Islington Police Drone TDA again!

It appears the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) is pressing ahead with another round of “drone in a box” testing, and once again, it’s causing significant disruption. This is the third go, the first one a large TDA, then a small extended BVLOS area that folks could fly in and now this latest application reverts to the most restrictive form: a TDA.

For those of us involved in aviation, the implications are clear and frustrating: the police have effectively commanded a week-long cessation of all other flight operations within that specific section of the sky. This is a complete lockdown, giving the NPCC unfettered access while completely sidelining all other airspace users.

Compounding the issue is the utter lack of transparency. Despite reaching out to the provided contact email address, I’ve received no clarification whatsoever regarding the nature of the aircraft being flown or the specific purpose of the testing. The public and the aviation community deserve to know what is taking place above their heads, yet the police seem content to operate behind a veil of silence.

On this occasion, credit must be given where it’s due. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has acted correctly, diligently issuing warnings to airspace users and formalising the closure of the area. Their professionalism in managing the airspace boundaries stands in stark contrast to the opaque actions of the police.

However, the safety concerns remain paramount. This testing is taking place over Islington, a densely populated built-up area.

One has to sincerely hope that the welfare of the local residents has been rigorously considered, particularly in the event of an unplanned descent of a 1.1kg piece of plastic. An unscheduled landing in a residential area is a genuine safety risk that cannot be dismissed.

Frankly, it is profoundly disappointing to witness the ease with which the police can seemingly initiate trials over densely populated urban centres at a moment’s notice. The ability to declare a TDA and unilaterally restrict public airspace access with such frequency and so little public information sets a concerning precedent for governance, accountability, and public safety.

Frustrating for all the commercial companies that can’t fly as state aircraft. For most it just takes too long to receive permissions from the CAA. Technology often moving through two or three iterations before approvals come in.

The NPCC needs to be held to a higher standard of disclosure when conducting operations that directly impact public safety and freedom of movement within our shared airspace.