Do Construction Cranes Require Aviation Consent or Lighting, and Who Sets the Rules?

Cranes used for construction will likely reach elevations above the final height of a building development, thereby posing a greater risk than the building itself.

In principle, safeguarding concerns for cranes are the same as for building developments and so will be subject to the same constraints. Sometimes exceptions are permitted on the basis that the crane will not be there permanently.

Aviation Impacts

Tall structures, such as cranes, pose the greatest risk to aviation activity as physical obstructions impacting protected surfaces, such as the Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS), and flight routes, such as Instrument Flight Paths (IFPs).

• For obstacles that breach the OLS, it is likely that the obstacle will need to be lit;
• IFPs have defined horizontal and vertical clearances that need to be maintained when aircraft fly these specific routes. If a crane temporarily infringes these clearances, the obstacle will likely need to be lit to permit the temporary infringement. There may also be other restrictions whereby the cranes can only operate and infringe the IFPs when the route is not in operation i.e. an airport is closed.  

Even if a crane is not calculated to infringe the OLS and IFPs, the lighting requirements will need to consider the guidance. There may remain other reasons why a crane is deemed a risk to safety, and lighting be required. 

Guidance and Lighting Requirements

In the UK, the main guidance is outlined by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and its published guidance Civil Aviation Publication (CAP). The following  documents provide guidance on the requirements for lighting cranes:

• CAP 738 (Safeguarding of Aerodromes); 
• CAP 168 (Licensing of Aerodromes);
• CAP 1096 (Guidance to crane users on aviation lighting and notification);
• UK Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO) – CAP 393.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) may also request lighting to help facilitate safe operations outside of those associated with the approach and departure from an aerodrome. For example, military low-flying operations frequently require some form of aviation lighting on known obstacles, cranes included, to ensure they can be observed more easily.

Additional Concerns

As well as lighting and notification, a crane may also be subject to other restrictions during operation to mitigate any other significant impacts identified. These include restrictions on crane operating times, restrictions on crane operating height and restrictions during poor visibility (whether caused by fog or low cloud).

The additional concerns above, in tandem with the lighting requirement, are addressed in a Cranes Operations Scheme. 

Conclusions

The CAA provide guidance and defines the rules on the requirements of lighting cranes. A relevant aerodrome and stakeholders such as the MOD will also have requirements based on their operations.

The use of cranes may therefore require consent to ensure aviation activity is not significantly affected by their presence. To check whether lighting may be required, the CAA has developed a crane portal to encourage best practice (Airspace Coordination and Obstacle Management Service – ACOMS), where crane operators can make an application for crane use. It is recommended that known aviation stakeholders close to a proposed crane also be approached directly to ensure nothing is missed. Where the results indicate that the crane is deemed to be an obstacle, the crane will require lighting to ensure its visibility to pilots.

Speak to an Expert

Pager Power can assess crane heights and operating positions against relevant safeguarding criteria, including OLS and IFPs. Using bespoke modelling software, we determine whether proposed crane use creates risks and identify conditions under which operations can be safely permitted.

Our Cranes Operations Scheme often include mitigation measures such as operating restrictions, prior notification requirements, and temporary lighting plans. Reports are presented clearly for consultees and planning authorities, supporting safe and timely construction.

If you would like to receive advice on crane usage and aviation lighting, or to receive a quote for an assessment, please make an enquiry or give us a call on +44 (0)1787 319 001 to speak to a technical expert.

About Pager Power

Pager Power is a dedicated technical consultancy that has been providing independent guidance and advice regarding solar, wind, and building developments internationally since 2002.

Pager Power has completed over 1,800 glint and glare assessments, over 1,000 aviation, radar and safeguarding assessments, and over 1,000 telecommunications assessments, including the assessment of point-to-point link infrastructure, and television, mobile phone, and radio reception surveys. Pager Power is a truly international technical planning consultancy, having worked in over 60 countries.

Image accreditation: Nikola Johnny Mirkovic (Oct 2017) from Unplash.com. Last accessed on 14th March 2026. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/brown-tower-cranes-exrmAazn6wA