Aerial Recreation
This activity category includes all types of craft used for recreation in the air e.g. small planes and helicopters, microlights, paramotors, hang gliding, parascending (on beach), parasailing (by boat), drones (UAVs), and model aircraft.
Potential impacts on European Marine Sites include:
- Civilian aircraft can produce significant amounts of sound. The height, speed and noise of the aircraft are all factors to consider when determining potential disturbance impact.
- Collisions can occur between aircraft and birds - the size, height and speed of the aircraft will be factor to consider.
- Aircraft movement can cause visual disturbance. The height, speed and noise of the aircraft are all factors to consider when determining impact.
The risk of this pressure will increase depending on the spatial/ temporal scale and intensity of the activity, the proximity of the activity to the feature (in space and time) and the sensitivity of the feature to the pressure. Cumulative and in-combination effects of activities may increase the risk further. Factors such as height, speed and size of aircraft would need to be taken into consideration.
Impacts on Solent Sites
In 2021, the Solent Forum's Natural Environment Group evaluated whether summer drone use was an issue impacting on designated sites in the Solent and concluded that this isn’t currently the case. Bird Aware Solent rangers carry out observations on drone use in the winter as part of their exisiting monitoring programmes. Currently there are no concerns.
Altitude Angel are the biggest provider of drone mapping and integration in Europe and they have now included all SSSI layers on their map. These are classified as a ‘ground hazard’ on this map and highlight to drone users that they are flying over sensitive sites.
Local Restrictions
When operating over water and vessels operators must stay clear of boats, ships, and harbour traffic and avoid flying close to people on vessels, the standard rule is ~50 m distance from people and transport (boats included).
Solent harbours often require permission to launch/land and restrict flying near ports, terminals, or shipping lanes. Even if airspace is allowed, you still need landowner/harbour permission to take off/land.
Regulations and Drones
From 1 January 2026, those intending to fly drones or model aircraft weighing 100g or more outside must complete a Civil Aviation Authority (CCA) online theory test to get a Flyer ID - something previously only needed for heavier drones. The CAA advises that flying may be restricted at some Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) where that flight may disturb animals or wildlife and to check on the web for byelaws or look out for local signs and then follow any restrictions that apply.
Flying a drone over an SSSI may require consent from Natural England if the activity could potentially disturb wildlife or damage the site. Landowners or legal occupiers of an SSSI must apply for consent from Natural England before allowing drone operations.
If you are using a drone for filming purposes, you generally also need landowner consent; the Crown Estate provide a license for filming and Hampshire County Council grant consent for filming over their land.
As a public body, the CAA is a Section 28G authority under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) as amended. The CAA's primary remit is air safety (including the safe use of Drones), however, Subsection 2 of Section 28G states that a 28G authority "must take reasonable steps, consistent with the proper exercise of the authority’s functions, to further the conservation and enhancement of the flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features by reason of which the site is of special scientific interest". The CAA advise that “Where a flight may take place over a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), you should seek further guidance from Natural England”.
Those who wish to operate drones must adhere to various safety, legal, regulatory, and insurance requirements:
- you are responsible for flying your drone in a safe manner
- you must keep the drone in your direct sight at all times while it is flying, so that you can ensure that it does not collide with anything, especially other aircraft
- you must not endanger anyone, or anything with your drone, including any articles that you drop from it
- If your drone is fitted with a camera, there are also a number of additional limitations surrounding where you can fly it, and how close you can fly it to other uninvolved people or objects. In order to be able to fly within these areas, or closer than the minimum distances that are in the regulations, you must obtain prior Permission from the CAA to do so.
All UK land, including the coast, has an owner. Unlike the public rights of fishing and navigation and the Crown Estate's general permissive consent for public access along the foreshore, other activities, including the flying of UAD's, requires the landowner's permission. Government agencies and Local authorities have the power to ban the flying of drones and other activities through the use of byelaws, and drone pilots should therefore check with the appropriate authority to ensure that no such ban is in place. Pilots need permission from Natural England to fly over protected sites.
Using Drones for Monitoring
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, are increasingly used in environmental monitoring and conservation due to their ability to collect high-resolution aerial data efficiently. They include high-resolution cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), thermal imaging sensors, GPS (Global Positioning System), and data analytics software. High-resolution cameras capture detailed images for visual assessments, while LiDAR provides precise topographical data, enabling the analysis of vegetation and terrain. Thermal imaging sensors detect temperature variations, useful for identifying wildlife and assessing environmental conditions. If operated correctly and at appropriate altitudes disturbance levels are low and their use is less disruptive than traditional survey methods.
Resources
- Altitude Angel drone safety mapping
- Crown Estate guidance on flying drones over Crown land.
- Civil Aviation Authority drone factsheets
- Note on Paramotors, courtesy of Humber Estuary Management Scheme
- Fareham Borough Council drone guidance
- The Drone Code
