The Air Navigation Order 2009

Balloons

163.—(1) This article applies to or in relation to balloons within the United Kingdom.

(2) A balloon in captive or tethered flight must not be flown within 60 metres of any vessel, vehicle or structure except with the permission of the person in charge of any such vessel, vehicle or structure.

(3) Except with the permission of the CAA—

(a) a balloon in captive flight must not be flown within the aerodrome traffic zone of a notified aerodrome during the notified operating hours of that aerodrome; and

(b) a balloon in captive or tethered flight must not be flown at a height measured to the top of the balloon of more than 60 metres above ground level.

(4) Except with the permission of the CAA, an uncontrollable balloon in captive or released flight must not be flown in airspace notified for the purposes of this paragraph.

(5) Except during the day and in Visual Meteorological Conditions, a controllable balloon must not be flown in free controlled flight—

(a) within airspace notified for the purposes of this paragraph; or

(b) within the aerodrome traffic zone of a notified aerodrome during the notified operating hours of that aerodrome.

(6) Except with the permission of the appropriate air traffic control unit, a controllable balloon must not be flown in tethered flight—

(a) within airspace notified for the purposes of this paragraph; or

(b) within the aerodrome traffic zone of a notified aerodrome.

(7) When in captive flight, a balloon must be securely moored and must not be left unattended unless it is fitted with a device which ensures its automatic deflation if it breaks free of its moorings.

(8) A person must not cause or permit—

(a) a group of small balloons of more than 1000 in number to be simultaneously released at a single site wholly or partly within the aerodrome traffic zone of a notified aerodrome during the notified operating hours of that aerodrome unless that person has given to the CAA at least 28 days previous notice in writing of the release;

(b) a group of small balloons of more than 2000 but not more than 10,000 in number to be simultaneously released at a single site—

(i) within airspace notified for the purposes of this sub-paragraph; or

(ii) within the aerodrome traffic zone of a notified aerodrome during the notified operating hours of that aerodrome,

except with the permission of the CAA; and

(c) a group of small balloons greater than 10,000 in number to be simultaneously released at a single site except with the permission of the CAA.

(9) In this article—

(a) ‘day’ means the time from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset (both times exclusive), sunset and sunrise being determined at surface level; and

(b) ‘simultaneously released at a single site’ means the release of a specified number of balloons during a period of not more than 15 minutes from within an area not more than 1 km square.