Watch this BEFORE you fly your SUB 250G drone in the UK - 2024 UPDATE!

Hey everyone! The new year brings an updated version of our sub 250g UK drone rules video. Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of viewers who have enjoyed our drone rules series, your support is much appreciated! Join Sean for this essential update video to guide you through everything you need to know to legally fly your sub 250g camera drone in the UK. Including the introduction of our new traffic light system for VLOS (visual line of sight), this video provides essential advice and guidance to help you enjoy flying your drone with confidence…

Links:

UK drone rules series playlist:

VLOS advice video:

Drone Assist walkthrough:

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Chapters
00:00 - 00:47 Sub 250g UK popularity
00:48 - 01:32 Drone Rules Series explained
01:33 - 02:02 Sub 250g Drone Rules Introductions
02:03 - 03:13 Drone Registration Explained
03:14 - 03:43 Operator ID
03:44 - 04:40 Flyer ID
04:41 - 05:10 Read the manual
05:11 - 05:36 Drone airspace explained
05:37 - 06:22 Open Category and subcategories
06:23 - 07:50 A1 airspace subcategory
07:51 - 09:07 Drone airspace restrictions
09:08 - 13:40 Visual Line of Sight (VLOS)
13:41 - 14:52 How high can you fly your drone?
14:53 - 15:22 Article 241 explained
15:23 - 18:14 Bonus tips and points
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📄 ABOUT GEEKSVANA:
Geeksvana is a YouTube channel focused on drones, or as you might call them UAS, (Uncrewed Aerial Systems). We cover all types of drones from hobbyist to commercial, with a focus on drone rules and future flight. Primarily a news channel looking to bring our audience the latest news, leaks and information on the drone world – we also provide how to guides and reviews on products. Geeksvana is an independent source of news and guidance.

Sean Hickey, founder of Geeksvana and main channel presenter is a UK registered journalist who seeks to provide accurate information on what is an often misquoted and misrepresented industry and hobby. Sean currently holds certificates from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, including both the A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC) and the General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC). Flying all sizes of multirotor aircraft from the small DJI Mini 2 to larger aircraft including the DJI Inspire series for both hobby flights and commercial work.
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#UKDroneRules #DroneLaws #Geeksvana

[paulgrep]

Excellent summary of the current situation! Now if only this was required viewing for police officers, security guards and karens I could concentrate on my

[tomeckett]

Where is your info / advice around drones over 250g

[monami]

my question would be, does a YouTuber producing videos for their channel using a sub 250g drone have to register as a commercial flyer as it’s a business interest especially if they are getting paid for views as is normal on YouTube. They may even use Patreon to get money to help pay for producing the videos?

[davidflanagan]

🤔🤔🤔 Flying over a football stadium you can't visually see the ground below. many other buildings meet this category 🤔🤔🤔

[martymountebank]

Nesting birds are a real hazard. The uav pilot should look for these pre-flight but they are not always obvious. Land immediately if birds start attacking the drone.

[RS]

Any chance you can stop using the “recreational flyer” caveat as this suggests there is a different set of rules for commercial or recreational pilots 👍🫶

[Chilternflyer]

Brilliant and very concise video. This should be used by the CAA. (It makes a lot more sense than anything they've ever published).

[my-walks]

I got a Community Protection Warning for flying my drone in the countryside with no one other than my brother with me. its not a no fly zone and i always respect the CAA regulations. They said I'm issuing you a CPW for flying a drone and posting the footage on YouTube. My drone is mini 3 pro 249g and my videos are just me walking my dog and making a song about my walks. We are not safe with this sort of police misuse of powers. I also have the video of my interaction with the police. please look at my videos i only have 4 but its got me in trouble.

[leokimvideo]

Gotta love government, will charge fees whenever possible

[cputty]

jesus i think ill give up before i start so many rules no wonder you never see any one fly drones :(

[johnmontague]

Good overview of the rules & guidelines for the <250g category. As a recreational flyer your channel provides an excellent resource for users to keep up to date with the latest developments in the regulations.
I’m sure you will continue to provide information on what’s required as we approach 2026.
As more people become involved in the hobby, and become professional flyers, it’s perhaps understandable that the requirements will evolve to accommodate the greater numbers of participants.
I still live in hope that the “Remote ID” requirements will be diluted to allow <250g recreational / non professional flyers to be omitted.
Thanks for taking the time to produce these videos.

