Dorset, England
Flying a Drone at the Jurassic Coast
England's only natural World Heritage Site is a coastline, not a mountain range, which makes it the one location on this list where sea breeze, not altitude, does most of the work shaping conditions.
Check live conditions at the Jurassic Coast →
Why pilots fly here
- A 96-mile stretch of coastline spanning 185 million years of geological history
- West Bay's striped sandstone cliffs and Lyme Regis's fossil-famous shoreline are two of the most recognisable stretches of the whole Jurassic Coast
- A very different visual character from the upland locations on this list — layered cliff faces and open sea rather than fells or ridgelines
Flying conditions to expect
- Onshore wind off the sea behaves differently from inland wind — expect steadier direction but a real jump in gust strength right at the cliff edge compared to just a short walk inland
- Sea fog can roll in with little warning even on an otherwise clear day — visibility is worth checking as closely as wind here
- Cliff-top wind can be noticeably stronger than beach-level wind a short walk below — the two rarely match
Best light for photography
The cliffs either side of West Bay catch strong warm colour at sunset, one of the more reliable golden hour shots on the whole south coast.
The golden hour and blue hour calculator works out the exact windows from your coordinates.
Popular viewpoints
West Bay
Lyme Regis
Charmouth
Always ask the landowner's permission before you fly — not every scenic spot allows it, even where the airspace itself is clear.
Found a great spot of your own near the Jurassic Coast? Plus and Pro members can save and share flying spots with photos and reviews right in the app.