UK Drone Laws - Where Can You and Can't Fly Your Drone?

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• UK Drone Laws - Where Can You and Can't Fly Your Drone?

Keeping track of the latest UK drone laws can be tricky, with new legislation and police powers recently changing the legal landscape for drones. Luckily, we've rounded up all the latest changes to drone law and have also suggested the best apps to help you decide where to fly your drone safely. (Not in the UK? Scroll to the bottom of the page for more information on drone laws in your area.) Using a drone to capture aerial images and video is a great way to enhance your photography – they can provide exciting new insights into subjects, as well as provide access to otherwise inaccessible places. But unlike your ordinary camera, you can't just unbox your new drone, load it up, and take it out for your first flight; There are a number of important tasks you need to do to ensure you are following the latest UK drone laws. With new police powers, drone laws and large fines in place now in place, it's more important than ever to know where you are and what is required of you as a drone pilot. While it may seem daunting, it's all pretty simple. So here is everything you need to know about flying drones legally and safely in the UK.

(Image credit: CAA)

British Drone Laws: The Basics

• Keep your drone in direct view
• Do not fly more than 120 meters from the ground
• Avoid flying within 50 meters of people, buildings and cars.
• Don't fly within 150 meters of buildings and crowds.
• Now you need a drone operator ID for 250g to 20kg drones

The most important basic information to get familiar with is the Drone Code, which clearly outlines what you should and shouldn't do when flying a drone. This information also clearly indicates where you can and cannot legally fly your drone. In a nutshell, follow this simple guide at all times and you won't have any problems. When flying, your drone should always remain in an unassisted line of sight and not fly more than 400 feet (120 meters) and at a distance of 500 meters (1640 feet). With most drones, you can set these parameters to avoid exceeding them. When flying, you should never fly within 50 m (150 ft) of people or property. It is recommended not to fly over people. For crowds of people and built-up areas, you should never fly within 150 feet (500 m), which means you cannot legally fly over these areas.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has published a three-page drone code with practical visual guides like this one. (Image credit: CAA) For airports, things are a little different for obvious reasons. Around all airfields and airports there is an exclusion zone (restricted airspace) of 2 to 2.5 nautical miles, with an exclusion zone 5 km long and 1 km wide at both ends of each track. Restricted airspace means that you cannot fly in these places unless you have obtained permission from the competent authority. These include airports, critical infrastructure, and military installations. Consider all this, and everything will be fine, as long as you have registered your drone...

(Image credit: future)

British Drone Legislation: The Drone Registration System

• For 250g to 20kg drones, you now need a valid traveler ID
• To get it, you need to take an online test and pay € 9 a year
• The online test should only be done every three years
• The 249g weight of the DJI Mavic Mini means you don't need a steering wheel ID

New UK drone laws came into force on 30 November 2019. These require anyone using a drone weighing between 250g and 20kg to take a 20 question multiple choice online safety test and register as a drone operator and flyer. Weighing just 249g, the DJI Mavic Mini is exempt from this law. Operator ID must be clearly displayed on your drone(s). This means that it is now illegal to fly a drone in the UK without meeting these new requirements, unless your drone weighs 249g or less, only flies indoors or in a safe area. The cost to test and obtain operator and traveler IDs is €9 per year, and online tests only need to be done every three years. For more information on the new laws, to take the test online and to obtain an operator ID and brochure, visit the official page of the Civil Aviation Authority.

(Image credit: future)

British Drone Laws: New Police Powers

Police forces across the country have been given new powers to land, inspect and impound drones thanks to new legislation: the Unmanned Aircraft and Traffic Management Act. They also have new powers to stop and search airports, prisons, and other restricted locations. Drone pilots could face fines of up to €1,000 for offenses such as not having or showing a drone identity card in UAVs over 249g, failing to provide proof of clearances and exemptions and of course for flying dangerously. and / or in restricted places.

(Image credit: future)

• All new DJI drones over 250g will include AirSense technology
• This system will help you alert you to any aircraft within miles of your drone
• NATS Drone Assist and UAV Forecast are also useful applications for drone pilots

Flying drones are not rocket science, and in many cases, having an up-to-date knowledge of drone code and a dose of old-fashioned common sense will keep you, your drone, and everyone else safe. In the near future, DJI will introduce a new warning system on consumer drones called DJI AirSense. This system uses ADS-B (Automatic Depend Surveillance Surveillance-Broadcast) technology, used in airplanes and helicopters, to provide drone pilots with location data from nearby aircraft equipped with ADS-B transmitters. This flight data will be provided via DJI flight apps to alert drone pilots of potential hazards so they can react accordingly. There are also a number of third-party apps that make it easy to safely plan flights. Here are two apps that are essential for everyone, whether you fly a drone for fun or for commercial purposes (if you have a Commercial Operations Permit (PfCO) license). And above all, both are free:

British Drone Laws - Downloadable Apps

(Image credit: future)

NATS drone assistance

NATS Drone Assist is an essential app as it allows you to locate your current position using GPS or search for a planned location in advance. It shows restricted airspace, NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) which are temporary warnings and the rules governing airspace, as well as risks on the ground and much more. Basically, this app tells you if you can safely and legally fly your drone. Download NATS Drone Assist for Android Download NATS Drone Assist for iOS

(Image credit: future)

UAV Forecast

UAV Forecast is a weather app aimed squarely at drone pilots and provides you with a variety of weather conditions and other relevant information to help you decide if you can fly safely. Observing the weather conditions at the site is still essential, but this allows you to get a good idea of ​​whether it is safe to fly early. Download UAV Forecast for Android Download UAV Forecast for iOS

(Image credit: future)

British Drone Laws: What Laws Come Next?

In July 2020, new European regulations for drones are expected to start in the UK, although the UK has left the EU. This will cause the UK to align itself with the European Aviation Safety Agency. Simply put, the new rules will see drastic changes to the differences between commercial/hobbyist and commercial flying, putting more emphasis on the type of drones you have and where you intend to fly. This will be in addition to the current registration requirements that we have already covered. The new drones will be classified in a new system, as well as the flights themselves. The goal is to make things simpler and even more secure than they currently are. But as with anything new, only time will tell how effective this new approach will be. So until then, be sure to follow the drone code and sign up as a drone flyer, and you'll be home and dry for the foreseeable future.

American and Australian drone laws

These drone law directives only apply in the UK. If you live in the US or Australia, follow the links below to learn more about the drone laws that apply to you: US drone laws Australian drone laws