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Planning my trip to the UK, and came across an article talking about the drone laws in the UK, here are some questions discussed, I think it's pretty clear.
Do I Need A Drone License In The UK
Under current UK law, you don’t need a license to fly a drone, providing it weighs less than 20kg. However, new legislation which was released in April 2019 requires all drone owners with a drone weighing between 250g and 20kg to register and do an online safety test or face a £1,000 fine. The fees associated with this are still being negotiated, but are proposed to be £16.50 per operator.
For drones over 20kg, you need special authorization from the CAA and your drone will be classed as a large unmanned aircraft. To find out more about large unmanned aircraft, refer to the CAA website.
Can I Fly A Drone Over Private Property In The UK?
You can fly a drone over private property in the UK, but there are some regulations regarding how close to properties you can fly. You must ensure that your drone is at least 50 meters away from any person or private property at all times; of course, if you’re flying the drone around a friend then that’s fine as long as you have their permission.
Can I Fly A Drone In London Or Other Urban Areas?
In urban areas, the above rule applies but is slightly modified. In urban, built-up areas you must ensure that your drone is at least 150m away from people and buildings and you can’t fly over buildings like you can with regular houses in non-urban areas.
It’s worth noting too that if you’re at a special event, say a concert or a festival, the 150m rule would apply to this too. The reason behind this is because of broadcasting rights. For example, you could just throw some epic footage of Glastonbury on Facebook and Youtube and the BBC would likely get a little peeved that you’re airing the show for free when they’re the sole broadcasters for the event and make money from TV licensing.
Can I Fly A Drone At The Beach In The UK?
As the beach is a public area, you can certainly fly your drone around it. You do need to remember the 50m rule, however, if your drone has a camera fitted to it. Remember, people are less likely to want to be filmed if they’re bikini-clad enjoying the sunshine.
I Am A Holidaymaker. Can I Bring My Drone To The UK?
Absolutely, but don’t forget to abide by all the UK drone laws. Also, from November 2019, if you want to fly your drone, even if you’re from overseas, you will still have to ensure that the drone is registered and that you passed the safety test.
This, of course, just applies if you intend to fly the drone recreationally. If you want to fly your drone for commercial purposes in the UK, you will need to get permission from the CAA. You can find their application form here.
Do I Need Permission To Fly My Drone In The UK?
In short, the answer is no – but let’s look at this in more detail.
As I mentioned in other sections of the article, there are some rules and regulations surrounding drone flying within the UK. If you plan on flying your drone within 50m of a person or their private property, you’ll need permission from them, preferably written so that you have proof should you require it.
If you plan on flying the drone for commercial purposes, you’ll need permission from the CAA.
If you’ve got a huge drone (larger than 20kg) you’ll also need permission from the CAA to operate large unmanned aircraft.
Also, if you want to fly your drone above the 400ft limit that has been set in the UK, or want to fly within 150m of urban areas you’ll need to apply for special permission and demonstrate that you are fully capable of operating the drone safely. As a general rule, the more that you want to “push the boundaries”, the more proof you’ll have to provide.
Flying Your Drone For Commercial Purposes
If you want to fly your drone commercially, whether you’re a UK national or not, you need to apply to the CAA for permission. As part of the application process, you’ll also need to attend a course where they will assess whether or not you can safely and securely pilot the aircraft whilst obeying current laws and regulations.
How do you know if you’re flying the drone for commercial purposes or not? Well, the key elements as defined by the CAA are ‘…any flight by a small unmanned aircraft…in return for remuneration or other valuable consideration’
Any permission that is granted by the CAA will be valid for 12 months, at which point you can renew if necessary. There are two types of permissions that the CAA grants for commercial operations; standard and non-standard. For non-standard permissions there are lots of factors to take into account, and, regardless of the type of permission you have, you’ll be required to have appropriate insurance to cover the commercial operation.
If you want to know how much you’ll need to pay to operate a drone commercially in the UK, you can find the updated list of charges here.
Source: https://cultofdrone.com/drone-laws-in-the-uk/
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