I am completely new to drone flying. I have just bought a DJI Mini 4 Pro. Going to get insurance before I go out. Already have Flyer ID and Operator ID stuck on the drone. I want to fly drone for complete enjoyment and do it in remote and scenic places away from people. I visited Mull and Iona last summer and want to go back there to fly my drone in the Sping of 2025. The Drone assist app on my phone tells me that on Iona there is a SSSI restriction around the Iona Abbey. Also, this link shows NATS restricted Zone shows an area EGD713 FAST JET AREA SOUTH. Does this mean I cannot fly my drone there? There is a Contact: Booking: Military Airspace Management Cell ā Managed Airspace, Tel 01489-612495 . If there are no NOTAMS after consulting this link NOTAMS can I safely fly. Any help or advice would be appreciated as I want to make sure I fly my drone legally.
Jimrey , I would always contact them about any flights that you wish to take , they can say yes or no , which would be the best way before flying?
OK, Thanks for that.
EGD713 - Yes, the hours of operation are notified by NOTAM. But itās not a restriction, and is way above your 400ft ceiling (lower flight level is FL245 or 24500 ft)
SSSI - There is no Site of Special Scientific Interest around Iona Abbey (at least not according to NatureScot SiteLink
The yellow shape around the Abbey denotes the land where Historic Scotland would like to charge you Ā£20 to take off/land.
Thatās very helpful. Thank you.
I saw a āno dronesā sign when walking past the Iona Abbey when I was there last July. I suppose that is their policy. So in theory a TOAL outside the property boundary would be OK. However, I donāt need any hassle from anyone and will fly around the island from the top of a hill on Iona that I climbed on my visit
Ignore the no drone signs!!! They mean nothing. Much of the west coast of scotland is class D airspace and used for flight practice by MOD. Just check for NOTAMs before your flight to see if there is one in action. Most of the time they are not. And Iād recommend using Dronescene in place of drone assist or anything else. Far more meaningful info.
Thanks Joe
SSSIās are everywhere - if itās related to something growing out of the ground, they can be largely dismissed as irrelevant - google search points you usually straight to the explanation for a site being designated an SSSI so itās easy to check. Nesting birds/animal sites are another matter entirely and regs should be fully adhered to.
Donāt confuse council policy (no drones allowedš) with the law (always follow CAA/Article 16 guidance etc) and be mindful of where you TOAL - that does matter. The CAA regulates airspace, NOT THE COUNCILš
Thanks for the info 