Yes, a drone roof survey is still possible close to Elstree Aerodrome — it just needs an extra step first. Elstree has a Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ) that extends 2 nautical miles from the aerodrome, covering surface level up to 2,000ft. Any drone flight inside that zone needs permission from Elstree air traffic control before takeoff. It’s an extra call to make, not a reason we can’t fly.
What the Flight Restriction Zone Actually Covers
Under UK Civil Aviation Authority rules, every aerodrome has an FRZ — a protected radius, typically 2 to 2.5 nautical miles, built around its runway and traffic pattern. Elstree Aerodrome’s FRZ is centred on the airfield and covers a wide area of Hertsmere, taking in Borehamwood and reaching into parts of Radlett, Elstree village and the edge of Bushey. If your property falls inside that radius, the property doesn’t lose the right to have a drone survey — it just means we contact Elstree’s air traffic control ahead of time and get flight permission before the drone leaves the ground.
How We Handle It
This is a routine part of planning any job in the area, not a special favour we have to chase:
- Airspace check before every booking — we confirm whether a property sits inside the Elstree FRZ (or any other nearby restricted zone) as standard, before a date is confirmed
- Direct contact with ATC — where permission is needed, we make that request and build it into the scheduling, so it doesn’t fall on you to sort out
- CAA-registered operation — formal permission requests go smoothly because we fly under a proper CAA registration with commercial drone liability insurance, which is exactly what ATC expects to see
Which Areas Does This Affect?
Most of North London sits well outside any aerodrome’s restricted airspace and needs no special permission at all. The Elstree FRZ is the one local zone homeowners in our coverage area are most likely to actually sit inside, given how central the aerodrome is to Hertsmere. If you’re in or near Borehamwood, Elstree, Radlett or Bushey, it’s worth mentioning your postcode when you enquire so we can check the zone in advance — it rarely changes the outcome, but it can occasionally affect the exact date we’re able to fly.
What If Permission Is Refused or Delayed?
In practice this is uncommon for a short residential roof survey, but if ATC needs a different time slot to avoid active traffic, we simply reschedule around it. It’s rarely more than a short delay, and it’s always sorted before we turn up rather than discovered on the day.
Book a Survey
Send us your address and we’ll check the airspace, including whether you’re inside the Elstree FRZ, and come back with a fixed price and a realistic date. Request a free quote or message us on WhatsApp.