On Tuesday 26 May, a RAF crew flying a Prefect aircraft reported spotting a drone at an unsafe altitude of 9,000 feet above Wispington near Horncastle. This drone was operating well above the legal maximum height of 400 feet, raising serious safety concerns.
The incident took place around 3pm in the busy Lincolnshire airspace, which is regularly used by military, civil aircraft, and emergency services. The drone operator breached strict height limits that are in place to protect all airspace users.
Flying a drone at 9,000 feet poses a significant risk to manned aircraft, including RAF flights and emergency service helicopters that routinely operate over Lincolnshire. Such high-altitude drone flights can lead to dangerous near misses and potential accidents.
Keev Taylor, Lincolnshire Police’s Chief Drone Pilot and Flight Safety Manager, highlighted the dangers involved: “The majority of drone users fly legally, but high-altitude drone flights remain a serious concern in our busy airspace.”
Lincolnshire’s skies are highly active, with the Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial flights, Air Ambulance, and various civil and military aircraft all sharing the airspace alongside licensed drone enthusiasts.
Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information about the drone or its pilot to come forward. They can contact Lincolnshire Police by email at [email protected] or by phone on 101, quoting incident number 344 dated 26 May 2026.
Originally published by UKNIP.
