I have cancelled my National Trust membership due to their misleading guidance on drone usage. The Trust incorrectly claims that drones cannot be flown over their properties, despite UK law stating otherwise. Under Civil Aviation Authority regulations, drones are legally permitted to fly over this land, meaning the Trust has no authority to impose a blanket ban, or enforce it. By spreading misinformation about drone laws, the National Trust is misleading members and visitors into believing they have greater control over airspace than they actually do. This creates unnecessary confusion. Disabled visitors, who may struggle to explore National Trust sites fully, can use drones to experience and appreciate these locations in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Aerial photography can provide an alternative means of enjoying historic sites for those with mobility impairments, or other disadvantages. They are clearly overstepping their authority, using irrelevant byelaws as justification, and failing to recognise that UK airspace is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority, not them.
