Use of drones for University business

Use of drones in the UK is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority.  Aberystwyth University requires all staff and students to comply with these regulations to minimise potential risks to staff, students, and members of the public.

By law, all UK people flying drones or model aircraft that weigh between 250 g and 20 kg must get a Flyer ID or have other suitable qualifications.  Flyer IDs are free to obtain.  All drones must also be labelled with an Operator’s ID – University-owned drones must display the University’s Operator’s ID, which will be provided on request (see below). 

To legally fly drones on any University business, operations must be covered by the University’s Operations Authorisation (OA) document and drone pilots must have undergone relevant training. Depending on the area and drone size/weight, students may fly their own or University drones for their studies but must have a personal Flyer ID and be assessed as competent flyers by a qualified drone pilot appointed by their supervisor before they start.

For further information and before you use drones for any commercial or research studies at Aberystwyth University, please contact any of the following people:

Fred Labrosse – ffl@aber.ac.uk (Faculty of Business and Physical Sciences)

Andy Hardy – ajh13@aber.ac.uk (Department of Geography and Earth Sciences)

Jason Brook – jkb@aber.ac.uk (Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences)