National Drone Hub in Cornwall Gains CAA Test & Evaluation Site Accreditation

The National Drone Hub in Cornwall has become the UK’s first Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) accredited Test & Evaluation site for drones, dramatically cutting the time it takes for manufacturers to gain approval to start testing their air systems.

A Major Boost for Drone Development

Based at Predannack Airfield, the National Drone Hub offers facilities, expertise and access to more than 8,000km² of segregated airspace, making it one of the largest drone testing sites in Europe.

Built by Cornish SME WholeShip Ltd and operated in partnership with the Royal Navy, the Hub is situated on a 320-hectare Ministry of Defence airfield with an ultra-low population density. It is regarded as the UK’s leading location for testing next-generation autonomous systems for both civil and military applications.

The new CAA accreditation provides manufacturers and operators with a streamlined pathway to test and validate their technologies in a controlled environment, enabling faster progression from concept to commercial deployment.

📷The Rt Hon David Willetts and The Rt Hon Lord Hutton of Furness, WholeShip team and Cornwall Space Cluster team

Bringing Industry, Government and Academia Together

The WholeShip team recently hosted a visit from the Rt Hon Lord David Willetts and the Rt Hon Lord John Hutton, who both praised the Hub’s role in shaping the future of flight.

Lord Willetts said:
“WholeShip’s National Drone Hub brings together Industry, Government, Academia and Regulators, providing a unique opportunity to inform regulatory change that keeps pace with technology and accelerates the adoption of autonomy in the UK.”

Lord Hutton, Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Economic Forum, added:
“WholeShip’s National Drone Hub is a powerful example of how the UK can lead in emerging technologies through bold collaboration and forward-thinking regulation. By bringing together industry, academia, government and the regulator in one place, the Hub is accelerating real-world innovation while upholding the highest standards of safety and compliance.”

A Step Towards Everyday Drone Operations

Sophie O’Sullivan, Director of Future Safety & Innovation at the CAA, said:
“We’re working with industry to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality. A key pillar in the modernisation of UK airspace and enabling new technology to take flight.”

“WholeShip’s National Drone Hub has become the first pre-assessed test site in the UK, an important milestone. Part of our effort to enable safer, more efficient testing of drones. By choosing to test their drone in a pre-assessed site, operators benefit from a simpler, expedited approvals process.”

“This will accelerate innovation while maintaining our world leading standards of safety.”

Reinforcing Cornwall’s Role in the Future of Aviation

The CAA accreditation cements the National Drone Hub’s position as a cornerstone of the UK’s autonomous aviation ecosystem, providing the infrastructure and expertise needed to integrate drone technology safely into UK airspace.

📷Wholeship Ltd