Food Supply: Unmanned Air Systems

Drone payloads are subject to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) regulation UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947, which covers payloads for agricultural use. This type of operation in the Specific category is subject to a risk assessment conducted by the applicant where the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) assesses the risk to uninvolved third parties on the ground and in the relevant volume of airspace.

Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights typically are regulated in the Specific Category, where since April 2025 the Risk Assessment method has been the UK Specific Operational Risk Assessment (UK SORA).

Lower risk BVLOS operations, for example flying in remote locations with segregated airspace, can be authorised quickly, but for higher risk operations, such as those over a city, the onus is on the operator to fully demonstrate what they propose is safe. This approach is core to ensuring that the policies and approach are proportionate to the type of operation that a drone operator requires.

Through the Future of Flight Programme, the Department for Transport works across government and regulators, such as with Defra and the CAA, to ensure that the benefits of drone adoption can be realised in all sectors – including supporting more efficient, sustainable and productive farming practices, which in turn contribute to food security. This collaborative approach ensures that the regulatory framework governing drone use continues to enable innovation whilst being proportionate, risk-based and maintaining high standards of safety, environmental protection, and public confidence.