Police have issued a warning after a drone was flown within restricted airspace.

Hertfordshire Constabulary says the drone was “dangerously flown” on the flightpath to a runway at Elstree Aerodrome.

The owner has been identified and is being dealt with by police, the force said.

PC Shazia Malik said: “This is a serious offence and could have endangered the lives of those flying aircrafts.

“With drone flying becoming a more popular hobby I’d like to remind owners that failing to fly your drone safely could result in criminal prosecution and/or your drone licence being revoked by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

“The CAA are working closely with us in an effort to encourage owners to act both legally and responsibly and anyone found to be flying their drone in a manner deemed unsafe or reckless will be dealt with robustly.”

The following rules under the Drone Code should be adhered to:

• Always keep your drone or model aircraft in direct sight.

• Never fly more than 400ft (120m) above the surface and stay well away from aircraft, airports and airfields.

• Never fly closer than 150m to a crowd of 1,000 people or more. Never fly directly over a crowd.

• Never fly closer than 150m to built-up areas. Never fly directly over a built-up area.

• Never fly in an airport’s flight restriction zone. For further information, see: http://orlo.uk/9NIpj

• It is illegal to fly a drone or model aircraft between 250g-20kg that does not show a valid operator ID.

If your drone weighs between 250g and 20kg and you want to fly within a 5km radius of Elstree Aerodrome you should seek permissions from them first. Details must be left with the aerodrome and you must have a licence from the CAA.