UK Ministry of Defence: Restricted Airspace Now Applies to 50 Defence Sites, 170 More Expected in December 2026
Why It MattersDrone flight bans are widening from a few dozen to over two hundred sensitive UK sites, which narrows where uncrewed operators can fly while leaving crewed business aviation unaffected.
Restricted airspace has been applied to 50 British defence sites, and the Ministry of Defence expects a further 170 sites to be covered in December 2026, according to a written parliamentary answer the MoD gave on Oct. 27. The answer responded to written question 35937, tabled Oct. 19, which asked what additional support was being given to Guardian, part of Standing Joint Command, to improve protective security at UK military bases in the face of increased threats. The answer lists the airspace restrictions as one element of base protective security.
The same answer cites two funding figures covering different things. The Defence Investment Plan provides an additional £470 million over four years for security technology and infrastructure. Separately, the MoD says about £15 million has been invested over the past 18 months in remotely piloted and counter-uncrewed aerial systems and in training.
The legal basis for restricting drones over defence sites came into force on Feb. 19, 2026. The regulations, made on Jan. 27, 2026, replaced a 2024 set of MoD restricted-airspace regulations. They bar unmanned aircraft from flying over each listed facility below a ceiling set for that site, ranging from 500 feet above mean sea level at Barrow-in-Furness to 2,900 feet at HM Naval Base Clyde. RAF Fairford is listed at 800 feet, Porton Down at 1,100 feet and RAF Fylingdales at 1,400 feet. The explanatory note says the rules were agreed at the MoD's request for reasons of national security.
The Civil Aviation Authority's SkyWise alert of Feb. 12, 2026 (reference SW2026/040) described the zones as drone-only Restricted Airspace under the National Security Act covering Ministry of Defence Prohibited Places. Crewed aircraft are not affected by these restrictions. Operators were told to check NOTAM B0203/26 and the restrictions published in the UK Aeronautical Information Publication, section ENR 5.1. Anyone needing to fly inside a zone submits the CAA's Airspace Regulation notification form through the CAA Customer Portal, and if approved the site authority issues the exemption.
