CAA Updates UK Airspace Change Process: What It Means for Drones

From 1 October 2026, CAP 1616 Version 6 comes into force, the CAA's revised process for changing UK airspace, cutting the steps required for permanent changes and for temporary and trial changes, extending how long operators like drone pilots running BVLOS trials can hold access to airspace before committing to anything permanent.

A Shorter Path for Permanent Changes

CAP 1616 is the process anyone has to go through to change UK airspace design, and Version 6 significantly trims it down. The CAA has reduced the permanent process from seven stages to five, cut the number of requirements from 113 to 43, and reduced the number of gateways in the permanent process from three to one, adding a new milestone review stage in its place. 

Sponsors now get a Stage 1 engagement step to receive feedback before consultation begins, and Level 1 and Level 2 proposals must pass a Stage 2 gateway assessment before public consultation, though the CAA is clear that "passing the gateway does not predetermine the CAA's regulatory decision." As Giancarlo Buono, the CAA's Director of Safety and Airspace Regulation, put it: "By tailoring requirements to the scale and impact of proposals, we can reduce unnecessary burdens and help organisations make progress, whilst keeping a consistent focus on safety, evidence and impact."

More Room to Trial Before Committing

The change that matters most for drone operators sits in the non-permanent process. Trial periods have been extended from six months to up to three years, with more proportionate procedures for short-term activities, giving operators significantly longer to test airspace arrangements before deciding whether to make them permanent. That matters directly for BVLOS trials, which often depend on securing temporary or segregated airspace while detect-and-avoid and electronic conspicuity systems are proven out. 

The CAA frames the update as built to support "new users and future flight," and it sits alongside a broader shift in strategy, from drones operating in airspace segregated from other traffic, toward drones integrated alongside conventional aircraft as the supporting technology matures.

FAQs

What is CAP 1616?

CAP 1616 is the CAA's process for anyone proposing a change to UK airspace, covering everything from permanent redesigns to temporary and trial changes.

When does CAP 1616 Version 6 take effect?

1 October 2026, aligning with the Air Navigation Directions 2026 and Air Navigation Guidance 2026.

What's changed for permanent airspace changes?

The process drops from seven stages to five, requirements fall from 113 to 43, and the number of gateways drops from three to one, with a new milestone review stage added.

What's changed for temporary or trial airspace changes?

Trial periods are extended from six months to up to three years, with more proportionate procedures for shorter-term activities.

Why does this matter for drone operators running BVLOS trials?

BVLOS trials often need temporary or segregated airspace while detect-and-avoid and electronic conspicuity systems are tested. A longer trial window gives operators more time to prove out these systems before pursuing a permanent airspace change.

What happens to airspace change proposals already in progress?

Sponsors will receive individual letters confirming whether their proposal transitions to Version 6 or continues under the previous process, with a backstop submission deadline of July 2031.

Final Thoughts

CAP 1616 Version 6 isn't a drone-specific policy, but it's hard to read it as anything other than good news for the sector. A faster, lighter-touch process for permanent changes and a much longer runway for trials gives BVLOS operators more breathing room to prove their technology works before asking for a permanent slice of airspace. For anyone running or planning drone trials in UK airspace, it's worth understanding exactly how the new process applies before 1 October 2026.

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