Drones

Drones

Drones are also known as remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), small unmanned aircraft (SUA) or unmanned aerial systems (UAS). They are, in essence, small aircraft that do not have a human pilot sitting on-board; rather, control comes from remote pre-flight, and on-flight, programming and operation.

See Practice Note: UK drones—tracker for a summary of key UK legislative proposals, consultations and other publications relating to drones. For EU developments, see Practice Note: EU drones—tracker.

Drone use and regulation

Historically, the term drone was used to describe remote controlled aircraft which were used for military purposes, such as surveillance and counter-terrorism. However, the term is now also used to describe remote controlled aircraft used for commercial and recreational purposes.

Commercial drone use has become popular across many major sectors and industries, as drones are able to operate for long periods of time in areas that are difficult or dangerous for humans to access. Examples of their use include:

•
in agriculture—where drones are used for: crop, herd and irrigation monitoring; variable rate fertilizing and spraying; weed/vegetation identification and mapping; and climate monitoring (in greenhouses)
•
in the

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest TMT News

Sony fails in bid for summary judgment and strike out in long-standing music dispute (Noel Redding Estate Ltd & another v Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd)

TMT analysis: In a row over the ownership and exploitation of copyright and performers’ rights in the studio albums of eponymous rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience (JHE), the Court of Appeal has dismissed Sony’s appeal against the High Court’s decision to refuse Sony’s application for summary judgment and strike out. The outcome in this case illustrates the complexities around the ownership and exploitation of the intellectual property rights of band members and offers helpful guidance on the applicability of seldomly seen transitional provisions relating to performers’ rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988). Written by Marc Linsner , senior associate at Bristows LLP.

IAB Tech Lab proposes framework for AI content usage compensation and brand controls

The IAB Technology Laboratory (IAB Tech Lab) has announced a new Large Language Model (LLM) Content Ingest API Initiative on 4 June 2025. The framework aims to establish technical standards for compensating publishers when AI systems use their content and enable brands to control how their information appears in AI-generated outputs. The initiative responds to reported 15% decreases in publisher traffic due to AI content scraping. IAB Tech Lab has invited publishers, brands, and AI system developers to participate in an upcoming workshop to develop practical tools for content access control and monetisation. Interested parties can provide feedback on the framework by contacting support@iabtechlab.com.

Ofcom opens consultation on additional online safety measures under the Online Safety Act 2023

Ofcom has launched a consultation proposing further online safety measures under the Online Safety Act 2023. The regulator is seeking views on new requirements for tech companies to prevent illegal content from going viral, detect harmful material at source and strengthen protections for children, including during livestreams. The consultation is open until 20 October 2025.

Advocate General opinion on pastiche and music sampling (Pelham II))

IP analysis: The case of CG, YN v Pelham GmbH, SD, UP examines whether a two-second sample from the claimant’s song which is used in a hip-hop track qualifies for the pastiche exception under Article 5(3)(k) of Directive 2001/29/EC (the EU InfoSoc Directive). Advocate General (AG) Emiliou opined that, to fall within the pastiche exception, the work at issue must be noticeably different from the source material and must be intended to be recognised as an imitation. The definition of pastiche has not yet been considered by the Court of Justice, potentially making this an important case for creatives industries.