London's second-largest Gatwick Airport was crippled, following reports of drone sightings within one kilometre of the airport boundary. Hundreds of flights were affected, and thousands of passengers were left stranded.
In addition to extending the no-fly radius, legislation is in works at Westminster, to allow police to regulate the purchase and use of drones weighing 5 kilograms or more; and for connected purposes.
The Drone Bill had its second reading debate on Friday 15 February, and when adopted as law will give the police to order pilots to not only order operators to ground drones, but to seize drone parts if needed to prove that the machine was used to break the law.
READ MORE: Man Charged With Flying Drone Near Heathrow Several Days After Gatwick Chaos
According to the Bill, drone operators must not fly their drones drone within 5 kilometres of an aerodrome unless that flight meets conditions, listed in the Bill or express permission for that flight has been granted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA); that operator is an exempt body.
The prescribed drone may be flown directly above a domestic or commercial building, and must not attain a height of more than 30 metres above the highest point of any such building.
Those who breach the provisions of the Bill, once it becomes law, will face up to five years in prison.
