Royal baby watch: Police ban drones from Meghan and Harry's home

NZ Herald

28 Apr, 2019 08:04 PM2 mins to read

Markle hasn't been seen in public for a month and has been at Frogmore Cottage preparing for the arrival of Baby Sussex. Photo / Getty Images

A drone pilot has narrowly avoided a disaster when trying to photograph the Sussex's home, causing British police to ban the devices.

This comes as the arrival of the royal baby is anticipated to be any day now.

Signs have been put up advising on the boundary at the north of Windsor's Home Park surrounding Frogmore Cottage, that it's illegal for drone pilots to fly in the area.

"POLICE FLIGHT SAFETY NOTICE: DRONES PROHIBITED IN THIS AREA," states the bright yellow sign.

"Launching, landing or operating drones or remote-controlled aircraft is prohibited in this area. Contrary to Article 95 of the Air Navigation Order 2006."

An image on the sign shows a black silhouette of a classic drone with a line through it.

The couple have moved to Frogmore Cottage where Markle reportedly wants a home birth. Photo / Getty Images

The Royal Windsor Horse show will be the next nearby open-air event on May 8 and there is not yet an indication of a drone ban for it.

According to The Sun, on April 6 a drone pilot tried to take aerial pictures of the couple's new home, straight through the Heathrow airport passenger flight path.

From Windsor Home Park a photographer captured images of the quadcopter flying hundreds of metres in the air directly into one of the busiest flight paths to exist.

He suspected the height of the drone was higher than 300 metres. The maximum legal height a drone can fly is 121 metres, even in an uncontrolled airspace.