Flight restrictions will be in place off the Wicklow and Wexford coastlines from next weekend for “unmanned aircraft system testing”, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) says.
However, Irish Coast Guard, Helicopter Emergency Medical Service aircraft on an operational mission and State aircraft will be exempted from the restrictions, the IAA says.
The temporary restrictions which apply to both aircraft and rockets come into force from Saturday, January 13th, until Thursday, January 18th.
The airspace defined with the temporary restriction areas (TRAs) can only be used by aircraft authorised by the IAA, it ssays.
“Unmanned aircraft systems operated in breach of TRA restrictions may be subject to seizure by An Garda Síochána as evidence for potential prosecution and in the interest of aviation safety,”the IAA says.
“ Any exemptions, alleviations or permissions, granted to civil general air traffic by the authority, are not valid within these TRAs during the period cited,” it says.
Separate TRAs or flight restriction notices are also in place in the area of Balbriggan, off north Dublin, from early January until February 11th, and off Bangor Erris, north Mayo, until February 20th.
More details and co-ordinates for the affected areas are on the IAA website here
