Navigating the skies: Your essential guide to drone operations with Altitude Angel
Welcome to the world of drone operations.
Altitude Angel offers industry-leading tools for drone flight planning and approval management, helping drone users fly safely and responsibly.
While Altitude Angel facilitates flight approvals, it does not grant approvals. Approvals are issued by the owner or manager of an approval zone through plans submitted via Drone Assist, the Operator Portal, or integrated solutions.
This page is for new drone operators, covering the basics of legal and confident flying and answering common questions like “Can I fly here?” and “What do the map colours mean?”
Your flight companions Drone Assist & Operator Portal
Planning your flight is essential for safe and legal drone operations. Altitude Angel’s Drone Assist app is a key tool to support this. It’s free to download from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. For desktop users, the same planning tools are available via the Operator Portal.
Setting up an account is quick and easy. Drone Assist and Operator Portal share a single sign-in, so you can plan flights on your computer and check or update live flight information in Drone Assist while on location.
Click here for more information and to download our drone operator tools.
Understanding where you can fly
Use the map to navigate to your intended flight area, making sure relevant airspace and ground hazard layers are switched on in the app or dashboard. Zoom in or out to get a clear view of any zones you need to be aware of.
If your flight intersects a zone/s, tap or click on the coloured zone area to bring up the legend. You can access more details, including any restrictions, by clicking on the relevant zone on the legend.
Note: Some zones are for information only, so always read the summary to understand any restrictions or notices that apply.
Understanding the map: What do the colours mean
The colours and shaded areas on the map show different types of airspace and ground hazards. By switching on the map filters - - you can quickly understand where and how you can fly:
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Red – Typically Flight Restriction Zones (FRZs) or controlled airspace; approval from the zone manager is required.
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Yellow – Areas where drone flights may raise safety, privacy, or security concerns. Flying is not necessarily prohibited, but it’s important to review the information provided to understand any restrictions and ensure safe operation.
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Blue – Indicates an area that will soon become red or yellow. The date and time can be found in the dropdown summary.
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Yellow with blue border – Shows a drone flight currently taking place in that area.
For a deeper dive, listen to our podcast.
Drone flight approvals
Approvals are managed by Zone Managers. A Zone Manager is an organisation entrusted with overseeing and ensuring the proper management of controlled airspace or a designated airspace ‘zone’. Similarly, landowners manage the approval of land access ‘zones’. These Zone Managers use compatible digital solutions that are integrated with Altitude Angel’s planning tools to handle approval requests.
How to Obtain Approval:
If your planned flight intersects with an area that requires approval, you must use the "Create Flight Plan" feature within the Drone Assist mobile app, Operator Portal or a connected third party planning solution. This is the only way to digitally submit your approval requests to the relevant Zone Managers.
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Approvals cannot be obtained by contacting Altitude Angel separately. The entire process is streamlined and managed digitally through a single digital platform.
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When creating your flight plan, you will be guided through the process for zones requiring approval services.
Pre-flight check list
✅Check airspace and ground hazards using Operator Portal or Drone Assist
✅Review any zone restrictions or approval requirements
✅Submit a flight plan
✅Gain approval if required using Operator Portal or Drone Assist (note: approval may take a few days depending on the zone)
✅Conduct a risk assessment if required
✅Check weather conditions for your flight time
