Ofcom Drone Spectrum Consultation: UK Bands & Radar

Ofcom Drone Spectrum Consultation: UK Proposes New Control Link Bands and a Drone Detection Radar Licence

On 16 July 2026, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the United Kingdom's communications and spectrum regulator, opened a public consultation titled Enabling drone innovation and security. The consultation runs until 30 September 2026 and addresses two connected questions at once: how to give legitimate drone operators the spectrum they need to expand commercial and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, and how to give critical sites a licensed means of detecting hostile drones overhead.

What the Ofcom drone spectrum consultation proposes

Ofcom sets out three concrete proposals, plus a broader call for evidence on future needs. Two of the three concern spectrum for drone control links; the third creates a new licence for drone detection radar.

1. Drone control links in the 450 MHz band. Ofcom proposes to make the 453–462.5 MHz range available for drone control links under three year fixed term licences, shared with existing business radio use. This band is described as primarily available in remote and rural areas, positioning it as a backup or coverage-gap option rather than a nationwide resource.

2. Drone control links in the 5 GHz band. Ofcom proposes to enable drone control access to a portion of the 5030–5091 MHz band its preferred option being 5040–5060 MHz on a time limited basis until 2032, with good availability across the UK. This is framed explicitly as a near term, interim measure to let companies develop, launch and expand deployments while longer term arrangements are planned.

3. A new drone detection radar licence. Ofcom proposes to create a new licence authorising drone detection radar at 24 GHz (24.05–24.25 GHz) and 16 GHz (15.4–16.6 GHz). The 16 GHz authorisation would require case by case coordination with the Ministry of Defence (MoD). This is the security focused element that underpins Ofcom's stated aim of helping prisons, power stations and airports guard against hostile drone activity.

4. Future spectrum needs. Beyond the three proposals, Ofcom is seeking stakeholder input on longer term spectrum requirements for drone control, safety and detection.

A structural point worth keeping front of mind: the two control link measures are deliberately time limited (three year terms at 450 MHz; access until 2032 at 5 GHz). Ofcom is signalling that it wants to open near term windows while retaining flexibility on the permanent solution.

Regulatory scope: what this consultation is and is not

This is a spectrum allocation and licensing consultation. It governs which frequencies drone control links and drone detection radars may use, and under what licence terms it does not, by itself, create a new device type approval or conformity assessment regime for drones or radar equipment.

Two separate authorisation layers continue to apply alongside it:

• Radio equipment placed on the UK market remains subject to the UK's radio equipment conformity regime (UKCA marking under the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017). Nothing in this consultation changes those obligations; rather, the licence conditions that emerge will define the technical parameters (frequency, power, coordination requirements) that compliant equipment must be designed and tested to meet.

• Drone flight and operational safety remain the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). An Ofcom spectrum licence authorises radio use only; it does not constitute CAA permission to operate the aircraft. Manufacturers and operators should treat spectrum authorisation and operational approval as distinct requirements.

What this means for manufacturers

For manufacturers, importers and test labs, the consultation is best read as an early design and market access signal rather than an immediate compliance obligation. The practical implications differ by product line:

• Makers of drone control link radios should note that the UK is preparing to open 450 MHz (453–462.5 MHz) and a slice of the 5 GHz aviation band (preferred 5040–5060 MHz) for command and control use. Products intended for the UK market can be designed to align with these bands and their licence conditions, but the time limited nature (three years at 450 MHz; 5 GHz access ending 2032) means product roadmaps and customer commitments should account for the possibility of changed conditions after those windows.

  
  

• Makers of drone detection / counter UAS radar have the clearest opportunity here. A dedicated UK licence class for detection radar at 24 GHz and 16 GHz would give a defined authorisation route for equipment sold to prisons, utilities, airports and other critical infrastructure operators. Designing to the 24.05–24.25 GHz and 15.4–16.6 GHz parameters positions products for that market with the caveat that 16 GHz operation carries a case by case MoD coordination step that will affect deployment timelines and possibly siting.

• All UK facing suppliers should remember that securing spectrum authorisation does not remove the need for UKCA conformity of the radio equipment, nor for CAA operational clearance where the equipment is carried on an aircraft. These remain separate workstreams.

• The consultation is still open. Manufacturers with a stake in the final band plan, licence terms or technical conditions can shape the outcome by responding before 30 September 2026 particularly on the 5 GHz preferred sub band, the 450 MHz sharing arrangements, and the detection radar coordination model.

  
  

Certification impact summary

Area	What Ofcom is proposing	Implication for manufacturers / certification
450 MHz control links	453–462.5 MHz, three year fixed term licences, shared with business radio, mainly remote/rural	Design opportunity for backup C2 links; plan for licence renewal cycles and shared-band coexistence
5 GHz control links	Portion of 5030–5091 MHz (preferred 5040–5060 MHz), access until 2032	Near term UK wide C2 option; roadmap must account for the 2032 time limit
Drone detection radar	New licence at 24 GHz (24.05–24.25 GHz) and 16 GHz (15.4–16.6 GHz)	Defined UK authorisation route for detection radar; 16 GHz requires case by case MoD coordination
Device conformity (radio equipment)	Not addressed by this consultation	UKCA / Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 obligations are unchanged and still apply
Operational (aviation) approval	Not addressed by this consultation	CAA operational authorisation remains a separate requirement; a spectrum licence is not CAA approval

Timeline and required actions

Date	Milestone	Required action
16 July 2026	Consultation "Enabling drone innovation and security" published	Review the consultation PDF and draft detection radar licence
16 July – 30 September 2026	Consultation open	Assess impact on product lines; prepare and submit a response if affected
30 September 2026	Consultation closes	Final deadline to submit responses via the response form or uas@ofcom.org.uk
After close (date TBC)	Ofcom decision / statement expected	Monitor for the outcome and finalised licence terms and technical conditions
Until 2032	Proposed 5 GHz (5040–5060 MHz preferred) access window	Factor the interim end date into 5 GHz product and customer planning
Rolling (three-year terms)	Proposed 450 MHz licence duration	Build licence renewal into lifecycle planning for 450 MHz control link products