UK drone users may have to pass online safety tests under legislation being introduced to the Commons on Wednesday. Restrictions around airport boundaries have also been clarified stopping any drone flying within 1km of them. The changes, which are set to come into effect between 30 July and 30 November, follow a rise in the number of drone near-misses with aircrafts. Aviation Minister Baroness Sugg said the measures were needed to "protect" aircraft and their passengers. In addition to the safety tests, people who own drones weighing 250g or more will have to register with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Anyone who buys a drone in the UK may have to register it and take a safety test for the first time under new measures to prevent potential collisions with passenger jets. Measures proposed by ministers also include criminal liability for anyone who flies a drone in "no-fly zones" surrounding airports and prisons, and an increase in fines, which currently cannot exceed a maximum £2,500. Ministers also want to make drones electronically identifiable on the ground, in order to make it easier for police to track devices to their owners. The government has estimated that the drone industry will be worth £127bn by 2025, but ministers believe it will only be a success if it is done safely and with the consent of the public. While there are already strict rules for drone users, the unmanned aerial vehicles, which can operate either under remote control by a person or autonomously by onboard computers, have become increasingly widespread, and are cheaply available in high street shops and on Amazon.