An emergency restriction of flying has applied around RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire since 3.30pm on 30 September 2026, under The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire) (Emergency) Regulations 2026.
The regulations say: "No aircraft is to fly below Flight Level 95" over the area in their schedule, "being an area bounded by a circle of the radius specified in Column 2 and centred on the position specified in Column 3." The schedule gives the area as RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, with a radius of 5 nautical miles.
They "do not apply to any aircraft flying in accordance with directions given by the Royal Air Force Brize Norton Air Traffic Control Unit."
No end date in the regulations
The regulations came into force with immediate effect and do not give an end date. Their explanatory note says they "are intended to be of temporary duration and will be revoked as soon as the emergency in question has passed."
At the time of writing, legislation.gov.uk lists no revocation of the RAF Fairford regulations.
It followed a smaller zone centred on Whelford
The RAF Fairford restriction followed an earlier emergency restriction, The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Whelford, Gloucestershire) (Emergency) Regulations 2026, made at 2.30pm on 27 September. That instrument covered a radius of 4 nautical miles centred on Whelford, below Flight Level 95, and exempted aircraft flying in accordance with directions given by Gloucestershire Police.
The Whelford restriction was revoked at 1.25pm on 30 September, about two hours before the RAF Fairford regulations were made.
FLYER reported that the Whelford zone was introduced "following a security operation near RAF Fairford in which five people were arrested." It said that restricted area applied "to all aircraft, including drones, balloons, kites, parachutes, parascending equipment and paramotors."
Drone users in north Swindon
The Gazette and Herald reported on 3 October that "a zone centred around RAF Fairford has been extended to parts of northern Swindon", citing drone tracking apps.
It quoted Jason Spickett, a photographer and drone operator who runs the Facebook page Swindon From The Air: "There is a 6 mile NFZ around Fairford that this morning I couldn’t get permission to fly in at North Swindon or Highworth. They are only allowing emergency flights."
He added: "Although temporary until Wednesday I was told by Brize Norton that it will be reviewed and the time limit could be extended."
Mr Spickett's figure of 6 miles differs from the regulations, which give a radius of 5 nautical miles, about 5.75 statute miles. The regulations themselves set no expiry date.