Guidance on using Drones/Unmanned Aerial Devices (UAD)

Drones are currently allowed to be flown on public land within the Borough of Fareham. Anyone wishing to fly over land owned by the Crown Estate (ie. the foreshore) should refer to the Crown Estate website External Hyperlink (opens in new window) .

It is the responsibility of the person flying the drone to be aware of the guidance on drone use.

Registration requirements for drones

Drones and model aircraft are split into five classes. Whether or not you need a Flyer ID or an Operator ID depends on the weight and class of the drone. You can check if you need to register at the registration requirements page of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website External Hyperlink (opens in new window) .

There is no requirement to register your drone if it is:

a toy below 250g or in C0 class
C0 class with no camera, whether it's a toy or not
below 250g with no camera and no class mark, whether it's a toy or not

Categories of flying

There are three categories of flying:

Open Category: basic low-risk flying. See the basic rules for flying here.
Specific Category: operations with greater risk. Find out about the rules for flying in the Specific Category here .
Certified Category. Find out about the rules for flying in the Certified Category here .

The basic rules for flying in the Open Category:

Register with the CAA if your drone has a camera (unless it is a toy) or weighs 250g or more
Keep your drone below 400ft (120m)
It must not weigh more than 25kg
Check your drone before each flight to see if it works properly
You must be able to see your drone at all times
You must avoid all applicable airspace restrictions

It is illegal to:

Fly your drone within 1 - 5km of an airfield (Solent Airport at Daedalus and Fleetlands). You should keep away from all aircrafts and helicopters. Most airports, airfields and spaceports have a flight restriction zone (FRZ). Never fly in this zone unless you have permission from the airport, airfield or spaceport. Find out more about FRZs here .
Fly a drone/UAD without having the required IDs. Find out if you need to register here .

Be aware:

The user is legally responsible for the safe conduct of each flight and failure to follow the rules can lead to criminal prosecution
If your drone endangers the safety of an aircraft it is a criminal offence and you could go to prison
You should not fly your drone in poor weather, especially in high winds
Of laws relating to data protection and CCTV use
You should have permission from the landowner if you are flying a drone over land you do not own

Before you fly a drone you must:

Have the necessary insurance in case of accident, personal injury or damage to property
Ensure you have all the necessary permissions in place before you fly a drone
Be fully aware of areas that may be subject to flight restrictions; such as designated controlled airspace or military aerodrome traffic zones
Seek independent advice if you have any doubts as to what is legally required of you

For more information about drones and if you are planning to film using a drone please visit the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) rules External Hyperlink (opens in new window) on the use of drones.

If you have privacy concerns surrounding the use of a drone, these can be reported via the Information Commissioner's Office External Hyperlink (opens in new window) . If you feel a drone is flying too close to you or your house, this should be reported to the police via 101.

To see a map of the Fareham Borough and find out which areas are public land please see map below.

If you wish to film using a drone please read our filming in Fareham page and fill in the form to let us know details of the filming.