Nine U.K. air ambulance flights were affected by drones flying too close to helicopters during emergency missions in 2025, according to the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority. In some cases, the CAA said the encounters resulted in lifesaving flights being delayed or aborted.
The U.K.’s 21 air ambulance charities fly an average of 134 missions a day, operating into hospital landing sites as well as road accidents and other emergency scenes. The CAA said drone operators must keep clear of emergency response areas unless they have permission from emergency services.
“If you are flying a drone and you see or hear an air ambulance helicopter, please land your drone and let us carry on with our mission,” said Capt. Andy Moorhouse, chief pilot at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. “We have no sensors in the aircraft to be able to detect where a drone is and a mid-air collision with a drone could be catastrophic. We’re dispatched to over 150 patients a month on average and it’s imperative that nothing gets in the way of us delivering this life-saving pre-hospital care.”
The CAA and Air Ambulances UK have also released new videos outlining drone rules and guidance for operators in the UK. Drone operators there responsible for aircraft over 100 grams must register with the CAA, and pilots flying drones over 100 grams must complete the agency’s Flyer ID test.
In the U.S., drone encounters have also drawn recent attention from reported upticks in encounters with low-altitude operators. The National Agricultural Aviation Association earlier this week said 20% of aerial application operators reported at least one unsafe drone encounter during the 2025 growing season. The FAA’s annual Drone Safety Day is scheduled for April 25.
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