Your Second June Update

From festivals to weddings: Why drone shows are booming

Following the largest drone show in history, held in China last October and featuring a record-breaking 10,200 drones, the BBC asks whether this could signal the end of traditional firework displays.

Drone shows are rapidly growing in popularity. Once considered novelties, they are now common at events ranging from birthday parties and weddings to major sporting occasions. Some theme parks even feature resident drone shows, performed over multiple consecutive nights. Drones are also increasingly rivalling fireworks with pyrotechnic-style effects, such as spark streams, with precise control, enhanced safety, and the ability to deliver bespoke messages.

SEAD Artists Transform Drone Rules for Agriculture

A UK consortium, including our client Autospray Systems, Skypointe, the University of Liverpool, and DronePrep, is pushing regulatory and technical boundaries to enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight drone operations in agriculture. SEAD Artists have used data to demonstrate that drone spraying can result in drift of up to 15 metres – comparable to that of a horizontal boom sprayer. The consortium has secured trial permits for a range of agrochemicals, including slug pellets, the biological insecticide Dipel, and soon glyphosate. Real-world field trials are set to begin this season.

UK eyes carrier-launched drones to boost strike power

Defence Minister Maria Eagle has confirmed that the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are working together on the development of fixed-wing drone technologies that could eventually fly from Britain’s aircraft carriers, offering enhanced strike capabilities and reduced risk to personnel.

Known as ACPs, these uncrewed, next-generation drones are designed to operate in tandem with manned aircraft. Capable of strike, surveillance, jamming, and decoy missions, they aim to boost the effectiveness of platforms like the F-35B while keeping pilots out of harm’s way. The Minister confirmed that the ability for these drones to physically operate from the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers is being treated as “an essential attribute to enable their deployment by the Royal Navy”.

How drones will prevent one of the biggest causes of train delays

Network Rail is working with the British Transport Police to trial the use of drones as a deterrent against trespassing and vandalism along the East Midlands route, north of London St Pancras International.

The drones follow pre-programmed flight paths, using high-definition cameras to detect suspicious activity. The drones are also being used to analyse trespasser behaviour and identify vulnerabilities along railway boundaries.

At St Pancras, Network Rail is also deploying drones to monitor the station’s expansive roof and surrounding railway infrastructure. The data collected helps engineers detect potential issues early and address them before they escalate.

DfT targeted stakeholder consultation: Views on the Civil Aviation Safety Regulatory Framework

The Department for Transport has launched a consultation to gather stakeholder views on the aviation safety regulatory framework and potential reform options. The consultation will remain open for five weeks, closing on 25 July.

Currently, UK aviation law is dispersed across assimilated EU law and domestic legislation such as the Civil Aviation Act and the Air Navigation Order. This dual structure leads to inefficiencies and complexity. The reform seeks to align the regulatory process more closely with International Civil Aviation Association guidance, potentially shifting rule-making from Parliament to technical experts for greater agility.

Calling All Drone Experts: Become a Mentor to Inspire the Next Generation

ARPAS-UK is seeking passionate mentors to help shape the future of the UK drone industry. The trade body is reaching out to experienced professionals from across the sector, including commercial drone pilots, aerial photographers and videographers, agricultural drone operators, surveying and mapping specialists, regulatory and compliance experts, and engineers and technicians.

The government-funded Reach for the Sky Challenge aims to inspire and engage young people aged 14–18 through a mentoring programme, workshops, and career fairs. As part of this initiative, ARPAS-UK’s free mentoring scheme connects young people with leading professionals in the drone and electric aviation sectors, helping them explore a wide range of future career opportunities.

CHIRP: Fatigue and stress

A pilot shared an account of a large-scale drone mapping operation that went awry due to fatigue, stress, and terrain unfamiliarity.

CHIRP reminded pilots that if too many elements must align for a mission to succeed and are all left to chance, something is bound to go wrong. It also highlighted the importance of terrain-specific planning, using terrain-following software, and properly resourcing missions that clearly demand more than a solo operator in the field. The team stated: “An ‘I will do that when I get to site’ mantra is going to lead to an accumulation of last-minute items to complete, stress and fatigue. It is rather better to have an ‘I did that before I went to site’ approach.”

Moonrock announcements

Exploring the East

Our Managing Director Simon Ritterband visited China this month. The trip saw him meet-up with with some leading insurers and drone experts in the region and has highlighted the scale of the opportunity. Watch this space for some Moonrock insight about how China is revolutionising the drone markets.