What should you do if your drone crashes or flies away? Know your drone, set return-to-home, put people first, ask before you retrieve, and report what matters. Here's what the Drone Code actually says, in plain English.
CHAPTERS
0:00 What do you do when a drone flight goes wrong?
0:13 How do you set return-to-home on a drone?
0:35 What should you do if your drone loses signal?
0:51 What should you do if your drone crashes?
1:03 Can you get your drone back from private property?
1:16 Do you have to report a drone crash?
1:33 How do you report dangerous drone flying?
1:44 Crash or flyaway: summary
THE DETAILS
Q: How do I prepare for a drone flyaway?
A: It starts before take-off. The Drone Code says know your drone: how far it can fly before it loses signal, and how long its battery lasts. Learn how to set its return-to-home, or lost connection, function. If there's a problem, it flies your drone back to you automatically.
Q: What should I do if my drone loses signal?
A: Stay calm and keep watching it. If you've set return-to-home, it should fly back to you. And if things change, like people or animals turning up, be ready to land, or drop lower and wait until it's safe.
Q: What should I do if my drone crashes?
A: People come first. If anyone's hurt, make sure they get help, and call 999 if there's an immediate danger to life. The drone can wait.
Q: Can I get my drone back from private property?
A: If it comes down on private property, you must get the owner's permission before you go and get it. That's especially important at sites where security services are likely to respond if you go in without permission.
Q: Do I have to report a drone crash in the UK?
A: If you're involved in, or see, a serious incident or near miss, you must report it to the CAA, anonymously if you like. If someone's seriously injured, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the police must be told too.
Q: How do I report someone flying a drone dangerously?
A: If you see someone flying in a suspicious or dangerous way, call your local police on 101. At an airport, call airport security.
KEY FACTS
• Know your drone's signal range and battery life, and set return-to-home
• Lost signal: stay calm, keep watching, and be ready to land
• Crash: people come first; call 999 if there's an immediate danger to life
• Get the owner's permission before retrieving a drone from private property
• Report serious incidents and near misses to the CAA
• Serious injury: the AAIB and police must be told. Dangerous flying: call 101
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Sources:
Facts checked September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
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