---
title: "T0609 Drone Road User Distraction"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-54b36cb7-fc80-4953-a4d2-8735f98d87c2"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-54b36cb7-fc80-4953-a4d2-8735f98d87c2"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-54b36cb7-fc80-4953-a4d2-8735f98d87c2.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-54b36cb7-fc80-4953-a4d2-8735f98d87c2.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NATIONAL HIGHWAYS"
published: "2024-10-25"
---

# T0609 Drone Road User Distraction

Buyer: NATIONAL HIGHWAYS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-54b36cb7-fc80-4953-a4d2-8735f98d87c2

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## Summary

The public procurement process involves National Highways seeking specialist technical consultants for the project titled "T0609 Drone Road User Distraction" in the Development consultancy services industry category. The procurement is focused on assessing and potentially reducing the separation distances between drones and road users to enhance drone flight operations. This contract, valued at £69,571.77, covers multiple locations including British Overseas Territories, Channel Islands, Europe, Isle of Man, United Kingdom, and the Rest of the World. The procurement method employed was a selective call-off from a framework agreement. The procurement process is currently at the award stage, with the contract period running from 25th October 2024 to 31st March 2025.

This tender presents valuable opportunities for SMEs with expertise in drone operations, technical consultancy, and transport infrastructure. Businesses specialising in cutting-edge research and consultancy services in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), safety standards, and traffic management will find this project particularly beneficial. The involvement of National Highways as the buying organisation underscores the strategic importance of this project, potentially leading to further business collaborations and enhanced visibility within the industry. By participating, businesses can showcase their capabilities in a high-profile project, thereby fostering growth and establishing themselves as key players in the development consultancy and UAV sectors.

## Notice

Technical advice to National Highways' Drones Governance Hub & GG 954 - Drones Operations Standard Owner National Highways is seeking specialist technical consultants to undertake research to understand whether separation distances between drones and road users, operated by/on behalf of National Highways, can be safely reduced from the currently permitted 50 metres as defined in GG 954 - Drones Operations. Specifically, National Highways is seeking to establish whether flights at distances as low as 15 metres can be undertaken without distracting drivers, enabling the potential for many more drone flights to meet growing business needs. This approach is based on the recommended outcome from the work package 'Road User Distraction from Drones Trial Specification' (see Appendix 1) of previous task T0323 Drone Operating Standards and Requirements. This will be achieved through implementing, and supplementing where appropriate, Phase 1 of the Road User Distraction from Drones Trial Specification developed as part of Task T0323 Drone Operating Standards & Requirements. Should Phase 1 be inconclusive, the Phase 2 specification shall be refined based on the Phase 1 conclusions. It should be noted that the original 'Road User Distraction from Drones Tial Specification' developed as part of T0323 Drone Operating Standards & Requirements only sought to consider the distraction effects caused by drones being operated as close as 20m from the strategic road network. However, the scope of these trials has been expanded to distances as low as 15m, based on the CAA's Atypical Air Environment proposals, as set out in CAP 2968. The CAA's proposals seek to allow Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations 'within 15m of a permanent linear structure' - considered to be a volume of airspace where it can be reasonably anticipated there to be a reduced number of conventionally piloted aircraft due to proximity of ground infrastructure. These Atypical Air Environments are intended to allow infrastructure asset owners, such as National Highways, to conduct a wider range of drone operations to support their operation.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4f1f22ff-34a1-4bd0-b0b4-5ec58facaa04 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Call-off from a framework agreement |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 25 Oct 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 10 Sep 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 24 Oct 2024 |
| Contract period | 24 Oct 2024 - 31 Mar 2025 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £69,571 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £69,571 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATIONAL HIGHWAYS |
| Locality | BIRMINGHAM |
| Post town | Birmingham |
| Postcode | B1 1RN |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands |
| ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham |
| Local authority | Birmingham |
| Electoral ward | Ladywood |
| Westminster constituency | Birmingham Ladywood |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | OVE ARUP & PARTNERS LTD - SPATS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73220000 - Development consultancy services

## Release History

- 25 Oct 2024 at 14:18 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4f1f22ff-34a1-4bd0-b0b4-5ec58facaa04

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/4f1f22ff-34a1-4bd0-b0b4-5ec58facaa04
  25th October 2024 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/2a1d0265-0708-468c-8fbf-3fc2e19f6d3d
  n/a

## Provenance

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