The Queen has banned drones from being flown without permission over her Sandringham estate in an apparent move to prevent terrorist attacks and protect the privacy of the royal family.
The ban covers all 20,000 acres of the estate in north Norfolk, making it potentially the largest single area in the UK to ban unmanned aircraft.
It comes amid fears that remote controlled drones could carry a bomb or chemical weapon. The ban will also help to foil paparazzi using drones to take aerial photographs.
Last December the Department for Transport made it a criminal offence for low-flying aircraft, including drones, to be flown within 1.5 miles of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s home at Anmer Hall on the estate. A similar ban is in place within 1.5 miles of Sandringham House from every December to the end of February when the Queen and other members of the royal family are often in residence.
The restrictions are similar to the drone bans around military bases, nuclear power stations and airports. Anyone breaking the restrictions faces a fine of up to £5,000.
Advertisement
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said that it was unclear how the ban could be enforced over the entire estate, as landowners did not automatically control the airspace over their land.
The spokesman said: “Nobody owns the air under UK law.”
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman refused to comment.