
What are the Drone Laws in UK?
For those who have drones heavier than 250 g, the CAA requires you to take an online safety test and to undergo registration before taking off. Failing to do so could lead you to paying fines as much as L1,000.
122m max height
150m away from crowds
4.8km from airports
50m away from people
This is a guide for the United Kingdom drone laws in 2023 (updated every year) where you'll get a clue about what you can or shouldn't do while flying a quadcopter anywhere in this country.
Yes, you could fly a drone in the UK, provided that you will follow all the rules set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which acts as the governing agency regulating the flight of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) drones.
There are different rules for both commercial and recreational drones that you need to follow whenever you are going to fly your drone in the UK.
Who to contact?
CAA is the go-to agency for all your concerns about flying drones in the UK.
You may reach them through
email: uavenquiries@caa.co.uk
phone: (+44) 0330 022 1500
There are two types of registration given by the CAA of UK—registering for yourself and an organization.
Flyer ID
Operator ID
Before you fly a drone weighing 250 g to 20 kg, you need to secure two registrations too—one as a flyer and the other as the operator.
There is no minimum age but children under 13, they will be asked to register with a guardian or a parent.
You will be asked to take an online theory test on flying safely and legally which has 20 multiple-choice questions. The passing mark is 16 and you can take the test as many times as you can.
But you could ace the test if you brush up on the new Drone and Model Aircraft Code. Once you pass, you’d receive a Flyer ID along with the competency as a remote pilot of the CAA.
The next step is securing an Operator ID. Unlike in getting a Flyer ID, this one requires you to be at least 18 years old. The validity period of this only lasts for a year, that means you have to renew it from CAA annually for the rate of L9.
There is no age requirement in flying but in operating, there is one. So if you happen to fly a drone of your relative or a friend, you just need a Flyer ID.
But operating, or owning, is a different story. For that, you need to secure two IDs, one for flying and the other for owning one.
However, if you’re just a parent who owns a drone but it’s your son who flies it? For that you have to register as a non-flying operator.
For those who have drones heavier than 250 g, the CAA requires you to take an online safety test and to undergo registration before taking off. Failing to do so could lead you to paying fines as much as L1,000.
In the UK, rules have been specifically defined by the Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO 2016), from operating the drone for recreational to commercial purposes. But between the two, using drones for commercial purposes poses more risk as it could be used more often in public places.
Understanding commercial operation can be defined by the phrases “available to the public” and “remuneration.” These tell us that operating drones commercially are used for purposes of giving service or commodity to any member of the public in exchange for money.
The greater the amount of ‘freedom of operation’ you require--in terms of locations, and duration of the permission--the greater the amount of information you need to provide in proving that you could actually operate a drone safely.
But first, you need to familiarize yourself first with the permissions and exemptions provided by the CAA in pursuant to the ANO 2016 regulations. These documents are valid up to 12 months and are subject for annual renewal.
Permissions
There are two types of permission--the standard and the non-standard.
Additionally, any individual who wants to fly a drone for commercial purposes would need a Permission for Commercial Operation (PfCO). One of the ways to obtain this is thorugh Heliguy, a CAA-approved National Qualified Entry.
But if you want to seek release from any other requirement mandated by the ANO 2016 regulations, this is when you’ll need to secure an exemption. However, you need to demonstrate your competence too in operating a drone whether in front of the CAA or when challenged by the police.
One example is conducting the ‘first-person view’ flight, which can only be conducted if approved by the CAA. If the CAA is impressed with your demonstration, it will issue you a formal exemption. But bear in mind that these exemptions can only be allowed only until June 30, 2020, when a new set of regulations are set to be in place.
Any operator who have not secured permissions, exemptions, or does not hold a recognized association competency from the CAA will be required to complete a free online course.
For operators flying commercial drones under 20kg, they a Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO) is granted to them by the CAA to conduct paid work using their small unmanned aircraft (SUA). To get your PfCO, you need to attend and pass a CAA Drone Training Course.
This complicated question cannot be solved by one answer—it is both a yes and a no.
Let me begin by carefully explaining how this could be legal. But do take note that this topic must be dealt with much precaution, as one misconception could alter your lives forever.
So when does this become legal? Speaking about privacy and territorial concerns, yes you can shoot a weapon, but only if:
Otherwise, any other condition not specified above wouldn’t qualify you to legally shoot a drone. Let’s put an emphasis on why you should only shoot a drone that belongs to you. Yes, there are serious privacy and safety concerns that could be violated, but in the UK law, it is illegal to shoot a drone, unless you’re from the police or military.
As mentioned above in the guidelines for flying drones in UK, there are certain Flight Restriction Zones in aerodromes, or the areas where aircraft operations take place.
Here are some of the zones you must avoid:
For more info, you could check this map of that show’s all the restricted airfields in UK. There is also an app that you could download for Android and Apple devices that gives you access to this map, check it here.
The best way to figure out what areas you can fly in, is by consulting DJI official map. They do a great job mapping the places that one should avoid while flying in every country:
My following two recommendations are 2 great compact drones that are quite silent and also small enough to travel with and not stand out as annoying.
4k
31 min
10 km
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DJI has surprised us with this incredible camera drone under 250g, which is legal to fly in most countries without registration.
It comes at a very cheap price for its incredible specs.I have covered it much more in-depth in my article review and even compared it with the Mavic Air 2.
4k 60p
34 min
10 km
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If you want more control over things like shutter speed, iso, and such, the best professional drone that still falls under the 500g category is the DJI Mavic Air.
It's made mostly for people who want to play around with settings and enter into the pro category.
DJI lowered its price since it was first released.
The best way to figure out what areas you can fly in, while you're here is by consulting DJI's official map.
They do a great job mapping the places that one should avoid while flying in every country:
These would be the current updated drone laws for UK. I suggest checking my full map with all the countries' drone laws to see where it's best to travel.
If you are going to visit UK, make sure you’ve learned all the dos and don’ts of flying drones in this region. This will help you have a safe journey and enjoy flying your drone without getting yourself into trouble.
Also, keep in mind that, commercial and recreational drones are treated differently in most countries therefore you will need to prepare yourself accordingly. Last but not least, always follow rules and regulations and make sure to respect the laws of every country.