CAA launches consultation on mandatory electronic conspicuity for UK aircraft

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has taken its biggest step yet towards making electronic conspicuity (EC) mandatory, launching a consultation on proposals that would require many aircraft operating below 10,000 feet to carry an approved EC device.

Giancarlo Buono, Director of Safety and Airspace at the UK CAA, told FLYER,  “Our skies are becoming increasingly complex, with a wider range of aircraft sharing the same space. Managing this safely is our top priority.

“Electronic conspicuity can help pilots and operators see each other more clearly, reducing the risk of issues as traffic increases.”

• Mandatory ADS-B on the way for UK General Aviation

The consultation, opens today (14 July) and seeks views on a proposed mandate covering aircraft operating in UK sovereign airspace below FL100. It asks stakeholders to comment on which aircraft should be included, how the requirement should be introduced, the costs of compliance, transition periods and whether there are alternative ways of achieving the same safety benefits.

The proposal is part of the CAA’s wider Airspace Modernisation Strategy and has been developed jointly with the Department for Transport (DfT) following earlier technical studies and industry engagement. The CAA said the DfT has concluded that a national EC Mandate is needed.

• What the CAA’s drone consultation really tells us

For many GA pilots, the consultation marks a significant moment. While the CAA stresses it is seeking evidence on how a mandate should be implemented rather than confirming the final rules, it leaves little doubt that mandatory electronic conspicuity is now the regulator’s preferred direction of travel.

The CAA is inviting responses from private pilots, aircraft owners, flying clubs, airfields, manufacturers, drone operators and other airspace users. The consultation closes on 22 September 2026, after which the regulator will publish a summary of responses and its conclusions. Click here to respond

FLYER view: This consultation is likely to become one of the most important GA consultations of the decade. If implemented, mandatory EC would affect thousands of UK aircraft, from factory-built aeroplanes to homebuilts and microlights. Every pilot with an opinion on the proposal should take the opportunity to respond before the deadline.

We’ve had several responses from readers already. Among concerns are:

• This is purely for the benefit of the drone industry, therefore they should pay for the costs. One reader said, This whole exercise is designed to support the development of unmanned aircraft BVLOS therefore if manned aircraft ar going to be mandated to carry EC, equipment should be subsidised and that should be paid for by a levy on unmanned aircraft. Otherwise the “user pays principle” no longer has any credibility.
• Will it work? Again, “We have seen the usage of products such as Pilotaware and Skyecho and we know that the key issue is antenna location and access. Some portable equipment is not reliably seen due to shielding from the carrying airframe. That issue will need to be considered.”
• A transition period of two years. “I think DfT and CAA underestimate both the complexity and the scale of the task. The number of stakeholders, the complexity of some equipment the volume of equipment to be purchased, even though a lot of it doesn’t require engineers to install it, the lack of experience amongst BVLOS operators means 2 years is wholly inadequate, 5 might be realistic, but tight.”