The UK Airprox Board (UKAB) maintains a public database of reported air proximity events — situations where aircraft came uncomfortably close. In 2025, drone-related Airprox reports continue to cluster around the same locations and circumstances. Here's what the data shows.
Where incidents happen
- Near approach paths of regional airports — Leeds Bradford, Edinburgh, and Bristol consistently appear. Most drones involved were being flown without checking active NOTAMs.
- Helicopter routes — police, air ambulance, and coastguard helicopters operate at low altitude and often without ATC contact. They appear suddenly and without warning.
- Training areas — fixed-wing training aircraft operate in circuits at 1000ft over rural airfields. These airfields aren't always obvious on consumer maps.
What the pilots had in common
In almost every reviewed case, the drone operator was not aware of the conflicting traffic. Either they hadn't checked NOTAMs, they were flying in an active ATZ without permission, or they were above 400ft without realising it.
The technology gap
Most consumer drones — including sub-250g DJI products — do not transmit ADS-B. Air traffic control cannot see them. Manned aircraft ADS-B receivers can detect equipped drones, but that's only part of the traffic picture. Until Remote ID becomes universal and interoperable with ATC systems, the burden is entirely on the drone operator.
NOTAMs are published at ais.nats.aero and activate at short notice for airshows, VIP movements, and emergency operations — these are not usually reflected in consumer mapping apps.