The key to observation is elevation.

I've been flying drones for about two years, and what began as a hobby has now become part of the services I offer in my work, and before anyone asks, no, I'm not one of those troublesome auditors who like to create issues that we often see on a social media feeds.

Owning and operating a drone in the UK is completely legal, but you must follow the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines for both private and commercial drone use.

The UK's drone regulations are based on the risk associated with the flight – where you fly, how close you are to other people, and the size and weight of your drone.

Key rules include:

• Never fly more than 120m (400ft) above the surface of the ground

• Always keep your drone in sight

• Never fly in an airport’s flight restriction zone unless you have permission

  
  

Registration and flyer ID

If your drone is equipped with a camera (unless it's a toy) or weighs 250g or more, you must register with the CAA, and this registration needs to be renewed annually.

This process registers you as the operator, not the drone itself, additionally, if your drone weighs more than 250g, you must also pass a test and obtain a flyer ID from the CAA, which is free and can be completed online.

Flying Weight	Flyer ID	Operator ID	Notes
below 250g - toy	No	No
below 250g - not a toy - no camera	No	No
below 250g - not a toy - with camera	No	Yes	This is the category my drone falls in too.
250g and above	Yes	Yes

Drone Operator ID

If your drone is not a toy, you must obtain a drone operator ID, register with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), pay a small fee, and be over 18, or have a parent/guardian register for you if you are under 18.

Your drone operator ID can cover all the drones you operate and must be clearly displayed and must be visible from the outside or within a compartment that is easily accessible without tools, clear, in block capitals taller than 3mm, and secure from damage.

In addition to labeling my drone I also label the batteries so that if there is an incident where the drone is destroyed, there is a better chance of me being identified and notified as the owner.

Flyer ID

To obtain an operator ID, you must be at least 18 years old, and to get a flyer ID independently, you must be at least 13 years old.

If you are using your drone for business purposes, you need an accountable manager for your organisation who is responsible for the drones, and you must register your company or organisation for an operator ID, which costs £11.13 and is valid for one year.

The person completing the registration must be authorised to act as the accountable manager for drones within the company or organisation you work for. In my case, this is me, additionally, I am also registered as the accountable person with the Information Commissioner's Office as the data controller, which we will discuss in the following paragraphs.

The accountable manager is responsible for ensuring that the company or organisation operates and uses drones safely and legally.

Privacy

When flying your drone, it's crucial to respect others' privacy. If you are taking still pictures or recording and storing videos, you must register with the information commissioner's office (ICO) as a data controller and acquire an ICO number.

It is also sensible to avoid entering private airspace, such as above someone's house, with the intent to cause a disturbance, however, flying through this airspace is legal, and you do not need their permission, this is what the so called auditors are exploiting and while currently not illegal is not seen to well in the eyes of the law.

Drone rules

The regulations for operating a drone are determined by risk and are categorised into three groups:

Open, Specific, and Certified.

1.    The Open category is designed for low-risk drone operations, such as when flying a lightweight drone or operating in rural areas.

2.    The Specific category applies to higher-risk flights, like operating a heavier drone over urban environments. To fly in this category, you must obtain an operating approval.

3.    The Certified category is for large drones that need to comply with specific safety certifications similar to those required for aircraft.

Most of my work flights are conducted to perform threat and risk assessments, provide a rapid method for conducting deterrent patrols, and occasionally to offer support when someone has gained or attempted to gain access to the premises or surrounding area where I’m working.

All three of these activities fall under the “Open Category.”

Flying in the open category

Anyone operating a drone must take reasonable, proportionate, and sensible measures to manage the risks associated with their flight, ensuring they do not endanger people or property with their drone.

If you operate within the guidelines of the Open category, you don't need specific approvals from the CAA, but in most cases, you must register as an operator and obtain a flyer ID. 

The main requirements for flying in the Open category are outlined in the Drone and Model Aircraft Code

If your drone weighs less than 250g, some rules may differ. If your drone is equipped with a camera, you must register as an operator, but taking the flyer ID test is not mandatory.

