Remote Pilot Compliance Requirements for Tethered Small Unmanned Aircraft under 250g

In plain language

If you fly a tethered drone weighing less than 250g, you must still follow basic safety rules: keep it within VLOS, do not exceed the maximum operating height, perform safety checks, be fit to fly, respect geographical zones, and avoid emergency response areas.

Requirement as structured

A remote pilot must not fly a tethered small unmanned aircraft with an MTOM of less than 250g unless they comply with specified provisions of Part A of the Annex to the Unmanned Aircraft Implementing Regulation.

Original regulatory text

where the tethered small unmanned aircraft has a MTOM of less than 250g, the following provisions of Part A of the Annex to that Regulation— i point UAS.OPEN.010(2) (maximum operating height); ii point UAS.OPEN.020(2) (overflight of people); iii point UAS.OPEN.060(1)(d) (certain safety checks); iv point UAS.OPEN.060(2)(a) (fitness to fly); v point UAS.OPEN.060(2)(b), insofar as it requires the remote pilot to keep the unmanned aircraft in visual line of sight; vi point UAS.OPEN.060(2)(b), insofar as it relates to discontinuing the flight in certain circumstances; vii point UAS.OPEN.060(2)(c) (geographical zones); viii point UAS.OPEN.060(3) (flights close to emergency response);

Applies when

country

United Kingdom

max mtom kg

0.25

aircraft type

tethered small unmanned aircraft

regulatory category

General