Drones & new airspace users

Controlled airspace requirements (Class A,B,C,D,E) do not apply to UAS operating within the Open category, however a number of airspace restrictions exist within the UK and these apply equally to both unmanned and manned aircraft. These areas are referred to as either: Prohibited Areas, Restricted Areas or Danger Areas.

Within the Specific category, an operator may be required to obtain permission to enter controlled airspace within the terms of the authorisation. This is dependent on the type of operation and the mitigations provided within the safety case.

Information about Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs), including interactive maps highlighting all UAS restriction zones, can be found on the AIS website https://nats-uk.ead-it.com/cms-nats/opencms/en/uas-restriction-zones

Any questions related to NSF operations should be sent via the “Contact Us” form on the NSF website https://nsf.nats.aero.

Please allow up to 14 days for your flight authorisation to come through although, if the airspace area in which you wish to fly is especially sensitive, your application process may take longer.

It is a legal requirement to have two IDs in place before flying most drones or model aircraft outdoors in the UK.  These are issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and can be obtained at https://register-drones.caa.co.uk.

If you want to fly your drone inside any aerodrome Flight Restriction Zone, or your preferred flight plan includes flying through any part of an FRZ, you are required by law to seek and obtain air traffic control permission in advance. This can be done by filing an application on https://nsf.nats.aero.

For more information about drone registration visit the drones section on the CAA website.

Yes, the law requires anyone flying or operating a drone in the UK to register as a drone user. You can find out more about the rules on the CAA website.

All drone pilots are responsible for their aircraft at all times and it’s important that everyone flies safely and responsibly.

You can find out more by viewing our free online training course for hobbyist drone operators.

Yes, the law requires anyone using or operating a drone to register as a user, even if the drone they’re flying is owned by someone else. You can find out more about the rules on the CAA website.

Remote pilot qualifications do not discern between flying a drone for leisure or for commercial gain but they do vary depending on the Category of operation.

The competency requirements for remote pilots flying in the Open Category vary depending on the subcategory of drone. Further details of the requirements for flying in the Open Category can be found here: https://www.caa.co.uk/consumers/remotely-piloted-aircraft/drones-flying-in-the-open-category/.

To fly in the Specific Category, the UAS operator is required to hold an Operational Authorisation (OA) which requires their remote pilots to hold a General Visual Line Of Sight Certificate (GVC). Further details of the OA and GVC can be found here:  https://www.caa.co.uk/consumers/remotely-piloted-aircraft/flying-in-the-specific-category/.

If you see a drone being flown illegally, you should immediately report the incident to the police by telephoning 101.

If you are a drone user or otherwise connected with the aviation industry, you can report your concerns via the CHIRP website by clicking on the CHIRP online confidential reporting tab.

If you witness a dangerous or potentially unsafe drone-related incident, you should report the circumstances to the CAA.

You can do this online using its Occurrence Reporting system.

Anyone witnessing a dangerous or potentially unsafe airspace event should report the incident to the Civil Aviation Authority and/or to the police by telephoning 101; if you are directly involved in the incident as an aviation professional you should use the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) system on the CAA website https://www.caa.co.uk/Our-work/Make-a-report-or-complaint/MOR/Occurrence-reporting/.

If, as an aviation professional, a member of the drone community, or a drone pilot, you are concerned that a drone is being flown irresponsibly, intrusively, dangerously or in a manner that may have an impact on airspace safety, you can report your concerns via the CAA-sponsored CHIRP confidential reporting programme, which is accessible via the CHIRP website https://chirp.co.uk/aviation/.

Where you can and can’t fly is described on the CAA website https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/drone-code/where-you-can-fly.

You should stay well away from airports, airfields, spaceports and aircraft.  Most airports, airfields and spaceports have a Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ). You can find details of FRZs and other airspace restrictions that are relevant to drones at https://www.nats.aero/airspace/drones/.

If you want to fly your drone inside any Flight Restriction Zone, or if you plan to fly through any part of an FRZ, you will need to obtain air traffic control permission in advance by submitting a non-standard flight application at https://nsf.nats.aero.

If you see a drone being flown illegally, you should immediately report the incident to the police by telephoning 101.

Visit the CAA website to learn more about reporting the misuse of drones.