T0609 Drone Road User Distraction

National Highways has procured services from Ove Arup & Partners Limited under the contract T0609 Drone Road User Distraction, valued at GBP 69,571.77, to conduct research on whether drone-road user separation distances can be safely reduced from 50 meters to as low as 10 meters without distracting drivers. This study aims to support more frequent drone operations for National Highways' growing business needs, governed by CAA regulations and their GG 954 Drone Operations standard, by providing evidence for reduced distances via Operation Safety Cases and safety reviews. Strategically, it addresses the current lack of research on driver distraction risks at closer distances to enable safer and more efficient drone usage compared to baseline methods.