Appleton Thorn Drone No-Fly Zones & Airspace Map
Can you fly a drone in Appleton Thorn? Yes — most of the Appleton Thorn area can be flown under UK Open-category rules, provided you hold a valid CAA Flyer ID (required for drones 100 g and over since 1 January 2026), keep below 400 ft (120 m), and stay clear of any Flight Restriction Zones, active NOTAMs and protected sites that apply locally. The nearest FRZ is HMP Risley, about 9.7 km away. UK Drone Map displays drone no-fly zones, airspace classifications, Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs), NOTAMs, and conservation designations for the Appleton Thorn area, a village in England. Data is sourced from NATS, OpenAIP, Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, and other official UK bodies.
Open the map for Appleton Thorn →Flight Restriction Zones near Appleton Thorn
The centre of Appleton Thorn is outside all airport FRZs. Closest zones (centre-to-centre):
- HMP Risley FRZ — 9.7 km
- Manchester Barton RWY 02 FRZ — 12.9 km
- Manchester RWY 05R FRZ — 13.7 km
- Manchester RWY 05L FRZ — 14.0 km
Notable airspace & designations within 30 km of Appleton Thorn
NNR features
- RISLEY, HOLCROFT AND CHAT MOSS — 8.8 km
- ROSTHERNE MERE — 10.7 km
- THE FLASHES OF WIGAN AND LEIGH — 18.0 km
Ramsar Wetland features
- Midland Meres & Mosses - Phase 1 — 9.5 km
- Midland Meres & Mosses - Phase 1 — 9.6 km
- Rostherne Mere — 10.3 km
- Rostherne Mere — 10.4 km
- Rostherne Mere — 10.7 km
- Midland Meres & Mosses - Phase 1 — 11.5 km
Restricted Area features
- North West Transit Corridor (EGR323) — 0.6 km
- Capenhurst (EGR311) — 28.8 km
Airspace types shown near Appleton Thorn
UK Drone Map displays the following official airspace classifications in the Appleton Thorn area:
- FRZ (Flight Restriction Zone) — designated volumes around aerodromes, sourced from NATS
- CTR (Control Zone) — controlled airspace from the surface upward around an aerodrome
- ATZ (Aerodrome Traffic Zone) — zone protecting aircraft in the aerodrome circuit
- MATZ (Military ATZ) — zone around military aerodromes, typically 5 nm radius
- TMA (Terminal Manoeuvring Area) — controlled airspace at junctions of airways
- CTA (Control Area) — controlled airspace above a minimum altitude
- Danger / Restricted / Prohibited areas — various restricted volumes
- NOTAMs — temporary notices from UK AIS covering UAS ops, obstacles, hazards
Conservation designations in the Appleton Thorn region
The following statutory conservation designations are displayed on UK Drone Map:
- SSSI — Sites of Special Scientific Interest (England, Wales, Scotland)
- SAC — Special Areas of Conservation
- SPA — Special Protection Areas (bird habitats)
- Ramsar — Wetlands of international importance
- AONB / NSA — Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty / National Scenic Areas
- National Parks — National Park boundaries
- National Trust — National Trust land
- Royal Parks — Royal Parks (where applicable)
- Forestry — Forestry England, Scotland and Wales land
Frequently asked questions — Appleton Thorn
Where can I view the Appleton Thorn airspace map?
UK Drone Map displays airspace, FRZs, NOTAMs, and conservation layers for the entire UK including Appleton Thorn. Open https://ukdronemap.app/ and search for Appleton Thorn to centre the map on the area.
Are there Flight Restriction Zones near Appleton Thorn?
The centre of Appleton Thorn is not inside an airport FRZ. The nearest Flight Restriction Zone is HMP Risley, about 9.7 km away — take care that your flight path does not cross its boundary, shown on UK Drone Map's FRZ layer. Always cross-check against the official NATS UK AIS before any operation.
How do I check NOTAMs for Appleton Thorn?
UK Drone Map loads NOTAMs from the NATS / UK AIS feed. Toggle the NOTAM layers in the Layers tab to view active notices for the Appleton Thorn area. NOTAMs are refreshed with each data update.
Are there conservation areas near Appleton Thorn?
UK Drone Map displays SSSI, SAC, SPA, Ramsar, AONB, National Park, National Trust, Royal Parks, and Forestry land designations. Enable the Conservation layers in the Layers tab to see what applies near Appleton Thorn.
Drone airspace maps near Appleton Thorn
Data sources
All airspace and conservation data displayed by UK Drone Map for the Appleton Thorn area comes from official UK sources:
- NATS / UK AIS — Flight Restriction Zones, NOTAMs
- OpenAIP — Airspace definitions (CTR, TMA, ATZ, MATZ, etc.)
- Natural England — SSSI, SAC, SPA, Ramsar, AONB, NNR (England)
- NatureScot — SSSI, SAC, SPA, NNR, NSA (Scotland)
- Natural Resources Wales — Conservation designations (Wales)
- DAERA / NIEA — Conservation designations (Northern Ireland)
- National Trust — National Trust land boundaries
- Forestry Commission — Forestry land England, Scotland, Wales
UK Drone Map is a reference and planning aid only. It is not a substitute for official NATS AIS data, CAA guidance, or the legal pre-flight obligations placed on drone operators under UK aviation law. All data must be verified against official sources before any operation. Place data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).