The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has updated its drone code to ensure those who get drones for Christmas are using the safely and aren’t putting aeroplane and passenger safety at risk.

The organisation will also be more widely publicising the update because its research revealed only 39% of drone owners knew guidelines existed for such fun flying

To help people remember the legislation for flying drones around the skies, the CAA has come up with a five-point mnemonic, spelling out the word ‘DRONE’.

  • Don’t fly near airports or airfields
  • Remember to stay below 120m (400ft) and at least 50m (150ft) away from people
  • Observe your drone at all times
  • Never fly near aircraft
  • Enjoy responsibly

“Drones are an incredible, inspiring technology but it’s vital that people are using them safely,” said Andrew Sage from air traffic control body NATS in a statement.

“With the number of reported drone incidents on the rise, it’s important that people understand their legal obligations and fly safe,” he said.

The CAA has also updated its Dronesafe website, which aims to give the public advice about using drones and how to be responsible when flying them.

“Drone use is growing at a rapid rate in the UK and our skies are some of the busiest anywhere in the world,” the CAA said. “Dronesafe.uk is designed to help ensure that drone users in the UK can easily access the information they need about how to fly their drones safely and legally, without endangering others.”

The news comes after a number of near-misses were reported to the UK Airprox Board. One of the incidents happened near Liverpool Airport, while three others happened in October around Heathrow Airport. There have been 56 near-misses involving aircraft and drones in the UK so far in 2016, compared to just 29 in 2015, it revealed.