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USE OF DRONES
(Last updated: 10 June 2016)
EDITORIAL GUIDELINES ISSUES
This guidance note discusses the considerations around the use of drones for filming. These are remote-controlled
aircraft, where the pilot is not on board. The terminology relating to drones is still evolving, as is the technology,
policy and regulatory environments. They are sometimes referred to as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).
Whereas, the term Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) has been adopted by the United States Federal
Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organisation. This term refers to the unmanned
aircraft and all the equipment that is necessary to operate it, such as the control station and communications
or navigation equipment. The UK Civil Aviation Authority refers to drones, under 20kg, as Small Unmanned
Aircraft and if fitted with cameras, as Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft (SUSA). Other bodies,
such as the European Commission, use the term Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). In the
absence of settled terminology, this note will refer to these aircraft as ‘drones’.
It should be considered in conjunction with the BBC Safety guidelines for drones
, the Legal Appendix to this note
and the following Editorial Guidelines:
• Privacy
See Editorial Guidelines Section 7 Privacy.
• Fairness, Contributors and Consent
See Editorial Guidelines Section 6 Fairness, Contributors and Consent
• Safety
See Editorial Guidelines Section 5 Harm and Offence
• The Law & Data Protection Act
See Editorial Guidelines Section 18 The Law: Data Protection Act
SUMMARY OF MAIN POINTS
• Drones should only be used for an editorial reason, given the potential
safety risks of flying an aircraft.
• Any proposal to gather material using a drone must be referred to a
senior editorial figure or, for independents, the commissioning editor.
• Any proposal to purchase a drone or operate a hired one yourself must
be referred to BBC Safety.
• The use of drones is regulated in the UK by the Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA). CAA rules require that any drones used by the media for filming
must be operated by a certified drone pilot, who has CAA authorisation
to fly, known as Permission for Aerial Work (PFAW) and valid insurance.
The operation of drones which weigh more than 20 kg is subject to even
more onerous CAA requirements.
• Drone operators should normally comply with the laws and regulations
that apply to the airspace where the drone is flown, unless there is a
strong editorial justification for not doing so. In a war zone it may not be