Tethered drones and remotely piloted aircraft remain securely attached (tethered) via a physical link to a person, the ground or an object at all times while flying. The tether normally takes the form of a flexible wire or a cable and may also include the power supply to the aircraft as well.
This type of flying can be used as an efficient solution in a number of cases, for example where an operating area is restricted, or when the required flight time exceeds the normal endurance of a free flying battery powered aircraft.
Tethered flying is subject to the same basic operating regulations as all other drones and remotely piloted aircraft and, where necessary, are subject to the same authorisation process, but the fact that the operation is tethered can be used as a significant mitigation factor when applying for an operational authorisation, thus greatly simplifying the overall process.
If you are planning to conduct a tethered UAS operation, please see our information on flying in the Open or Specific category.
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