Private notice - Drone filming

About us 

Wheatley Group will be the "data controllers" of the personal information which may be collected when drones are used to film above our developments.

Background

We use drone footage to support internal and external communications by visually showcasing frontline services, estate improvements, regeneration projects, environmental works and community initiatives across our communities. Drone filming will focus on buildings, estates, landscapes and service activity, rather than individuals.

What we collect

If you are outdoors in one of our communities while drone filming is taking place, it is possible that limited personal data about you may be captured incidentally.

This may include:

  • Images or video footage of you
  • General location information
  • Date and time of filming

We do not collect:

  • Audio recordings
  • Facial recognition data
  • Biometric identification data
  • Tracking or profiling information

Drone filming is not targeted at individuals, but incidental capture may be unavoidable in public spaces.

How we collect your personal information

Personal information may be captured while drones are operated above our communities.

To minimise the impact on individuals, we ensure that:

  • Filming is planned, proportionate and time‑limited
  • Drone operators are trained and authorised
  • Drones are flown at heights and angles designed to minimise capture of people
  • Signage or advance notice is used where reasonably practicable

This privacy notice is made available on our website and, where appropriate, filming areas will be signposted or advance notice provided.

Why we need your personal information – legitimate purposes

Our lawful basis for this processing is that it is necessary for our legitimate interests in communicating and evidencing the delivery of our services and investment in our communities. We have considered the impact of this processing on individuals’ rights and freedoms and taken steps to minimise intrusion, including avoiding targeted filming of individuals.

Where we process your personal information in pursuit of our legitimate interests, you have the right to object to us using your personal information for the above purposes.  If you wish to object to any of the above processing, please contact us on InformationRequests@wheatley-group.com If we agree and comply with your objection, this may affect our ability to undertake certain tasks above for your benefit.

While filming is not targeted at individuals, you may still raise an objection if you believe filming impacts you

Who we share your personal information with 

We share limited personal data with our contractors, including the drone operators, who are carrying out services on our behalf.

We may be required to share personal information with Statutory or Regulatory authorities and organisations to comply with statutory obligations.  Such organisations include local authorities, government departments and agencies, with our regulator and auditors, with utility companies or with other organisations and agencies. We will only share information in accordance with UK GDPR.

In the event of a re-structure of our business, we may require sharing personal information with third parties where we are legally allowed to do so.

If we do share personal information with external third parties, we will only share such personal information strictly required for the specific purposes and take reasonable steps to ensure that recipients shall only process the disclosed personal information in accordance with those purposes.

Usually information will be anonymised, but this may not always be possible.  The recipient of the information will be bound by confidentiality obligations.

How we will communicate with you

If you contact us, we may need to respond to you. This will usually be in writing or by telephone but is more commonly becoming electronic and paperless.

How we protect your personal information 

Your personal information is stored on our paper and IT filing systems which may be copied for testing, backup, archiving and disaster recovery purposes. Access to your information is limited to those who require it to provide services to you. The majority of our personal data is held within the UK.

If any of your personal information is transferred out with the EU or the European Economic Area by any of our contractors, we will ensure that there are adequate safeguards in place to protect your personal information in accordance with applicable UK Data Protection Legislation.

How long we keep your personal information 

Footage is retained only for as long as necessary for communication purposes and then securely deleted, in line with our Group Retention Schedules

Your rights 

You can exercise any of the following rights by writing to us at InformationRequests@wheatley-group.com

Your rights in relation to your personal information are:

  • you have a right to request access to the personal information that we hold about you by making a "subject access request";
  • if you believe that any of your personal information is inaccurate or incomplete, you have a right to request that we correct or complete your personal information;
  • you have a right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information for specific purposes; and
  • if you wish us to delete your personal information, you may request that we do so

Any requests received by us will be considered under applicable UK Data Protection Legislation.  If you remain dissatisfied, you have a right to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office at www.ico.org.uk

We seek to ensure that our information collection and processing is always proportionate. The accuracy of our information is important to us - please help us keep our records updated by informing us of any changes to your personal information.

Changes to our Privacy Notice

Our Privacy Notices are regularly kept up to date. This notice was created on 26 March 2026.