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Drone Code

When you fly a drone in the UK it is your responsibility to be aware of the rules that are in place to keep everyone safe. Follow these simple steps to make sure you are flying safely and legally.

On 13 March 2019 the restrictions on flying drones near airfields changed. It is now illegal to fly any drone at any time within these restricted zones unless you have permission from air traffic control at the airport. For more details see the airfield restrictions website.

From 30th November 2019 the law requires you to have two registrations in place with the CAA before you fly a drone or model aircraft that weights between 250g and 20kg.

You can find more information about the registration requirements and process on our Drone Registration page.


The UK Dronecode is published by the Civil Aviation Authority to assist drone users in flying safely.

It is against the law to fly without passing the test or registering.


Download the Drone Code (PDF)