60-second summary
Check out the main need-to-knows about owning and insuring a drone:
If your drone is under 20kg, you’re not legally obliged to take out insurance. But at least third-party liability insurance is highly recommended, to offer financial protection in the event that your drone causes injury or damage to property.
If you use your drone for work, or it weighs 20kg or more, you’re legally required to have third-party liability insurance.
Some home insurance policies may cover loss, theft or damage to your drone while it’s in your home. You may also be able to get cover for your drone away from home with personal possessions cover or gadget insurance. But check your policy carefully for drone exclusions.
You can get specialist drone insurance policies for recreational and commercial use. These must be fully compliant with EC785/2004 regulations set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
You must be registered with the CAA to fly most drones outside in the UK. If you don’t have the required ID, you could face a fine or worse.
The Drone Code, created by the CAA, gives practical guidance on how to fly a drone legally and safely.
You can’t compare specialist drone insurance with Compare the Market. But you may be able to find and compare home insurance policies that cover your drone.
When do you need insurance for flying your drone or model aircraft?
If your drone or model aircraft is 20kg or more, you must have third-party insurance for it. The specific cover you’ll need depends on the size of your drone and what you use it for.
Hobby drone insurance in the UK
If your drone is under 20kg and just for fun, you’re not legally obliged to have insurance. But enthusiasts recommend you take out third-party public liability insurance even for recreational drone flying.
This means that you could be financially protected if an unfortunate crash landing on someone’s home or car resulted in damage or injury, for example.
Does home insurance include drone cover?
Your drone may be covered against theft or accidental damage by flood or fire under your home contents insurance.
You might also be able to cover it against theft or loss when out and about, by adding personal possessions cover to your home insurance. But home insurance is unlikely to provide any cover for incidents while flying your drone.
Standalone gadget insurance or specialist drone insurance could also cover your drone.
Unfortunately, you can’t compare either of these types of insurance with us. If you’re considering gadget insurance, make sure you read the small print as drones can be excluded.
Commercial drone insurance
There are many commercial and business purposes for using a drone. Drone are used in many jobs, including by estate agents, photographers, farmers and travel operators. They can help carry out surveys, inspections and deliveries.
In such cases, drone cover is a must-have and any of these uses would classify you as a commercial drone operator. The best cover for commercial drone use might be a specialist drone insurance policy, though it needs to be fully compliant with EC785/2004 regulations. These are the rules laid down by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the body responsible for the regulation of aviation safety in the UK which also keeps a careful eye on drone use.
This cover is worth considering for non-commercial drone pilots too, especially if you are a serious hobbyist.
What’s the best type of drone insurance policy for me?
Whether you’re using your drone for business or pleasure, you have a choice of two main policy types:
A traditional annual policy. This is a popular choice for commercial pilots who use their drones on a regular basis.
A pay-as-you-fly (PAFL) policy. This protects your drone only while you’re using it so may be cheaper. It may include cover per flight or over a period of time, for example, or per hour, per day or per week. This is usually a good option for occasional flyers or if you’re planning a holiday somewhere scenic in the UK and fancy taking some great aerial photographs.
In addition, some drone flying clubs can offer insurance cover as part of your membership fee.
What should I look for in drone insurance cover as a hobbyist?
For both recreational and commercial users, your drone insurance policy must include personal/public liability cover. This is compulsory under the CAA’s regulations.
The cover could protect you against claims made by members of the public for damage or injury caused by your drone, plus the accompanying legal costs.
Here are some key features to consider when looking for the best recreational drone insurance in the UK:
Cover for theft
Accidental loss or damage – could cover the cost of repairing or replacing your drone if it’s damaged or destroyed
Drone public liability insurance
Personal accident – also known as personal injury insurance, this could pay out if you have an accident while using your drone and suffer a serious injury or worse
‘New for old’ cover – your insurance provider could pay for a brand new, like-for-like replacement if your drone is lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair
Travel cover – if you’re travelling and taking your drone with you.
What should I look for in commercial drone insurance?
