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Unmanned Air Systems: Air Traffic Control

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 5 September 2025UIN 72360

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to integrate the Royal Air Force’s Protector MQ-9B’s automatic (a) take-off and (b) landing capability with civilian (i) air traffic and (ii) air traffic control.

Answered by Mike Kane

The aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and NATS continue to work collaboratively towards integrating the RAF Protector (MQ-9B) technology so that it can be safely used within the UK’s controlled airspace.

The CAA and the MoD will only give the necessary approvals for Protector to be fully integrated into controlled airspace when it is safe to do so.

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