Drones...

[LOTUSMAN33]

Sad event but awesome shots, were any other drones flying at the same time?

Hopefully they will all get tested and be home for Christmas 🤞🏼

[Bibs]

I didn't see any other drones and it's part of my job to keep an eye out for them so the flight was nice and safe. I also check a few apps before a flight for info/NOTAMS and DroneAssist from NATS does show other drone flight from commercial ops if they've logged them on there. 

Spotted a lovely sunset over the Ashdown Forest last night and fortunately still had a drone in the boot of the car handy!

[Chillidoggy]

All those lorries at Manston have now gone, except for 5 that have mechanical issues.

[Neal H]

New Drone regs comes into effect today.

My Mavic Mini has an official weight of 249g. Previously I wasn't allowed to fly it within 150m of buildings and 50m of people, but looking at the new regs I'm now allowed to fly over residential, recreational, commercial and industrial area and directly over people (but not crowds), as long as I don't put them in danger!

Have I misinterpreted the changes?

Small drones and model aircraft: below 250g, C0 or C1 class

The rule on minimum distances to people is different when flying small drones and model aircraft that are below 250g, or in C0 or C1 class.

If you’re flying a drone or model aircraft that’s lighter than 250g or is C0 class, you can fly closer to people than 50m and you can fly over them.

When you’re thinking about how close you can fly, remember, you must never put people in danger. Even small drones and model aircraft could injure people if you don’t fly them safely.

You can fly small drones and model aircraft that are lighter than 250g, or C0 or C1 class, in residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas.

Remember, you must always fly safely.

[Bibs]

You can't overfly without a PfCO or what it'll turn into, an Operational Authorisation. 

https://www.easa.europa.eu/faq/116508

Quote

drones with less than 500 g MTOM cannot fly over people, and pilot competency is determined by your National Aviation Authority

ETA - Sorry, yes, under 250g is a bit of a free for all now but with the caveat of the post below.

[Neal H]

I think that only applies to drones between 250g and 500g, the rules for drones below 250g are different.

Where you can fly drones | UK Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)

 

[Bibs]

If you drone falls out of the sky and you end up in court, think about how you'll explain the safety factors you used to mitigate the danger to others. The ANO states that any flight must not endanger people, vehicles, vessels or structures. While small drones less than 250g MTOM can overfly as of the EASA rule introduction, remember that safety is the most important thing.

There's also now the 1:1 rule rather than blanket distance which means if you're 30m up, you should be 30m horizontally away etc.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

USAF Global Hawk at 53000 feet heading home after spying trip up to the Baltic states and Kaliningrad enclave.

[Neal H]

I accept that if my actions cause injury to someone then I'm potentially liable, that rule applies to virtually everything we do in life! I'm just trying to understand the new legal position regarding my drone use - what I can do without breaking the law - as it's complicated and seems somewhat ambiguous even on the CAA's own website!

For drones below 250g it states: If you’re flying a drone or model aircraft that’s lighter than 250g or is C0 class, you can fly closer to people than 50m and you can fly over them.

It goes on to say: If you fly higher than 50m, you should keep the same distance horizontally. For example, keep 80m away if you fly at a height of 80m. This suggests that the height/horizontal rule only applies for flights higher than 50m.

 

[Bravo73]

30 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

USAF Global Hawk at 53000 feet heading home

Hmmm. A slightly different type of drone to the ones being discussed in this thread. 😂

[Bibs]

6 minutes ago, Neal H said:

It goes on to say: If you fly higher than 50m, you should keep the same distance horizontally. For example, keep 80m away if you fly at a height of 80m. This suggests that the height/horizontal rule only applies for flights higher than 50m.

This highlights how shit the CAA are at passing on regs. So at 51m are you meant to traverse 51m horizontally from the nearest uninvolved person?

A lot of PfCO holders have bought Mini 2's as it means a lot of the work we do is much easier, but the worry is that with such confusing regs people will take the best bits and crack on. Also, you no need to have a PfCO to do commercial work which kicks my industry in the balls a little, but most PfCO holders have much better kit that a Mini 2 and most decent clients will still want PL/3rd Party insurance which I believe will be a little tricky to get without a PfCO/OA. Another issue that's been ongoing is that while the CAA makes the rules, it's up to the Police to police them and there have been only 1 or 2 cases of prosecution even with the prior regs and that was for repeated huge safety breaches. 

The trouble is, now anyone can buzz a drone along the Thames for example, there will be incursions and there will be drones causing injuries due to the volume and increase in congested area flights. How many people will open their Christmas with no idea of helicopter routes, un-DJI'd FRZ's etc.

This was from Boxing day flying in a Temporary Reserved Area (TRA 006) at 1,500 ft... One of many illegal flights that day I'd imagine but in a heavily trafficed area, above the clouds and potentially with military aircraft training. 

 

[Neal H]

That flight at 1500ft is crazy! Two things that haven’t changed are the visual flight rules and the 400ft altitude limit. Some people will always ignore the rules or simply be ignorant of them. I assume the latter in the above instance as he’s seen fit to publicly post it up. It would be simple for the CAA to trace and prosecute.

I assume the current changes are to harmonise the rules across Europe, which means some countries will their rules relaxed a bit (like the UK) and others will see them becoming more strict.

[Bravo73]

Those idiots up at 1500ft make my blood run cold. 🤬

[Mysterae]

 

 

 

[Bibs]

Any West Ham fans? Took this on Monday

[mik]

The Edinburgh one isn’t real - apparently the drones were flown and filmed somewhere remote, then superimposed onto the Edinburgh backdrop.

[Bravo73]

On 31/12/2020 at 14:52, Bravo73 said:

Those idiots up at 1500ft make my blood run cold. 🤬

https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-de-valparaiso/2021/01/23/accidente-aereo-drone-impacta-a-helicoptero-de-la-armada-en-pleno-vuelo-e-hiere-a-tripulante.shtml

[Bibs]

And that was only a 500g drone.

With the adoption of EASA regs from 31st Dec last year, requirements to fly light drones with zero separation are non-existant and there's no longer a requirement to have CAA approval for commercial work. Not sure that's a step forward to be honest.

[Bibs]

Some flying! I nearly ordered a DJI FPV when it was released last week but I think in truth, the 2/3" sensor rendered the footage unusable for what I do. 

Not sure what this was flown with but I'd imagine a tiny Cinewoop of some kind.

 

[Giniw]

Wow, impressive! Oo

[MPx]

...well right up until the sacrificial "landing" during the strike anyway.

[Chillidoggy]

Bet that bloke was praying when the drone whizzed through his legs.

[Bibs]

A few snaps from a visit to Camber Sands yesterday. 

[Chillidoggy]

You can clearly see why they have the problem with rip currents there.

[Bibs]