First Conviction for Flying Over an Emergency Response
Christopher McEwen, 46, from Norwich, has been slammed with a £2,000 fine for a string of dangerous drone offences – including flying over an emergency scene. This is believed to be the first conviction of its kind in the UK.
At Norwich Magistrates Court on Friday, 13 February 2026, McEwen pleaded guilty to 17 offences. These range from flying close to emergency services battling a huge industrial fire, to snapping photos inside a prison, plus breaching restricted zones, ignoring height limits, and losing visual contact with his drone.
He was also hit with an £800 victim surcharge, £110 court costs, and was ordered to hand over his drone for destruction.
Disregarding Safety at a Major Fire
McEwen’s reckless piloting came to light after a massive fire broke out on Dibden Road, Norwich, in January 2025. Police, firefighters, and paramedics were on the scene all night battling the blaze at an abandoned factory.
Despite the chaos, McEwen flew his DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine drone three times directly over the emergency response. Flying nearby without permission puts lives at risk and stops emergency teams from using their own drones to tackle the fire efficiently.
Flying High in Restricted Airspace
McEwen’s home lies inside a Flight Restriction Zone near Norwich Airport. Flying here without air traffic control approval is illegal. Yet, over six months, McEwen clocked 44 flights – 33 inside this no-fly zone.
He routinely ignored the drone’s built-in height limit of 120m, with 39 flights above this. Shocking was a May 2025 flight pushed the drone up to 1,900ft, dangerously close (350m) to a light aircraft flying nearby. The plane’s pilot had no clue about the drone, risking a deadly mid-air collision.
Blatant Rule Breaches and Legal Warnings
- 36 flights were flown beyond McEwen’s visual line of sight, including one as far as 2,378m away.
- He was unregistered as a drone operator during most offences, violating Air Navigation Order 2016.
- McEwen also failed to complete the required competency tests.
- In June 2024, he illegally flew over HMP Norwich prison, snapping photos of prisoners—an offence under the Prison Act 1952.
PC Jon Parker from Norfolk Police slammed McEwen’s actions: “His blatant disregard for drone laws risks everyone’s safety. These rules exist for good reasons.”
Norwich Airport’s Managing Director Richard Pace added: “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, warned: “A drone collision with an air ambulance could be catastrophic and delay lifesaving missions. This case is a stark reminder of drone operators’ responsibilities.”
