A person has been sentenced for a number of drone offences together with flying over emergency providers attending a serious incident, believed to be the primary conviction of its sort.
Christopher McEwen, aged 46 and of Crome Highway, Norwich appeared at Norwich Magistrates Court docket at the moment (Friday 13 February 2026) having pleaded responsible to 17 offences at an earlier listening to. These offences embody flying a drone near the place an emergency response effort is ongoing, taking {a photograph} inside a jail, flying in a restricted zone, failing to maintain unmanned flight in sight, failing to adjust to most working top. He was sentenced to pay a £2,000 superb, £800 sufferer surcharge and £110 in prices. He was additionally ordered to forfeit his drone for destruction.
The sentence follows a collection of incidents over a six-month interval between January and June 2025 when McEwen repeatedly breached varied legal guidelines governing the secure use of drones. 44 flights had been logged on his DJI Mavic 3 Professional Cine drone throughout this era.
On the night of 20 January 2025, there was a big industrial fireplace on Dibden Highway, Norwich at a disused manufacturing facility. Police, fireplace and ambulance had been all in attendance with a number of assets working for numerous hours. Throughout this time, McEwen selected to fly his drone 3 times, straight over the fireplace and in shut proximity to the scene. Permission is required to fly over an emergency response on account of risks it may well pose to these working beneath. McEwen failed to do that. An current drone presence additionally prevents emergency providers from utilizing their very own drones within the space, to evaluate and reply to an ongoing scenario, inhibiting on their skill to do their jobs.
McEwen’s house deal with is inside a Flight Restriction Zone, because of the shut proximity to Norwich Airport which is the place he recurrently flew his drone. It’s an offence to fly inside a Flight Restriction Zone with out permission from air site visitors management on the airport, because of the risks you might pose to different plane throughout the sky. 33 of the 44 flights recorded by McEwen had been inside these zones.
The utmost allowed top is 120m or 400 toes away from the closest level of the Earth’s floor. A warning of this top restriction is proven by the drone that McEwen had been flying but he selected to completely disregard this in 39 of the 44 flights. On 2 Could 2025, McEwen flew his drone to round 1,900ft into the air. He got here to inside 350m of a lightweight plane travelling over the south of Norwich and the pilot of the aircraft had no information of the drone’s presence within the sky. This might have had catastrophic penalties ought to he have collided with the plane.
When flying a drone, you could at all times preserve the drone inside direct eyesight to make sure you can safely monitor its flight. McEwen admitted that he can solely keep correct sight of his drone to round 400m. 36 of the 44 flights reviewed for this case had been flown to such distances {that a} visible line of sight could be bodily inconceivable. Throughout considered one of these flights, he flew 2,378m away from the take off level.
All through all of those flights, McEwen was required by regulation, because of the weight and functionality of his drone, to be registered with the CAA as an ‘operator’. He had been beforehand registered however this had expired in the course of the time of offending. He ought to have additionally accomplished a flying competency check for every drone class that he flew in. This might have been two classes which he did not do. Each are offences beneath the Air Navigation Order 2016 and due to this fact all of his flights had been then illegal.
An extra offence was recorded, outdoors of the six-month interval, following a flight on 26 June 2024. Throughout this flight, McEwen flew over HMP Norwich on Knox Highway. He didn’t have permission to do that. Throughout this flight, he took two photographs of prisoners outdoors in an train yard. It is a breach of Part 40D of the Jail Act 1952. The flight was additionally inside a Flight Restriction Zone and exceeding the altitude restrict.
Investigating officer, PC Jon Parker, from Norfolk Police’s Neighborhood Security Operational Unit, stated: “McEwen’s offending confirmed a blatant disregard for the principles and rules imposed on those that need to fly a drone.
“These pointers are in place to guard everybody’s security and so they should be revered. We admire many individuals will really feel that these are minor offences nonetheless they will have devastating penalties.”
Richard Tempo, managing director of Norwich Airport added: “Whereas most drone operators act responsibly, this case is a well timed reminder of the authorized necessities for flying drones close to airports. Norwich Airport’s Flight Restriction Zone extends two and a half nautical miles from the airport, and farther from every finish of the runway. Anybody wishing to fly a drone inside these areas should acquire permission from air site visitors management on the airport upfront. Full particulars are on the airport web site. These restrictions are in place to guard plane and the individuals on board, in addition to these on the bottom.”
Alan Ward, East Anglian Air Ambulance Aviation Advisor, says, “East Anglian Air Ambulance offers crucial care 24/7 by highway and air throughout our area. The charity offers therapy and care to round 2,000 individuals a 12 months. Drones have gotten more and more commonplace for leisure functions and within the office. Whereas they provide unbelievable alternatives, we urge all drone operators to comply with rules and keep alert to the dangers so as to not endanger lives.”
Alan continues, “A collision between a drone and an air ambulance, or any plane, may very well be catastrophic. Past this, a drone may trigger a delay to crucial care operations by prohibiting secure landings and take offs. At this time’s verdict is a reminder of the dangers and the authorized obligations of drone operators.”
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