25 October 2023
Following FLYER’s news story on Monday CAA invents new airspace for drone sandbox trials, it turns out that the UK CAA didn’t invent the Temporary Reserved Area after all.
That was ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization and a TRA is just one of several types of Special Use Airspace.
The UK CAA has decided that a TRA is a better way of reserving the airspace for use by drones in the proposed trials.
A member of the CAA press office told FLYER, “To be clear, we have not invented a new type of airspace specifically for the use of drones.
“ICAO has defined Special Use Airspace (SUA) of many different types, including: prohibited areas, restricted areas, danger areas, temporary reserved airspace and temporary segregated airspace.
“As part of the innovation sandbox, the use of temporary reserved airspace (TRA) is being considered as a more suitable type of SUA to be used to facilitate the drone trials that have been announced.”
Until now, drone trials have required a Temporary Danger Zone such as proposed Apian Northumbria NHS Air Grid.
FLYER has asked the CAA for an interview to explain exactly what a Temporary Reserved Area is, how it will operate and how it will affect other airspace users. However, a week later and despite an initial ‘yes’, no interview has been forthcoming.
Skybrary definition of Special Use Airspace
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