Where can you fly a drone?

[ShwervinMervin]

Where can you fly a drone?

This is a general question, that I can't seem find anywhere else on the forums.

I'm just wondering what the legalities are over flying drones. It seems like almost monthly the laws will change, and become more stricter for the drone pilot.

I've found a few websites, such as:
https://www.dji.com/uk/mobile/flysafe/geo-map
and
http://www.noflydrones.co.uk
--
I'm getting the general consensus that you shouldn't fly over or near: Airports, Prisons, Any sort of Government building, built up areas, and railways. Is there any more, or any handy tools to let you know?



Sorry if this has already been mentioned. I did some digging around & couldn't find it, so thought it's an interesting conversation point.

^AG

 

[AM9]

Nor over people that aren't 'under your control', which means that you can make them aware of your intentions and take responsibility for their movements. I would imagine that by the end of the year, all flying of drones will need to be backed up with a flight plan whether for commercial or leisure purposes. Failure to do so could result in confiscation of equipment and/or prosecution.

 

[ShwervinMervin]

all flying of drones will need to be backed up with a flight plan

Shame that, especially for drones like the spark, which are meant to just be casual cameras etc, I totally get the safety aspect but it really should be limited to drones larger than the Phantom for example.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Are people allowed to shoot down drones that are over their airspace ?

 

[Howardh]

Are people allowed to shoot down drones that are over their airspace ?

I think so in theory but in practice no as they don't know on whom or where the bullets, or the drone, will land.

 

[Bantamzen]

Those links look woefully incomplete to be honest. Living as I do close to moorland, there has been many a debated, often heated as to whether drones can be allowed to fly over more sensitive areas of moorland, farmland etc. And whilst there is no legal blocks to flying over these, there have been numerous incidents of drones disturbing wildlife, farm animals and even pet which is leading to local crackdowns where people are being asked to restrict their drone flying.

Legally as I understand it the basic rules are:

Essentially your responsibilities are:

• 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
• to keep your drone in sight at all times – stay below 400ft
• not to fly your drone over a congested area, never fly within 50 metres of a person, vehicle or building not under your control
• 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

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drones-are-you-flying-yours-safely-and-legally

The 400ft (122m) ceiling is an absolute, as is the 164ft (50m) minimum distance between the drone and any person, vehicle or building under your control. Plus of course the drone must be kept with view of the operator at all times.

For many places this will make flying very restrictive, and sadly some drone owners choose to flaunt these rules for their own amusement. And then there are the idiots flying into restricted airspace around airports where they pose a genuine threat to private, military and civilian aircraft. I believe there are now hundreds of drone related complaints around drone flying each year, so you can expect a lot more restrictions in the coming years including potentially the requirement to apply for a licence.

 

[Howardh]

How big does a drone have to be before it's considered large enough to warrant ATC permission?

I must blow my own harp by saying - I think on here - a few years ago that drones would be a problem especially hitting things like aircraft, trains etc and flying without control by idiots. Looks like I was right and unless there's an almighty clampdown things will get much worse; we'll be seeing these things flying outside our windows regularly if we're not careful (checks to see my undies aren't showing and I'm not picking my nose, wouldn't look good on youtube....)

 

[jonty14]

Do the same rules apply to model aircraft?

 

[AM9]

... we'll be seeing these things flying outside our windows regularly if we're not careful (checks to see my undies aren't showing and I'm not picking my nose, wouldn't look good on youtube....)

They shouldn't be there as flying over 'built up' areas is already banned. I have had a drone demonstrated about 3-4 years ago by a licensed operator close to the WCML. Throughout the session, he made sure that were were briefed of the flying that took place, that we were standing in the correct place and he observed the ceiling for flight and horizontal separation from the railway (50m). He also had a logged flight plan which detailed the geographical extent of the flying and the period in which it would take place. They will probably need to be licensed for all ownership, and so that they can be identified, of an approved type with a unique serial number for UK use. Thus unauthorised equipment will be gradually removed from the air as they become unserviceable. The only exception being home-built types that would be illegal and confiscateable if identified by the authorities.
It's a shame that the potential benefits to society that this equipment can bring might be limited by the (predictable) antisocial and sometimes dangerous actions of the few, but drones aren't the first - nor probably the last technology development to be constrained by the irresponsible acts of the few.

 

[Howardh]

They shouldn't be there as flying over 'built up' areas is already banned.

Just because it's illegal doesn't stop it from happening, and it will happen more and more.

 

[ShwervinMervin]

Are people allowed to shoot down drones that are over their airspace ?

I know the US use certain tactics to get drones away from restricted areas.
This includes but not limited to:
• Radio Interception
• Nets to take down drones
and more

 

[AM9]

Just because it's illegal doesn't stop it from happening, and it will happen more and more.

Yes of course, but a claim for damages against somebody who flaunted that law would be hard to defend. Once the (non drone-flying) population realise that they don't have to put up with anti-social drone use, confiscation of licences and subsequently the kit, will gradually take the worst offenders out of the food chain.

 

[AM9]

I know the US use certain tactics to get drones away from restricted areas.
This includes but not limited to:
• Radio Interception
• Nets to take down drones
and more

And as that kit becomes more practical, drone countermeasures will become part of the enforcement policy here in the UK a well.

 

[cjp]

Not near airfields of any sort.
The CAA has a couple of pages this is one https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Model-aircraft-and-drones/Flying-drones/?flip=true
another is here which gives a link to dronesafe.uk
https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Unmanned-aircraft-and-drones/

 

[JamesT]

Do the same rules apply to model aircraft?

Yes. The rules apply to all unmanned/remotely-controlled aircraft, whether they look like a 'real' plane or not.

 

[AlterEgo]

Not near airfields of any sort.
The CAA has a couple of pages this is one https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Model-aircraft-and-drones/Flying-drones/?flip=true
another is here which gives a link to dronesafe.uk
https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Unmanned-aircraft-and-drones/

I cannot find the link now, but the CAA showed a map of airfields around which it was prohibited to fly drones. The regulations only seem to apply to certain airfields with controlled airspace. Most airfields are not covered by the new legislation.

 

[AM9]

I cannot find the link now, but the CAA showed a map of airfields around which it was prohibited to fly drones. The regulations only seem to apply to certain airfields with controlled airspace. Most airfields are not covered by the new legislation.

Possibly 'most airfields' by number, but what isn't on this map

https://dronesafe.uk/restrictions/

would be lots of fairly insignificant locations in aircraft movement terms.

 

[JohnMcL7]

The DJI Geofencing system at the moment only really covers airports and prisons, they are extending the airport restrictions but it's fairly sensible to stay well clear of airports.

The other rules to be aware of are:

- Fly within Visual Line of Sight (not just line of sight), you must be able to see the drone itself and not just be able to see the view from its camera
- Don't fly above 120m/400ft
- Keep a minimum distance of 50m from people and properties, 150m from crowds and built up areas.

I've not found any specific railway rules, this link on the Network Rail site seems to take the 50m/150m rule for railways as well:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/commu...ne-safety-law-unmanned-aircraft-vehiclesuavs/

The rules are all quite sensible and worth following even if they weren't law, I see a lot of people online that end up crashing and losing their drone because they were flying well outwith VLOS and in some cases flying well above the altitude restriction.

 

[Lucan]

I know the US use certain tactics to get drones away from restricted areas.
This includes but not limited to:
• Radio Interception
• Nets to take down drones

I am not an authority, but I do frequent some tech websites with mainly US members (including some drone owners) and drone problems are frequently discussed. Radio interception and nets are mentioned in theory (as are some more whacky countermeasures) but the only cases of drones being brought down in the US that I have seen reported have been by guns. Hardly surprising for the US.

There is a guy (in the Netherlands AFAIR) who has demonstrated a large prototpe "fighter" drone that shoots a net at nuiscance drones and drags them out of the sky. Sounds like the way to go - for airports at least to have one on standby.