Drone Rules in Dartmoor National Park

Overview of Dartmoor

Dartmoor National Park covers 954 square kilometres of Devon in south-west England. Designated in 1951, the park is defined by its granite tors, open moorland, deep river valleys, and blanket bogs. High Willhays at 621 metres is the highest point in southern England.

The Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) is the planning authority and primary management body for the park. However, land ownership in Dartmoor is complex: the Duchy of Cornwall owns approximately one-third of the park, the MOD holds significant areas for military training, and the remainder is a mix of private farms, estates, and common land.

What sets Dartmoor apart from other National Parks for drone operators is the presence of three active military firing ranges in the northern part of the moor. These ranges are used regularly for live ammunition exercises, and entering them during firing — on foot or by air — is genuinely dangerous.

Can You Fly a Drone in Dartmoor?

Yes, but with significant constraints. The factors that determine whether you can legally and safely fly at a specific location include:

• MOD firing ranges: The Okehampton, Merrivale, and Willsworthy ranges collectively cover a substantial portion of northern Dartmoor. When live firing is taking place, these areas are closed to all public access, including aerial access. Red flags and red lights indicate that firing is active. Flying a drone into or over an active firing range is both illegal and extremely dangerous.
• Common land and open access: Dartmoor is one of the few areas in England where open access rights predate the CRoW Act 2000, due to the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985. However, these access rights are for on-foot recreation and do not extend to drone launching or landing.
• Duchy of Cornwall land: The Duchy owns significant moorland areas. Drone operations on Duchy land may require permission from the Duchy estate office.
• National Park Authority land: The DNPA manages visitor facilities and car parks. The Authority may restrict drone use at managed sites.
• National Trust: The Trust owns several Dartmoor properties, including Castle Drogo and portions of the River Dart valley. Standard National Trust drone restrictions apply — no flying without prior written consent.

Key Rules: CAA Regulations and Military Restrictions

CAA National Rules (2026)

The standard CAA regulations under the Air Navigation Order 2016 and the retained UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947 apply in full across Dartmoor:

• Registration: Any camera-equipped drone must be registered with the CAA. Obtain your Operator ID (displayed on the drone) and Flyer ID (free online theory test) before flying.
• Maximum altitude: 120 metres (400 feet) above the surface. On Dartmoor's open moor, this is measured from the ground directly below the drone. Be especially careful near tors and on steep valley sides where relative heights change quickly.
• Visual line of sight: Maintain unaided visual contact with the drone at all times. The open moor provides excellent visibility in clear weather, but mist and fog can roll in rapidly and obscure your drone.
• Distance from people: Open Category sub-categories: A1 (under 250g) allows flight over uninvolved persons; A2 requires 30m from uninvolved persons (5m at low speed with C2); A3 requires areas clear of uninvolved persons.
• Give way: Always yield to manned aircraft. Military helicopters and low-flying military jets regularly use Dartmoor airspace — be alert to their presence.

MOD Firing Ranges — Critical Information

The three Dartmoor firing ranges represent the most serious restriction on drone flying in any UK National Park. This is not merely a regulatory inconvenience — live rounds are fired during exercises, and the ranges extend to significant altitude.

• Okehampton Range: The largest of the three, covering the area around High Willhays and Yes Tor in north Dartmoor. When active, all access is prohibited.
• Merrivale Range: Located west of Princetown, covering moorland south of the B3357.
• Willsworthy Range: Located between Okehampton and Merrivale ranges, covering the western flank of the northern moor.

Range firing schedules are published in advance by the MOD and are available from the Dartmoor National Park Authority, local information centres, and the Dartmoor Firing Notice service. You can also call the firing information line. Red flags flying at range boundaries indicate that live firing is in progress. Even when ranges are not active, unexploded ordnance may be present — never land a drone within range boundaries.

From an airspace perspective, the MOD ranges create Danger Areas (designated in UK airspace charts) that extend vertically to specified altitudes. Drone operations within these Danger Areas when active violate both CAA regulations and military airspace rules.

