The Law Commission has been asked by the Civil Aviation Authority, (CAA) and Department for Transport (DfT) to review the law around autonomous flight, in order to support the safe development of rapidly advancing technology.

The three-year review is partly funded by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) through the Future Flight Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council. It will examine the existing legal framework to identify the challenges and opportunities linked to the introduction of highly automated systems into the aviation sector.

The project reviews existing legislation to identify any legislative blocks, gaps or uncertainties. The Commission will consult with key stakeholders in the aviation and innovation sectors, before proposing a series of law reforms that will ensure the UK is ready to take advantage of oncoming advances in automation.

The Consultation was launched on 26 February 2024 and will close on 27 May 2024.

A second consultation paper will be published in late 2024, followed by a final report in 2025.

27 February 2024