Royal Holloway University to build new drone testing hangar

The facility will allow operators to test specialist electric drones in a "confined, safe space"

A new drone research and testing hangar is to be built in Surrey.

Plans for the 895 sq-m site at Royal Holloway University have been approved by Runnymede Borough Council.

The facility, which would be 13.5 high, will allow operators to develop and test specialist electric drones in a "confined, safe space, without disrupting residents or those on campus", the university said.

It will be a "showcase facility" for the university, planning documents say.

The application has called for the exterior of the hangar to be a mix of white and grey to ensure it retains a "subtle appearance".

The Egham-based university says the site will enable flight training to assist with drone and robotic educational research trials.

It said the facility would be part of a new Omnidrome Research and Innovation Centre at the university.

No drones will be permitted to fly outside of the building.

The prefabricated hangar is expected to take approximately three weeks to build, with work expected to begin in spring this year.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].