YOUNG women in bikinis were angry about a drone which appeared to film them at the beach.

The women, in their early 20s, enjoyed a swim in the sea at Brighton Beach and said that after they got out a drone flew up to them.

They said they felt "harassed" by the drone and do not want to be filmed close-up.

One of the girls who was a part of the incident, who asked to only be named as Rebecca, said: "At first we thought it was filming the beach but when it was at our eye level we were 100 per cent sure it was looking at us. It felt like it was there for an uncomfortably long time.

“We were wearing quite revealing clothing because we were on the beach.

The Argus:

“The drone dehumanises the whole situation because there’s no face behind it."

Rebecca, 22, was part of a group of five girls who had travelled from London for a friend’s birthday on Sunday, August 14.

Friends Rhiana and Freya, both 24, said they felt uncomfortable as the drone "lingered" on them for a number of minutes, with the girls saying they wanted to "throw a rock" at the machine.

According to guidance from the Government and the Civil Aviation Authority, responsibilities for drone pilots include to not fly within 50 metres of a person and also to ensure that any footage taken does not breach privacy laws.

The Argus: An illustration of a drone. Image: R. Ah Soo LeenAn illustration of a drone. Image: R. Ah Soo Leen (Image: NQ Staff)

The girls also say that they have since had people reach out to them on social media to share similar experiences. Rebecca added that she wants “stronger rules to come into effect around this”.

She added: “There isn’t enough awareness around it, there’s nothing that could help us defend ourselves.”

The incident has since been reported to Sussex Police, with a spokesman saying that further contact wouod be made in due course.

The Government lists drone responsibilities as "to know how to fly your drone safely, and do so within the law, to understand that the operator is legally responsible for every flight" and "to keep your drone in sight at all times and stay below 400ft".

You are "not to fly your drone over a congested area, never fly within 50 metres of a person, vehicle or building not under your control" and you must "ensure any images you obtain using the drone do not break privacy laws".

"Avoiding collisions, you should never fly a drone near an airport or close to aircraft. It is a criminal offence to endanger the safety of an aircraft in flight," the guidance states.