Drone Daredevil Fined £2k for Flying Over Emergency Scene
Christopher McEwen, 46, from Norwich, has become the first person in the UK convicted for flying a drone over an emergency response. The court handed him a £2,000 fine for a slew of dangerous offences, including disrupting emergency services at a massive industrial fire.
At Norwich Magistrates Court on 13 February 2026, McEwen admitted to 17 breaches, from flying dangerously close to emergency crews to snapping photos inside a prison. He also ignored restricted flying zones, broke height limits, and lost visual contact with his drone multiple times.
Wild Flights and Close Calls With Aircraft
- McEwen routinely shrugged off the drone’s 120m height limit, soaring 39 times above it.
- In a shocking stunt last May, he pushed his drone to 1,900ft—just 350m from a light aircraft clueless about the drone’s presence. A mid-air collision loomed.
- He flew 36 times beyond his visual line of sight, with one flight reaching a staggering 2,378m away.
Illegal Photos and Ignored Laws
- McEwen was unregistered during most flights, breaching the Air Navigation Order 2016.
- He skipped the mandatory competency tests.
- In June 2024, he flew illegally over HMP Norwich prison, snapping photos of inmates — a clear breach of the Prison Act 1952.
PC Jon Parker of Norfolk Police slammed McEwen’s reckless flights: “His blatant disregard for drone laws risks everyone’s safety. These rules exist for good reasons.”
Norwich Airport’s Managing Director Richard Pace warned: “Our Flight Restriction Zone covers a wide area. Drone pilots must get permission before flying here to protect aircraft and people.”
Alan Ward, Aviation Advisor for East Anglian Air Ambulance, added: “A drone collision with an air ambulance could be catastrophic and delay lifesaving missions. This case is a stark reminder of drone operators’ responsibilities.”
