Also known as UAVs, Drones, Quadcoptors, Model aircraft etc.
Legal requirements for the operation of small unmanned aircraft in the UK Overseas Territories
The requirements for the use of Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) in the UK Overseas Territories are laid down in the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order. The main rules for their use are laid down in Article 73, however, Article 191 highlights the other articles that also apply to the use of small unmanned aircraft.
The following ASSI SUA Information Leaflets give details of the legal requirements for the use of SUAs, as well as guidance on various activities using SUAs.
- ASSI SUA Information Leaflet No 1: Legal Requirements for SUAs (Issue 1, dated August 2022)
- ASSI SUA Information Leaflet No 2: Operational Guidance for SUAs (Issue 1, dated August 2022)
- ASSI SUA Information Leaflet No 3: Definitions and Glossary for SUAs (Issue 1, dated August 2022)
ASSI has also published a leaflet and a poster in order to raise awareness of the rules surrounding the use of these types of aircraft:
- ASSI Poster (updated 2021)
- ASSI Leaflet (updated 2021)
Please note that there may be additional airspace restrictions on flying SUAs in some Territories.
Montserrat: Direction prohibiting the use of all SUAs within the vicinity of John A Osborne International Airport (dated November 2019).
St Helena: Direction prohibiting and restricting the use of all SUAs within the vicinity of St Helena Airport (dated November 2019).
Ascension Island: Direction prohibiting the use of all SUAs within the vicinity of Wideawake Airfield (dated June 2016).
Drone flying: a short guide
Short guide to flying a drone in the overseas territories:
Operating a SUA in the UK Overseas Territories
If you have a query with regard to operating a small unmanned aircraft in the UK Overseas Territories, please contact the appropriate authority for the territory you wish to operate in as follows:
Air Safety Support International
Floor 2, The Portland Building
25 High Street
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 1BG
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1293 214040
Fax: +44 (0)1293 214069
Email: enquiries@airsafety.aero
Apply to ASSI
If you wish to operate in the UK Overseas Territories of Anguilla, BVI, Montserrat, St Helena (including Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) and South Georgia or the South Sandwich Islands you should apply to ASSI using the following application form:
Download the application form for the operation of a Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) in the UK Overseas Territories Airspace.
The Director General
Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority
PO Box GE 218
St. George's, GE BX
Bermuda
Telephone: + 1 441 293 1640
Fax: + 1 441 293 2417
Email: flightops@bcaa.bm
The Director General
Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands
PO Box 10277
Grand Cayman, KY1-1003
Cayman Islands
Telephone: + 1 345 949 7811
Fax: + 1 345 949 0761
Email: civil.aviation@caacayman.com
Mr Bruce Wilks
Director of Civil Aviation
Falkland Islands Civil Aviation Department
PO Box 705
Stanley
Falkland Islands
FIQQ 1ZZ
Telephone: + 500 28498
Fax: + 500 27276
Email: bwilks.civilaviation@sec.gov.fk
The Managing Director
Turks & Caicos Islands Civil Aviation Authority (TCICAA)
PO Box 168
Hibiscus Square
Grand Turk
Turks and Caicos Islands
Telephone: + 1 649 946 2137
Fax: + 1 649 946 1185
Email: www.tcicaa.org/contact-us
Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA)
Also known as UAVs, Drones, Quadcopters, Model Aircraft etc.
Apply to operate a SUA
Download the application form for the operation of a Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) in the UK Overseas Territories Airspace.
This form is only applicable to SUA operations in Anguilla, BVI, Montserrat, St Helena (including Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
For operations in other UK Overseas Territories, contact the appropriate authority for that territory.
UK Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting (CHIRP) Programme for Drones
The Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) is a charity funded by the UK CAA and the maritime industry with the aim of contributing to the enhancement of aviation safety in the UK and maritime safety worldwide, by providing a totally independent confidential reporting system.
Some of the more important reports, specifically for drones, are published every 3 to 4 months for the benefit of industry.
Reports for drones can be found on the CHIRP website by filtering for drone reports and are also published in the Drones/UAS FEEDBACK Newsletters.
About PDFs
You may require additional software installed on your computer in order to open PDFs. Adobe Reader is available as a free download from the Adobe website.