of drones in the UK.
The Committee suggested that the primary legislation is necessary to align the regulation of drone operation with those of manned aircraft.
The proposed legislation could involve drones being banned from flying near airports, or above 400 feet.
Police will also be given authority to seize and ground drones which may have been used in criminal activity.
