Does anyone know what the rules are around flying a drone above your own garden? I can't seem to find anything explicit to say whether or not it is allowed. My assumption would be that it is OK but I know you cannot fly within 50 metres of people or property or 150 metres in a built up area. Thanks
Flying drone above own garden
- Thread starter Profcool
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I doubt "above your own garden" changes any rules or grants any dispensations.
If you bend the rules be wary of and or aware of annoying neighbours and their privacy concerns.
It might be sensible to highlight you are UK other wise you may get international advice
If you bend the rules be wary of and or aware of annoying neighbours and their privacy concerns.
It might be sensible to highlight you are UK other wise you may get international advice
It is a bit of grey area in that they haven't really defined what a 'built up area' is - but generally, I tend to stay away from streets/villages to prevent any form of annoyance/privacy concerns.
Save yourself a confrontation and don't fly above your garden
Save yourself a confrontation and don't fly above your garden
On a UK drone site, a member flew a couple of metres high, in his garden, crashed and the insurance wouldn't cover him as he didn't comply with the drone regs (50mtrs etc).
THE CYBORG
Well-Known Member
Depends a lot how big your property is
I flew over my sisters house to inspect the roof, it ended up her neighbours asking me to do the same for them.
Ended up everyone was happy.
I flew over my sisters house to inspect the roof, it ended up her neighbours asking me to do the same for them.
Ended up everyone was happy.
The 50 metre rule still applies. If your house is 50 metres or more away from any of your neighbourrs properties, then there is no problem. If it is closer than 50 metres then you can't just go and fly. But, if you go around to you neighbours and ask them for their permission (you could offer to take some aerial pictures or video of their house and garden as some kind of incentive) and they say yes, then there's no problem. I wouldn't go buzzing around their properties every day though, even if they do say yes. They may get pretty fed up, pretty quickly if there's always your drone buzzing around while they are out in their gardens trying to get some relaxation time in. You must always keep in mind the fact that if something did go wrong and you lost control of your drone and caused some damage to someone else's property, they would more than likely come after you for compensation. If you fly with some kind of 3rd party insurance then no problems but if not, and your drone goes and bashes a neighbours car for instance, then things could get pretty ugly and expensive for you pretty quickly....
hiflyer201
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Put in that context it shows how bizarre some of the rulings are. The idea of course is that the drone is going to fly off in any sort of direction. Using that thought, the wheels or steering of any vehicle could come loose at any time and death and destruction to anyone nearby is entirely possible...so we shouldn't be able to operate those devices either.
On the noise situation, there is a sign near the departure end of most runways at general aviation airports that says simply ..Fly Quietly. Sometimes there is a offset heading to avoid a school , hospital or cranky neighbors. People with drones should consider the same thing.
I would suggest ... never ever look at drone video's on You Tube if you're overly sensitive to the possibility of someone breaking impossible to enforce rules.
Impossible to enforce except if it were me breaking them
On the noise situation, there is a sign near the departure end of most runways at general aviation airports that says simply ..Fly Quietly. Sometimes there is a offset heading to avoid a school , hospital or cranky neighbors. People with drones should consider the same thing.
I would suggest ... never ever look at drone video's on You Tube if you're overly sensitive to the possibility of someone breaking impossible to enforce rules.
Impossible to enforce except if it were me breaking them
You are right of course with your car analogy. And you could apply that school of thought to many many things. But then again, to drive a car, one would in normal circumstances have taken extensive training and passed a driving test. And then to drive that vehicle legally, you would require insurance, the lions share of which is to cover 3rd party damage/injury. But I get your point. And yes, most of the drone flying rules are pretty hard to enforce, even if the authorities could be bothered to enforce them. That doesn't mean that you should break them at every opportunity. And buzzing a neighbours house constantly would be a sure fire way for someone to call the authorities. Unwanted attention is just what we don't need and just gives the rule makers more ammunition to dream up ever tighter drone flying restrictions.
Welcome to the forum.
You can follow the law to the letter and not do it.
Or do it and then maybe have someone ask you why.
My opinion is do it, despite being illegal.
It's your garden after all.
But i have also driven 81 in an 80 kms/hr zone before to...
You can follow the law to the letter and not do it.
Or do it and then maybe have someone ask you why.
My opinion is do it, despite being illegal.
It's your garden after all.
But i have also driven 81 in an 80 kms/hr zone before to...
hiflyer201
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I fly from my garden regularly but then the nearest house is over 200mrsxaway and i have a big garden! I think so long as you obey the rules and if likely to annoy neighbours you speak to them then you are good to go
Von Sparkenhoffen
Active Member
Speak to your neighbours, if they're ok with you flying there shouldn't be any issues. Just be sure to tell them you're not filming/taking photographs! You'll have to inform all neighbours within 50m! ? 
I would. Taking it to the absolute reading of the Law that 50m rule also applies to infrastructure. Roads, Paths, lighting, telephone cables and all the rest. It has to be your call.
Last edited:
I should add I would only do it with my mini. I also fly my blade nano and blade 150s helicopters in my garden. Not when the neighbours are outside though.
Also with regards to people. You can fly near everyone in your involved group. If your neighbours are happy for you to entertain them?
FoxhallGH
Well-Known Member
If you are flying in your own garden, then unless you are in a lonely country cottage, you'll be breaking the Drone Code rules - simple as that!
If you fly, do so knowing that if anything goes wrong (e.g. you have a fly-away and the drone hits a child and cuts them!), then the full weight of the Law will descend upon you like the proverbial ton of bricks!
It would be a good idea to ask your neighbours if you are still going to fly it - and that would then identify those that might call the Police when they hear a buzz from your place! Even if you have a PfCO and fly commercially, you need to have the people that you fly within 50 metres of 'under your direct control' - so its not just a matter of asking permission ...
If you fly, do so knowing that if anything goes wrong (e.g. you have a fly-away and the drone hits a child and cuts them!), then the full weight of the Law will descend upon you like the proverbial ton of bricks!
It would be a good idea to ask your neighbours if you are still going to fly it - and that would then identify those that might call the Police when they hear a buzz from your place! Even if you have a PfCO and fly commercially, you need to have the people that you fly within 50 metres of 'under your direct control' - so its not just a matter of asking permission ...
FoxhallGH
Well-Known Member
Wow - I haven't seen that one in the Drone Code ... Where have you picked that one up from?
Our neighbours also ask me to inspect there roof upon learning to my wife ? that i have a drone.
You mentioned it in your post. "People under your control". If they agree then technically they are under your control. Mind you they would probably refute that if injury or damage occurred.
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