FOI release

Byelaws, PSPOs and Policies Relating to Recreational Drone Use

Case reference FOI2026/00299

Received 23 February 2026

Published 25 February 2026

Request

We seek information regarding your authority’s regulations on the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction. 1. Do you have any byelaws that are used to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction? If yes, please provide: a) The dates of each byelaw. b) A digital copy of the byelaws or a direct link to the specific document or webpage where the information can be accessed. 2. Do you have any Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) that are used to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction? If yes, please provide: a) The dates of each PSPO. b) The locations and areas these PSPOs cover. c) A digital copy of the PSPOs or a direct link to the specific document or webpage where the information can be accessed. 3. Do you have any policies that are used to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction? If yes, please provide: a) The dates of each policy. b) A digital copy of the policies or a direct link to the specific document or webpage where the information can be accessed.

Response

We seek information regarding your authority’s regulations on the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction.

1. Do you have any byelaws that are used to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction?
No If yes, please provide:
a) The dates of each byelaw.
b) A digital copy of the byelaws or a direct link to the specific document or webpage where the information can be accessed.

2. Do you have any Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) that are used to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction?
No If yes, please provide:
a) The dates of each PSPO.
b) The locations and areas these PSPOs cover.
c) A digital copy of the PSPOs or a direct link to the specific document or webpage where the information can be accessed.

3. Do you have any policies that are used to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the recreational use of drones from land under your jurisdiction?
No If yes, please provide:
a) The dates of each policy.
b) A digital copy of the policies or a direct link to the specific document or webpage where the information can be accessed.

The Parks Byelaws do not cover the use of drones in public parks and no PSPO is in place to cover armature drone usage.

We do not have any Policies in place for the use of drones, we are nor aware this is a problem in Tunbridge Wells Parks, any request to use drones is politely refused. We will work with professional drone pilots if approached regarding a specific project but do require sight of the appropriate certification.

 

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.