For drones or model aircraft under 250g, you are allowed to fly closer than 50m to people and even fly over them, but flying over crowds is prohibited and not allowed.

Always ensure that you do not endanger people when considering how close to fly and if your unsure of the distance always air on the side of causion.

All other safety regulations, such as flight restriction zones near airfields/airports, maintaining visual line of sight, and not exceeding 400ft / 120m in altitude, still apply to drones under 250g and if you are using First Person View (FPV) goggles, an additional person is required to act as a drone spotter.

The drone spotter serves as your eyes on the ground and must keep the drone in visual line of sight.

Other restrictions

When operating a drone, it's important to consider any additional restrictions and legitimate interests of statutory bodies like local authorities ie the council, from my past experiences, tipping your hat and acknowledging the council can often prevent any issues from arising.

When I do this I always always follow up with an email that I wil keep in my flight log, this is a good way to protect yourself should the police be called and helps clarify the difference between the permission needed to operate from council land and the permission required to fly in specific areas of airspace if the question arises.

Authorisation to fly

Before conducting operations in the Specific category, operators are required to obtain an Operational Authorisation from the CAA.

You must inform them about the flight you intend to perform and supply evidence demonstrating your capability to execute them safely and legally.

There are two types of authorisation for this:

• PDRA01 Operational Authorisation

• OSC-based Operational Authorisation

Operational Safety case Considerations

If the operations you want to carry out are not covered by PDRA01, you'll need to apply for an operational authorisation using an Operating Safety Case (OSC).

Examples of operations that require an OSC-based Operational Authorisation include:

• dropping items from your drone

• flying beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS)

• flying close to crowds

Each type of authorisation has its own distinct application service.

Ensure you review the guidance on these pages to determine the type of authorisation you need before beginning.

• PDRA01 Operational Authorisation application service

• OSC-based Operational Authorisation application service

Flying beyond the visual line of site (BVLOS)

When operating a drone, it is crucial to keep it within your visual line of sight (VLOS).

The CAA is working to resolve the remaining regulatory challenges to allow authorized operators to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations in a scaled and sustainable manner, focusing on four key areas.

1.    Pilot competency 

The drone industry seeks a more straightforward, standardised method to prove pilot competence for BVLOS flights, the industry are creating the next stage of formal pilot competency to facilitate this.

2.    Flightworthiness 

There must be a formal, nationally recognised mechanism to prove the robustness of their aircraft when seeking an Operational Authorisation, the industry are creating a set of requirements for specific UAS that will be evaluated by a network of Flightworthiness Recognised Assessment Entities.

3.    Risk assessment 

To authorise more complex UAS operations on a larger scale, the CAA require a more appropriate method to evaluate and mitigate risk, as outlined in the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA).

4.    Airspace 

One of the main challenges is how they safely incorporate BVLOS operations into the UK’s congested and limited airspace, and it's something I personally observe but prefer to avoid getting involved in.

Specific Operational Risk Assessments (SORA)

The Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) is a method for determining the risk level of a UAS operation and identifying mitigations and safety goals to address those risks, it enables the UAS operator to recognise operational constraints and training goals for the flight personnel, technical requirements for the aircraft, and to develop suitable operational procedures.

Drone Insurance

Usually the last but for me the crucial thing to keep in mind the importance of insurance. If your drone crashes and accidentally injures someone, you can be held responsible, for peace of mind, I recommend getting a drone insurance policy.

My policy costs just over a thousand pounds annually and covers liability for bodily injury and/or property damage to third parties. It also includes coverage for Invasion of Privacy & Data Liability Events.

Additionally, I also included Professional Indemnity cover, which protects against any negligent act, error, or omission in the conduct of your business as the drone's owner/operator.

As a bonus, my drone insurance came with the flysafe mobile app, which I downloaded on my phone (available for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices).

Flysafe provides accurate safety data, including airspace maps, dynamic restrictions, environmental conditions, privacy and safety hazards, and even the location of much low-flying manned aviation traffic.

To find out more about introducing drones in to your security plan drop us an email to contact@james-consulting.co.uk outlining what it is you need and one of the team will get back to you with a detailed proposal of how we add value to your current offering.