Drones to be banned as part of T in the Park no-fly zone

Drones have been banned as part of a no-fly zone around the T in the Park venue at Strathallan Castle. Picture: PA

DRONES have been banned as part of a no-fly zone at T in the Park.

The Civil Aviation Authority has ordered a block on all aircraft in the skies above the festival site at Strathallan Castle, near Auchterarder, Perthshire during this summer’s event.

The order demands that no craft can fly below 3,500ft in an area of around one-and-half miles around the arena.

Only aircraft operated by the emergency services, or given express permission by Police Scotland, can go over the estate, which is next to Strathallan Airfield.

The order comes into force at 4am on Thursday July 7, the day the first wave of campers are due to arrive.

A spokesman for the UK Government’s Department of Transport said: “A large gathering of people will attend this event on each day and therefore the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport agree that flying should be restricted in the vicinity of the displays for reasons of public safety.”

The ban will stay in place until 1pm on the Monday after the show.

T in the Park bosses have also banned drones from being used in the campsite or over the arena.

The unmanned machines, which have seen a huge surge in sales over the last year, are among a lengthy list of banned items submitted by organisers DF Concerts to Perth and Kinross Council.

Also banned at this year’s show are selfie sticks, laser pens, kites, fireworks, Chinese lanterns and vuvuzelas, but a ban on flags has been lifted.

Festival bosses earlier announced an overhaul of this year’s campsite.

The camping area will increase in size by over a quarter and there will be “easy-to-understand” colour-coded zones.

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