...not before last Christmas, but Levitate did fly within the Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ) at Gatwick Airport a couple of weeks ago while filming at a data centre construction site in Crawley.
Drone flights with an airport's FRZ are banned without permission from the relevant Air Traffic Control (ATC). However by liaising well in advance with Gatwick ATC we received the appropriate permission to operate (only available to drone operators with Permission for Commercial Operations).
On the day itself we called the ATC before take-off to ensure they were happy with the drone operation, and then also on completion to let them know we were finished. Although not a legal requirement, Sussex Police were also informed of the flight so they had a record in case any reports were made by members of the public.
When planned and conducted in accordance with drone regulations and the co-operation and approval of the appropriate authorities drones are a safe and great way to capture data and images - the end result was some great shots of the site with aircraft taking off in the background...