Atherton Drone No-Fly Zones & Airspace Map

Can you fly a drone in Atherton? Yes — most of the Atherton 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 Manchester Barton RWY 13, about 4.6 km away. UK Drone Map displays drone no-fly zones, airspace classifications, Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs), NOTAMs, and conservation designations for the Atherton area, a town in England. Data is sourced from NATS, OpenAIP, Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, and other official UK bodies.

Open the map for Atherton →

Flight Restriction Zones near Atherton

The centre of Atherton is outside all airport FRZs. Closest zones (centre-to-centre):

Manchester Barton RWY 13 FRZ — 4.6 km
HMP Hindley FRZ — 5.7 km
Manchester Barton RWY 08L FRZ — 6.8 km
Manchester Barton RWY 08R FRZ — 6.9 km

Notable airspace & designations within 30 km of Atherton

NNR features

THE FLASHES OF WIGAN AND LEIGH — 4.2 km
RISLEY, HOLCROFT AND CHAT MOSS — 11.0 km
ROSTHERNE MERE — 20.0 km

Ramsar Wetland features

Rostherne Mere — 19.7 km
Rostherne Mere — 20.7 km
Rostherne Mere — 20.7 km
Midland Meres & Mosses - Phase 1 — 21.6 km
Midland Meres & Mosses - Phase 1 — 21.8 km
Midland Meres & Mosses - Phase 1 — 23.3 km

Restricted Area features

North West Transit Corridor (EGR323) — 20.1 km

Airspace types shown near Atherton

UK Drone Map displays the following official airspace classifications in the Atherton 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 Atherton 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 — Atherton

Where can I view the Atherton airspace map?

UK Drone Map displays airspace, FRZs, NOTAMs, and conservation layers for the entire UK including Atherton. Open https://ukdronemap.app/ and search for Atherton to centre the map on the area.

Are there Flight Restriction Zones near Atherton?

The centre of Atherton is not inside an airport FRZ. The nearest Flight Restriction Zone is Manchester Barton RWY 13, about 4.6 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 Atherton?

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 Atherton area. NOTAMs are refreshed with each data update.

Are there conservation areas near Atherton?

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 Atherton.

Drone airspace maps near Atherton

Tyldesley Higher Folds Westhoughton Leigh Astley Hindley Walkden Farnworth

Data sources

All airspace and conservation data displayed by UK Drone Map for the Atherton 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).