Snowdonia Aerospace Centre cements status as leading UK aerospace testing hub with CAA approval for drone testing

Snowdonia Aerospace LLP has announced that the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre has become one of only two Pre-assessed Test Sites in the UK approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone testing.

To obtain CAA Pre-assessed Test Site status, the vicinity of the Centre underwent a completely independent process where the risk to other aircraft (air risk) and people and property (ground risk) was appraised, and a baseline level of safety ensured. This means that UAS operators can use the Centre to streamline their applications process for a UK SORA-based Operational Authorisation (OA).

The Pre-assessed Test Site process is part of a £20m UK government initiative announced in April 2025 to support the integration of drones and flying taxis into the country’s aviation network. The CAA, Department for Transport (DfT), and the newly established Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) are trying to simplify regulatory processes to facilitate the commercialisation of these emerging technologies. Many organisations, in the UK and globally, are developing novel drones, advanced air mobility vehicles and zero-carbon regional aircraft. These novel aircraft will enable the creation of new markets worth over US$675 billion by 2050.

Jeremy Howitt, Technical Director for the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, said “The Snowdonia Aerospace Centre has long been at the forefront of novel aerospace development in the UK, and we’re really pleased that now we can offer a streamlined application process and get more drone operators flying sooner in our unique test environment. We look forward to supporting the next generation of innovators in this exciting new technology area.”

The CAA approval follows the successful launch of the Snowdonia Space Centre in May 2025, which provides early and low-cost access to state-of-the-art testing facilities enabling companies to accelerate the development of new products and technologies. It features a purpose-built laboratory with cutting-edge testing equipment, a rocket engine test stand and two launch rails, as well as a flight test range for trialling and researching various modes of space flight such as rocket-powered vehicles and near-space scientific flights. The test site status cements the centre’s status as a leading aerospace hub for the UK.

Drone operators applying for an Operational Authorisation for flight testing at the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre can find all the necessary guidance in the CAA policy concept document CAP 3145: https://www.caa.co.uk/publication/download/25590