Wildlife and Habitat Protection

Dartmoor supports protected species including cuckoos, ring ouzels, dunlins, and golden plovers on the high moor, with rare greater horseshoe bats in the river valleys. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects nesting birds, with enhanced protection for Schedule 1 species.

Blanket bog habitats, which cover significant areas of the high moor, are particularly sensitive. While drone flight does not physically damage bog, the disturbance caused to ground-nesting birds in these areas can be significant, especially during the breeding season (March to August).

Flight Restriction Zones (FRZ)

• Exeter Airport (EGTE): The primary FRZ affecting Dartmoor. Located to the east of the park near Clyst Honiton, the FRZ extends westward and may affect the eastern margins of the National Park, particularly around Moretonhampstead and the Teign Valley.
• Plymouth City Airport (closed): No longer operational, but verify current status and any residual restrictions.
• MOD Danger Areas: As described above, the firing range Danger Areas function as de facto FRZs when active.
• Military low-flying areas: Dartmoor sits within a military low-flying training area. Fast jets and helicopters may operate at very low altitudes with minimal warning. Always be prepared to land immediately if you hear or see low-flying military aircraft.

Check the NATS Drone Assist app and current NOTAMs before every flight. The combination of MOD Danger Areas and the Exeter FRZ means that significant portions of Dartmoor have airspace restrictions.

Best Practices for Flying on Dartmoor

• Check firing schedules before every visit: This is not optional. The firing range schedules change regularly. Verify the status of all three ranges on the day of your intended flight, and again immediately before launching.
• Stay well clear of range boundaries: Even when ranges are not active, maintain a generous buffer from marked range boundaries. Unexploded ordnance and temporary military activity are real risks.
• Watch for military aircraft: Low-flying military helicopters and jets use Dartmoor airspace frequently. Maintain awareness at all times and be prepared to land your drone immediately if military aircraft approach.
• Choose southern Dartmoor: The southern half of the park is generally free from firing range restrictions and further from the Exeter FRZ. Areas around the River Dart, Holne Moor, and the South Moor offer excellent landscapes with fewer airspace complications.
• Check weather conditions: Dartmoor is notorious for rapid weather changes. Mist can descend within minutes on the high moor, eliminating visual line of sight. Do not fly if conditions are deteriorating.
• Respect livestock: Dartmoor ponies, sheep, and cattle roam freely across the open moor. Keep well away from animals to avoid disturbance, particularly during lambing season.
• Carry your IDs: Display your CAA Operator ID on the drone and have your Flyer ID available.

Penalties for Breaking Drone Rules

• Unregistered drone: Fine of up to £1,000.
• Dangerous flying: Unlimited fine and/or up to five years' imprisonment.
• FRZ or Danger Area breach: Prosecution under aviation law with an unlimited fine. Breaching an active MOD Danger Area may also engage military law enforcement and is treated with extreme seriousness.
• Wildlife disturbance: Fine of up to £5,000 and/or six months' imprisonment per Schedule 1 offence.
• Trespass on MOD land: Entering or operating over active military ranges is both a criminal and safety matter. MOD Police and range officers have enforcement powers.

Summary

Dartmoor is a landscape of raw beauty — granite tors rising from open moorland, wooded river valleys, and some of the most remote terrain in southern England. For drone operators, it offers dramatic aerial perspectives, but the presence of active military firing ranges makes Dartmoor uniquely demanding in terms of pre-flight planning.

The non-negotiable first step is checking the firing range schedule. Beyond that, register with the CAA, verify Exeter Airport's FRZ against your location, avoid nesting season on the high moor, and respect the free-roaming livestock. Southern Dartmoor generally offers the most practical flying opportunities, away from range boundaries and with fewer airspace constraints. With thorough preparation, Dartmoor rewards drone pilots with some of England's most compelling wild landscapes.