Where can I fly my drone in the UK and get £5,000,000 Public Liability Insurance cover? Welcome to Drone Scene!

Wondering where you can legally fly your drone in the UK? Drone Scene helps you find great flying locations and provides £5m Public Liability Insurance cover for complete peace of mind.

What is Drone Scene? Drone Scene is an interactive drone flight safety app and flight-planning map — built by drone pilots, for drone pilots. Trusted by tens of thousands of hobbyist and professional operators, it’s the modern, feature-rich alternative to Drone Assist, featuring thousands of recommended UK flying locations shared by real pilots.

What makes Drone Scene the number one app for UK drone operators? It brings together live data including NOTAMs, Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs), Airports, Airspace Restrictions, and National Trust land boundaries, alongside trusted ground-hazard layers and detailed airspace intelligence — giving you the clarity and control to plan safe, legal flights on desktop or mobile, with no installation required.

×You must be logged in to see NOTAMs, Airspace Restrictions, National Trust boundaries and other interactive map layers.

Butser Summit added to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in South East by AeroJ on 29/07/2024

Butser is nearly the highest bit of hill in Hampshire, and has spectacular views in all directions, even to the South coast on clear days.

It is open to the public all year round, although the car park is very expensive. But there are laybys on the road leading to it, so usually room in one of those.

We can fly in the adjacent fields fairly easily, but the best views are reserved for the very top, up by the transmitter tower. From here we can venture out along any of the downs and valleys that meet here.

There is flat ground for TOAL by the summit waypoint marker, and closer to the tower. We have to treat that tower with caution (don't let it come between you and your UAV) but its signals don't seem to screw with our machines if we keep a reasonable distance. It is about 120 ft high, so we can easily get above it.

There is sometimes other aerial activity here. Paragliders operate sometimes from the West side, and kite flyers might appear anywhere near the top. Passing small planes and RAF stuff like to fly quite close to the hill, so spotter a good idea here.

Just occasionally a cloud bank will appear in the early mornings UNDER the hill, with the summit only just emerging from it - if you are lucky enough to catch one of those days it's the easiest 'above clouds' shots you'll ever get !

Main danger is wind, which is much higher up here than at ground level, and this is a very exposed hill, with the A3 forming something of a wind tunnel leading to updrafts, and it can sometimes be difficult to descend on blowier days. Best place to do that is nearer the centre of the hill.

Lots of potential TOAL markers shown, but the 2 Southmost ones are at the base of the hill (better accessed via Queen Elizabeth Country Park Lower car park, then walk under the bridge and up to the left), where there are gently sloping greens up to the top, some wild horses, and the A3 very close to the right, so we need to keep away from that and only fly up the hill away from it. This is good on misty mornings.

View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.97782, -0.980213 • what3words: ///pegs.secondly.budget

The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 29/07/2024. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.

Where to fly your drone

Filter ()
Bredger village pond, Swale (By grandad1950)

A small village pond in the middle of the delightful kent village of Bredger

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.3119, 0.696261 • what3words: ///says.patching.boating

Peckforton Castle, Crewe and Nantwich (By D0c.Col)

Peckforton Castle – The Last English Fortress

Rising from the misty hills of Cheshire, England, Peckforton Castle looks like it was built for knights and kings — yet it’s barely 175 years old.

This was built for John Tollemache, the Victorian landowner who dreamed of living like a medieval lord. Discover how this extraordinary red-sandstone fortress became a symbol of power, pride, and imagination — complete with real battlements, a portcullis, and a moat.

🏰 Built between 1844 and 1850, Peckforton cost around £60,000 — equivalent to £8–10 million today. From its creation to its wartime role, its brush with fire, and its rebirth as a luxury hotel, this is the story of England’s last true castle.

It was quiet when I visited, but as a popular wedding venue, I would choose my flight carefully. Surrounded by an SSSi you should be okay staying close to the castle.

I TOAL from the free carpark. The hotel does catering but I didn't try it out. Chester is only 20 mins away and the place is easily accessible.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 53.11768, -2.698348 • what3words: ///undertone.darkest.tripped

Shankend Viaduct, Denholm and Hermitage (By Trainman)

Impressive viaduct that was on the long closed Waverley route from Carlisle to Edinburgh.
Accessed along a narrow track off tue B6399 and great views can be enjoyed .

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 55.3455, -2.756324 • what3words: ///universes.starting.miles

Angmering Park Estate, Arun (By paulrd)

Angmering Park Estate is a historic, privately owned estate in West Sussex, near Arundel, known for its woodland, public footpaths, and views. It's a popular area for walking, cycling, and mountain biking, featuring both ancient woods and open fields. The estate has been part of the Duke of Norfolk's Arundel Estate for centuries and offers scenic trails that showcase its history and natural beauty.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.85762, -0.467289 • what3words: ///everybody.symphonic.discusses

St Andrew-by-the-Ford, Arun (By paulrd)

St Andrew-by-the-Ford is a tiny church of Saxon origin, at the end of a small gravel path, close to the bank of the River Arun and surrounded by a copse of trees. The church originally served a small community which was abandoned in 1608.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.82413, -0.577974 • what3words: ///buzz.exit.kick

Leybourne Lakes, Tonbridge and Malling (By grandad1950)

Visited on a rather dull day but the old gravel pits have been converted into a nature reserve and water sports centre. Big car park and lots of different lakes to explore and fly.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.31437, 0.438917 • what3words: ///digs.crossword.gently

St Andrews Lake, Medway (By grandad1950)

St Andrews Lake is an old gravel pit and has been converted to a water sport and aqua park. A fun day out for the family.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.35777, 0.437506 • what3words: ///feast.meal.choice

Castleford Locks, Leeds (By yorkie9668)

Local to me ish, nice quiet spot to fly, no restrictions I can see, small car park mainly for the fishers but always space, the canal and locks are easily flown over, larger drones should be fine as no people about.
Photo and Pano done with my new Mavic 4 Pro

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 53.7317, -1.35647 • what3words: ///corner.giant.crate

St John's Tower, Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre (By Zipco)

St John's Tower is all that remains of Ayr’s original parish church, which was dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Ayr

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 55.46375, -4.636505 • what3words: ///reject.annotated.coder

Bradenstoke Abbey, North Wiltshire (By Rustyo200le)

Bradenstoke Priory was a medieval priory of Augustinian canons regular in the village of Bradenstoke, Wiltshire, England. In the 1930s the property was purchased by William Randolph Hearst and some of its structures were used by him for the renovation of St Donat's Castle, near Llantwit Major, Wales.

The land is now privately owned and I asked permission from the owners before flying who were more than happy for me to do so.

You can park outside St Mary's Church if there is space and it's a short walk up to the Abbey.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.51053, -2.007537 • what3words: ///congested.smiled.analogy


Show All Locations

Our Recommended Retailer

Grey Arrows Drone Club recommends purchasing drones and drone accessories from Leicester Drones Ltd, our partnered retailer of choice, where our Club members are eligible for a discount on most purchases.

Service provided by