The Ministry of Defence want to being flying the UK’s next generation armed drone within this zone.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) wants its new ‘Protector’ drone to be able to fly unsegregated in UK airspace so it can be deployed “across the full spectrum of operations”, including for: domestic security purposes such as surveillance; training personnel; and being available to civil authorities for contingencies and emergencies.
In order to do this, the MoD are developing a proposal for changing the airspace in a zone close to RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire (shown in the picture), which is Protector’s operating base. The MoD say they want to use this zone as a way of ensuring they can operate Protector safely and in in accordance with the UK’s relevant policy and laws.
However, we believe there are significant safety concerns, as well as privacy, civil liberties and human rights issues regarding the use of military UAVs within the UK. It is thus vital that local people’s voices are heard regarding Protector.
If you live in the this zone and want to help challenge the use of military drones within the UK and hold the MoD and government to account, please do get in touch. We would like to hold public meetings and increase information about these plans within local media. email: campaigns@dronewars.net
To find out more about this issue, check out our new briefing (left) which reviews the capabilities of Protector, the reasons for its acquisition, the rising costs and risks of the programme and related ethical, legal, human rights and safety concerns.