Flying drones in London: the questions we get asked

Yes, but London is some of the most regulated airspace in the UK. Large parts of the city sit inside the flight restriction zones (FRZs) of Heathrow, London City, Biggin Hill and RAF Northolt, where you need permission from the relevant air traffic unit before flying. Outside FRZs the standard UK rules apply — but central London counts as a congested area, so flying near people, buildings and traffic needs the right category of operation, and many landowners (the Royal Parks, TfL, the City of London, most boroughs' parks) have their own bylaws or permit schemes on top.

An FRZ is the protected airspace around an aerodrome: typically a 2–2.5 nautical mile circle plus rectangular runway protection zones extending along the approach paths. Flying inside one without permission is a criminal offence. Use the interactive fly-zone map on our contact page — it draws the current UK AIP restricted, prohibited and danger areas and tells you which zone a searched address falls in.

Each aerodrome has its own process. Heathrow's zone is handled through NATS; London City through its air traffic control; Biggin Hill and Northolt through their own operations teams. Applications need the exact location, dates, times, maximum height and the operator's authorisation details, and lead times range from a few working days to several weeks. We handle these applications for every shoot we fly and can advise on realistic timelines before you commit to a date.

There is no longer a separate 'commercial licence' — since 2021 the rules depend on the drone and how you fly, not on whether you're paid. What a professional production needs is an operator working in the Specific category under a CAA Operational Authorisation, with pilots holding the General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC). That's what allows flights closer to people and buildings than the hobbyist Open category permits. Stem Studios operates under a CAA Operational Authorisation with GVC-qualified pilots.

The Open category covers lower-risk flying — small drones, well away from uninvolved people, within visual line of sight, below 120 m — with no authorisation needed beyond registration. The Specific category covers anything riskier: congested areas, closer proximity to people, larger aircraft. It requires a risk assessment, an operations manual and an Operational Authorisation from the CAA. Almost all film and TV drone work in London falls into the Specific category.

The Operator ID is the registration of the person or company responsible for the drone; it must be displayed on the aircraft. The Flyer ID is the pilot's basic competency certificate. Both come from the CAA's drone registration scheme and are required for almost any drone over 250 g. They are the baseline — professional work needs the GVC and an Operational Authorisation on top.

Not over crowds — that is prohibited in every category. Flying near or over uninvolved people is possible only under a Specific-category authorisation with mitigations in place: cordons, spotters, a planned flight line, an agreed stop protocol and, for very close work, small guarded FPV aircraft. This is exactly the kind of operation productions hire us for, and it is planned in advance rather than improvised on the day.

The standard limit is 120 m (400 ft) above the ground. Inside an FRZ, or under a specific permission, the limit may be lower. Above 120 m needs a specific authorisation from the CAA.

Yes. Any drone operation that isn't purely recreational must carry third-party liability insurance that meets the EC 785/2004 standard. Productions normally ask for the certificate before the shoot; ours is available on request along with our authorisation documents.

For a location outside any FRZ with a cooperative landowner, a few days is usually enough. Inside an FRZ, or where a council or the Royal Parks are involved, allow one to three weeks for permissions. If a date is fixed and you're unsure of the location's status, get in touch early — checking takes us minutes and can save a lost shoot day.

The location (or a shortlist), the date and hours, a rough shot list, and a production contact. From that we check the airspace, handle permissions and the risk assessment, and tell you on day one if anything in the brief isn't achievable and what the workable version is.

Yes. Indoor flying is outside CAA airspace rules but still needs a risk assessment and the venue's agreement. We fly small guarded 'cinewhoop' rigs indoors and close to people, and larger freestyle frames for speed outdoors. See the FPV page for what each is good for.

Often, yes — we act as the authorised operator or consultant for productions with their own aircraft or crew, handling airspace, permissions and the safety case. Talk to us before booking anything; some aircraft and locations make this straightforward and others don't.