Today, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved Operational Authority for leading independent drone advisors, Drone Major to conduct the UK’s first beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights over the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure marking a major breakthrough in the drone industry.
Trials of Digital Tethering™ system in 2025. Image Credit: Drone Major Group
This is the first time long-distance approved BVLOS drones in non-segregated airspace have been given the green light to fly over the UK’s critical national infrastructure and places the UK at the forefront of drone innovation.
This development will initially enable long-range drones to patrol over the UK’s rail networks. It marks an important step towards enabling more complex BVLOS operations across other areas of Critical National Infrastructure, with potential applications in sectors such as energy, utilities, defence, border management, and sensitive national infrastructure surveillance.
The approval was possible as a result of Network Rail enabling and funding this groundbreaking work, and now paves the way for possible imminent trials of the technology on a critical 12 km route between Wolverhampton and Sandwell & Dudley Station in partnership with Network Rail. The trials have the potential to vastly improve the safety, speed, and efficiency of the UK railway service, while also delivering many millions a year in savings.
Testing of the project would demonstrate the potential to safely and reliably deploy drones at scale over critical national infrastructure. In partnership with Network Rail, Drone Major’s technology has already been tested along the rail corridor south-east of Wolverhampton station and the Severn Valley Railway lines, presenting an opportunity to significantly speed up the verification and interception of trespassers, thereby reducing delays to trains in a critical and very busy area, potentially also saving lives.
Flying over railways, these drones will operate in a carefully defined ‘safety corridor’, much like aeroplanes, using Drone Major’s advanced ‘Digital Tethering™’ concept to assure the safety of the aircraft’s flight behavior, significantly minimizing risks to those on the ground. The innovative Digital Tethering™ solution began in Wolverhampton before being trialled further afield to include tests, trials and surveys along the Severn Valley Railway. The drones are able to monitor the UK’s railways, transmitting visual data in real time to operators, providing vital detection and monitoring of trespassers.
The Digital Tethering™ system employs a range of world-leading onboard navigation and safety systems as well as innovative ground-based technology, together delivering a unique, cutting-edge capability to the project and enabling reliable autonomous navigation, providing real-time and precise position of the drones, particularly in areas along the railway where GPS/GNSS signals are unstable or inaccessible. Digital Tethering™ has been designed to significantly improve safety and increase the efficiency of UAS operations during monitoring and inspection tasks.
As a leading advisor on the use of drones in critical national infrastructure, Drone Major plans to run additional trials with more Critical National Infrastructure organizations in the near future.
Sophie O’Sullivan, Director of Future of Flight at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We’re working with companies to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernization of UK airspace and enabling new technology into our skies.
“By supporting projects ranging from critical infrastructure inspections to consumer deliveries, we are gathering essential data to shape future policies and regulations, and support the growth of the aerospace industry.”
Robert Garbett, Founder and Chief Executive of Drone Major Group said: "The CAA’s approval of operational authority for trials of BVLOS flights marks a landmark moment for the drone industry. This milestone opens up new opportunities to unlock and transform the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure, especially in densely built environments where traditional methods often fall short. It sets a new benchmark for safety and efficiency, positioning the UK as a world leader in drone innovation while also unlocking innovation to support UK plc.”