Drone Operations
Operating unmanned aerial vehicles outdoors as a University activity
Purpose: Assisting you to get approval to fly drones, and record and carry out your activities in line with CAA requirements and best practices.
Relevant for: Anyone involved in drone operations or managing events where drones will be used, including:
- Staff or students flying small unmodified drones as part of a University activity
- Staff or students engaging third parties to operate drones for their activity
- Third parties requesting to fly drones on University premises Other more complex activities involving drones operated in the UK or abroad.
The University is a registered Drone Operator with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Staff and students must not register as Drone Operators under the CAA non-commercial drone operator scheme and must not fly under or renew any existing Operator IDs. Instead, you must get approval from the Drone Safety Group.
Drone Safety site
Visit the Drone Safety site for more information and to start the mandatory application process.
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) operations manual
Read the UAS drone operations manual (PDF, 6,343kB) for more information about what is required to operate systems safely and within University and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines.
Small drone presentation
To learn how to operate small drones under 250 grams safely, read the Small drones presentation (PDF, 368kB)
Third-Party Operator RAMS template
Third party UAS risk assessment and method statement (Office document, 24kB)