[northernaudits]

Ahhh Sean you missed the opportunity to tell them about the brand new (yesterday) rule about flying within 400 meters of a prison. That could get people into a lot of trouble. Great channel though. I watch and like every video.

[adamfoley]

Another great vid Sean..

One point id like to get some clarification on.. regarding the max height of 120m.. you mentioned in the video about potentially flying off a cliff could instantly equal an illegal drone flight.. i have always been of the understanding that if you were to take off the top of a cliff ie 200m in vertical height but you flew out vertically say 110 meter this flight would still be legal as although your vertical height could be 200m you would still be within 120m to nearest point to the earth..?
Thanks Adam.

[robainscough]

Rule 1 -- sell your drone .... Rule 2 -- buy a helicopter it's cheaper

[MarctheMagicman]

Brilliant video and just what I’ve been searching for. Got my Mini 4 Pro yesterday and I’ve not even taken it out of the Amazon box let alone anything else. Wanted to watch a video like this first to know the rules and lo and behold, there it is. 😀. Many thanks.

[damiankay]

Hi my local park said I can’t fly my sub 250g drone there(Witton Park, Blackburn). Are they correct?

[stevehayes]

Ive flown model aircraft all my life, I'm 62 now, my club never had insurance, or Caa approval !!!
I did own a typhoon h plus, but due to all the red tape, sold it after 3years, was looking to purchase a dji mini 4 Pro, I'm a sensible flyer who just would like to enjoy this hobby, without worrying about stupid rules, do other people fell like this ??
RANT OVER ....

[RichDoes..]

the first time I flew my drone, a rescue helicopter came into view... I hit the rtb button only to be shocked as my drone rose higher... luckily my experienced pal took my controller and dropped it .... knowledge and experience is key!

[BladedFish]

What about Remote ID?

When applying for flight clearance in London recently the CAA and Met Police were asking for my Remote ID, but I didn't think that had been implemented in the UK yet?

[lukewallace]

I've just bought a mobula8 dji03 elrs, do i really need a spotter it weighs 100g with the battery has prop guards to me it seems totally safe, I don't have someone to go with me that isn't my son who's 11 as I've recently moved areas, I live near no flight restricted areas, having an operators ID sounds a little overkill also, a football weighs more and poses more risk when kicked around a park, as does a dog off a lead, theres plenty more things that people do thats both more dangerous and legal, how can an observer help me fly how can he even know which way the quad is facing? I have a better idea of where i am than any spotter does even if he used binoculars, I can gap my dining room chairs legs at top speed turn and go back though them with out drifting too far I have over 100 hours logged various simulators there isn't a single person I know that could stop me from hitting something other than my self and I have a better idea of where people are than someone that is at ground level hence why police use helicopters in pursuits it makes no sense I've practiced for 3 months straight to ensure i don't crash my drone as it cost me 350 quid for the drone alone 1000 quid all together with the goggles 2 and elrs radio and batteries and charger, now I'm expected to jump though all these extra hoops, for something that id be willing to fly at top speed straight into myself to prove a point.

the question is what are my options as these regulations seem more geared towards dji drone users or larger FPV quads there is basically no risk surely with my 100g drone with prop guards surly this shouldn't require me to have an operators id attached, surly... this is a supped up toy like a petrol RC car and presents maybe only slightly more risk than one, would the police even bother with me if i was flying around the local park when there's low public foot fall? without a spotter and ID for something so insignificant? its not even got a carbon fiber frame the hardest thing on it is the camera, i've been knocked on my arse by a mountain biker coming around a path corner at high speed before, i said are you okay? he said yeah, you? I said yeah, if i was an old woman I could of died should a biker be made to have a licence? I don't care this just all seems like a bunch of shit and if I'm gonna get done for flying this, I might as well get a 5 inch Nazgul Evoke quad and tear through the park at 120 mph

as you can tell I'm pissed off I've just spent a grand and now quite possibly cant fly it or return it or get my time invested back