Chatham Drone No-Fly Zones & Airspace Map
Can you fly a drone in Chatham? Only with permission in much of the area — the centre of Chatham sits inside the Rochester RWY 20L Flight Restriction Zone, where flying any drone requires approval from the aerodrome operator before flight. Outside the FRZ boundary, UK Open-category rules apply: hold a valid CAA Flyer ID (required for drones 100 g and over since 1 January 2026), keep below 400 ft (120 m), and check for active NOTAMs and protected sites. UK Drone Map displays drone no-fly zones, airspace classifications, Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs), NOTAMs, and conservation designations for the Chatham 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 Chatham →Flight Restriction Zones near Chatham
Chatham is inside the Rochester RWY 20L FRZ. Permission from the aerodrome operator is required before any drone flight within the zone.
- Rochester RWY 20L FRZ — 0.9 km
- Rochester RWY 20R FRZ — 0.9 km
- HMP Rochester FRZ — 2.8 km
- Rochester FRZ — 3.7 km
Notable airspace & designations within 30 km of Chatham
NNR features
- HIGH HALSTOW — 9.0 km
- NORTH KENT WOODS AND DOWNS — 16.1 km
- SWANSCOMBE SKULL SITE — 17.3 km
- ELMLEY — 17.4 km
- LEIGH — 18.3 km
- THE SWALE — 28.3 km
Ramsar Wetland features
- Medway Estuary & Marshes — 4.3 km
- Medway Estuary & Marshes — 4.6 km
- Medway Estuary & Marshes — 6.3 km
- Medway Estuary & Marshes — 6.4 km
- Medway Estuary & Marshes — 6.9 km
- Thames Estuary & Marshes — 7.7 km
Danger Area features
- Rpas Corridor (EGD219B) — 19.3 km
- Shoeburyness (EGD136) — 25.0 km
Restricted Area features
- Ss Richard Montgomery (EGR162) — 20.3 km
Airspace types shown near Chatham
UK Drone Map displays the following official airspace classifications in the Chatham 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 Chatham 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 — Chatham
Where can I view the Chatham airspace map?
UK Drone Map displays airspace, FRZs, NOTAMs, and conservation layers for the entire UK including Chatham. Open https://ukdronemap.app/ and search for Chatham to centre the map on the area.
Are there Flight Restriction Zones near Chatham?
Yes — the centre of Chatham lies inside the Rochester RWY 20L Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ). Flying a drone of any size there requires permission from the aerodrome operator before flight under Article 94A of the Air Navigation Order 2016. The exact FRZ boundary is 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 Chatham?
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 Chatham area. NOTAMs are refreshed with each data update.
Are there conservation areas near Chatham?
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 Chatham.
Drone airspace maps near Chatham
Data sources
All airspace and conservation data displayed by UK Drone Map for the Chatham 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).