Christopher McEwan, 45, faces a string of offences related to the use of his hi-tech device to take film footage and photos from the air without the proper permissions.  

Among the charges are that he flew his drone close to and directly over the scene of a large blaze that ripped through a former shoe factory without obtaining permission from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service.

His dramatic video footage captured firefighters battling huge flames at the former Van Dal site at Dibden Road on January 21. 

Other allegations include that he remotely flew a top-of-the-range DJI Mavic 3 Cine drone inside the flight restricted zone at Norwich Airport on three separate occasions.

Drone footage of the blaze at the Norwich former shoe factory captured by Christopher McEwan (Image: Chris McEwan)

The sophisticated £3,500 drone has an 18 mile flying range and captures video footage and still images using three cameras.

He is also said to have taken photos and made sound recordings while his drone was over HMP Norwich. 

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McEwan, of Crome Road, appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court in relation to 17 charges, related to four separate incidents, said to be offences under the Air Navigation Act 2016 and Prison Act 1952.

He did not enter pleas to the charges said to have occurred between January and June this year. 

HMP Norwich where Christopher McEwan accused of illegally taking photos and sound recordings (Image: Newsquest) Christopher McEwan is also accused of breaching the flight restricted zone at Norwich Airport (Image: Mike Page)

Magistrates adjourned the case until October 21 saying it was in the interests of justice for him to be able to obtain more legal advice over the complicated charges. 

Other allegations relate to not having the proper certificate of competency, flying above the maximum permitted height and at distances that took the drone out of his line of sight. 

READ MORE: Norfolk man died retrieving drone stuck 20ft up tree

Christopher McEwan speaking to police as he leaves Norwich Magistrates' Court (Image: Newsquest)

Alison Armstrong, acting in his defence, said the offences involved specialised air regulations with evidence from multiple flight logs and third party sources.

She said he also faced having the drone seized and destroyed which he argued he had a genuine reason to own as a professional photographer.