If you use your drone for work, you may also want to check potential policies to see if they cover the following, depending on your needs:
Aviation liability insurance – which is compulsory if you fly your drone commercially, this should meet the CAA’s requirements so you’re covered against:
Acts of war
Terrorism
Hijacking
Acts of sabotage
Unlawful seizure of aircraft and civil commotion
Equipment cover – for both in-flight and out-of-flight equipment, payload and spares
Hired-in equipment cover – protects equipment not owned by you that you’ve hired in
Cyber cover against the drone being hacked
Replacement drone hire
Transit cover – for when your drone is being moved
Night flying
Legal expenses
Employers’ liability – to protect employers against the cost of compensation claims if an employee injures themselves or becomes ill as a result of working for them; check any existing employers’ liability policy to see if drone use would be covered
Professional indemnity insurance – allows you to recover losses from compensation claims made against you in certain circumstances
Business travel insurance may be needed for the operator, in addition to any transit cover for the drone, if not included in the drone policy.
Some specialist providers will also offer short-term policies while you undertake the necessary CAA training and flight assessment. They will then refund the amount when you take out a full policy with them.
When you’re choosing commercial drone insurance, it’s also worth thinking about:
The number of drones you want to cover
The flying hours you expect to do
How many operators and pilots need to be included in the cover
Where in the world you’ll be flying.
Always read the small print to make sure you’ll have the cover you need.
How much does hobby drone insurance cost in the UK?
If you’re an occasional recreational user, hobby drone insurance could be cheaper than for a commercial operation using drones regularly. It’s worth shopping around for a policy that gives you the cover you want, at a price that suits your pocket.
Another way to potentially reduce costs is to join a flying club. You might be eligible for discounted insurance rates as part of your annual membership.
Did you know?
Drone is not the only term used to describe an aircraft that flies without a pilot on-board. Drones can also be referred to as:
UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
UAS – Unmanned Aircraft System
RPAS – Remotely Piloted Aircraft System
SUA – Small Unmanned Aircraft
Are drones dangerous?
In some situations, yes – if a drone hits the windscreen of an aircraft or gets caught up in the blades of a helicopter mid-flight, for example.
That’s why UK law restricts all drones from flying above 400ft or within the flight restriction zone of an airport.
To help you fly safely, there are courses you can take to develop your flying skills. You could also consider using a drone safety app like Drone Assist.
Developed by NATS, the UK’s main air traffic control experts, Drone Assist gives you an interactive map of airspace used by commercial air traffic and balloon pilots. That way, you can check areas to avoid or be extra cautious when flying your drone. The app also identifies ground hazards and lets you share your location with other drone users when you’re out flying.
Do I need to register my drone?
Yes, most drones (and model aircraft) that are not just toys and weigh at least 250g must be registered before you can start flying them outdoors in the UK.
Depending on the class/weight of your drone, you’ll register for one or two forms of specialist ID. If you don’t have the required ID, you could be fined, or in the most serious cases, sent to prison.
Also, if you don’t have the necessary IDs your insurance provider may refuse to pay out in the event of a claim.
Type of ID needed
Flying weight | Flyer ID | Operator ID |
|---|---|---|
Below 250g – toy | No | No |
Below 250g – not a toy – no camera | No | No |
Below 250g – not a toy – with camera | No | Yes |
250g and above | Yes | Yes |
Your drone or model aircraft is likely to be a toy if:
The manufacturer or store you bought it from describes it as a toy
You bought it from a toy department or retailer
It’s marked as suitable for below age 14 or a younger age group
It was advertised or packaged to attract children.
What is the Drone Code?
The Drone Code (PDF) is a bit like the Highway Code for drones. Developed by the CAA to give guidance on safe and legal drone flying, its key points include:
Make sure you can always see your drone without needing binoculars or any other viewing equipment – this is known as keeping a visual line of sight.
Never fly your drone above 120m (400ft).
Keep it at least 50m away from people, including people in buildings, cars or boats.
Never fly your drone over people, particularly crowds.
Keep at least 150m away from residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas.
Avoid airports, airfields and aircraft and follow any local byelaws about where you can and can’t fly.
Don't endanger or disturb animals and wildlife.
If you have a flying requirement that would take you outside the rules of the code, you’d need special authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority.
The code also provides guidance about how to make sure every flight is safe, from checking your equipment beforehand to not flying if you’re under the influence of drink or drugs.
Where can I find home insurance with drone cover?
We don’t compare specialist drone insurance at Compare the Market. However, you might be able to find a home insurance policy that will cover your drone when you compare with us.
Make sure you understand any limitations on the cover and weigh up what’s on offer against options for specialist cover.
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