Privacy and data protection for drone filming.

Who this information is for

This page covers ThistleFrame commercial filming, aerial photography, project planning, and delivery work. It applies where personal data may be collected in enquiry records, shoot planning information, photographs, video, project files, or delivery communications.

• Clients and prospective clients who send a brief, enquiry, booking detail, or project instruction.
• People who may appear in footage, including staff, visitors, neighbours, event attendees, or members of the public.
• Landowners, venues, businesses, and residents who want to understand how privacy is considered before a flight.

What may be collected

The exact information depends on the project. ThistleFrame keeps the collection focused on what is needed to plan safely, complete the agreed work, deliver the files, and handle follow-up requests.

• Enquiry and booking details such as name, email address, project type, location, preferred shoot window, and messages.
• Planning information such as site notes, access arrangements, permissions, weather checks, risk notes, and client instructions.
• Photos or video that may include identifiable people, vehicles, homes, gardens, business premises, or other contextual information.
• Delivery and admin records such as correspondence, file links, revision notes, invoices, and usage permissions.

ThistleFrame drone footage does not normally include useful audio. If separate audio recording is ever required for a project, that should be agreed before capture.

Why it is used

ThistleFrame uses personal data only where there is a practical reason and a lawful basis under UK data protection law. The main purposes are project communication, safe flight planning, capture, editing, delivery, administration, and handling requests or concerns.

• Contract or steps before contract: handling enquiries, bookings, quotes, project delivery, revisions, and client communication.
• Legitimate interests: planning and completing commissioned filming, protecting safety, maintaining records, improving work, and showing suitable completed work.
• Legal obligation: keeping records needed for accounts, insurance, safety, regulatory, or dispute-handling purposes.
• Consent: used where an optional release, testimonial, interview, or clearly promotional use needs explicit agreement.

How privacy is protected during filming

Drone cameras can capture more than the main subject, so privacy controls are considered before and during a shoot. The aim is to capture the agreed brief without unnecessary intrusion.

• Camera angles, flight paths, timing, and framing are planned to reduce unnecessary capture of people or private areas.
• Homes, gardens, windows, schools, care settings, medical locations, and other sensitive places are treated with extra caution.
• Where practical, clients or venues are asked to tell affected staff, occupants, visitors, neighbours, or attendees before filming.
• Filming is limited to what is needed for the agreed purpose. ThistleFrame does not use drone filming for hidden monitoring or continuous surveillance.

Sharing, delivery, and publication

Project files are shared only where needed for the job, delivery, legal obligations, or agreed publication. ThistleFrame does not sell footage as personal-data datasets or use it for identity profiling.

• Final files may be delivered to the commissioning client and any agreed collaborators involved in the project.
• Service providers may be used for secure hosting, file transfer, email, storage, accounting, or technical support.
• Completed work may be used in a ThistleFrame portfolio or social channel unless confidentiality, exclusivity, or privacy concerns prevent that use.
• Footage or records may be shared with insurers, advisers, regulators, or authorities if required to protect rights, safety, or comply with law.

Storage and retention

Footage and records are kept for no longer than is reasonably needed for the purpose they were collected. Retention may vary where a client agreement, legal requirement, insurance issue, or unresolved request requires a different period.

• Unsuccessful enquiry records are normally kept for up to 24 months so follow-up questions can be answered.
• Raw and working media are normally reviewed within 12 months of project delivery and deleted or archived where there is no continuing need.
• Project, invoice, tax, insurance, and contractual records may be kept for up to 6 years where needed for business records or dispute handling.
• Published portfolio material may remain online while it is relevant, unless removed earlier because of an agreement or upheld privacy request.

Your rights and requests

People have rights under UK data protection law, including rights to be informed, access personal data, ask for correction or deletion, restrict processing, and object to certain uses. These rights are important, but they are not absolute in every situation.

• Email contact@thistleframe.scot with the date, location, project, and enough detail to identify the relevant footage or record.
• If you object to being identifiable in a final image or video, ThistleFrame can consider removal, editing, blurring, cropping, or limiting use where practical.
• Some records may need to be retained for legal, contractual, safety, accounting, or dispute-handling reasons.
• Most rights requests should be answered within one month, although complex requests may take longer where the law allows.

Client and venue responsibilities

Clients and venues play an important role in making filming fair and transparent. Before a shoot, tell ThistleFrame about any privacy-sensitive circumstances that could affect the filming plan.

• Make sure you have authority to request filming at the location and to share project instructions with ThistleFrame.
• Tell staff, tenants, residents, guests, or event attendees about planned filming where it is reasonable to do so.
• Flag children, vulnerable people, confidential operations, restricted sites, neighbouring concerns, or areas that should not be filmed.
• Use signs, staff briefings, booking terms, or event notices where they are appropriate for the project.

Official guidance and complaints

This page is practical privacy information for ThistleFrame work. It is not a full contract and it is not legal advice. These official resources explain the wider UK data protection and drone privacy context.

• ICO guidance on drones and video surveillance
• CAA Drone Code privacy guidance
• ICO summary of data protection rights

If you have a concern, contact ThistleFrame first so it can be reviewed. You also have the right to raise data protection concerns with the Information Commissioner's Office.