Filming the boat from a drone?

[nicknorman]

38 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

My illegal flight was at 50 feet above open crop fields and was really my test of if everything goes wrong how far can I keep control and get this thing back from or ditch it safely.

you will note that for the video I said that I was at my limits for each end of the video for vision

as for the overflying in the video it was legal at the time and still is until Jan 2023 as the mavic mini drops into the A1 restrictions
 

The changes from Jan 2023 will mean that the UK no longer recognises EU drone class marks and any drone bearing EU marks (or no marks) can only be flown in the A3 category which rules out flying pretty much anywhere other than empty open fields.

 

I predict a lot of small drones going up for sale early next year to be replaced with identical drones with the new UK markings (or a lot of people ordering replacement shells for their drones that have the new correct marking)

Hard to be sure but it seems unlikely that after the long traverse following the train, you could still see which way the drone was facing other than by using the video link. No doubt you could still see the drone as a dot, but could you really see its orientation other than by the video link?

 

As for overflying people, the drone code has the blanket statement but then goes on to alleviate lighter drones so if your drone is below 250g then fair enough. The law is a bit woolly in this area for drones 250-500g

 

Anyway, it is good to air the finer points of the law to someone who is considering buying one (the OP).

Edited December 20, 2022 by nicknorman

[Chris Lowe]

23 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

As for overflying people, the drone code has the blanket statement but then goes on to alleviate lighter drones so if your drone is below 250g then fair enough. The law is a bit woolly in this area for drones 250-500g

When I was at an archeological dig the drone pilot got everyones permission to take off in front of them and overfly.

[nicknorman]

34 minutes ago, buccaneer66 said:

When I was at an archeological dig the drone pilot got everyones permission to take off in front of them and overfly.

Yes the law basically says that you can overfly people under your control, ie people you’ve discussed the planned flight with and they are happy about it.

[GUMPY]

All those reasons are why I am going for sub 250g. I have been offered a vary nice DJI drone for £200 but it weighs in at 700g and I didn't fancy dealing with the restrictions. 

Interesting point about EU GB markings, that will be another benefit 🤭

[Graham Davis]

4 hours ago, Jess-- said:

for the attached video I had already flown 2 batteries just hovering in position waiting (the train was 45 minutes late) then once I start moving I was flying in sport mode which gives a top speed of around 30mph (flying backwards / diagonally trying to keep the shot and keep the drone above fields / trees), at the start of the video the drone was as far as I could see it away and 95 feet above ground, by the end it was as far as I could see in the opposite direction and 397 feet above ground (400 feet legal limit)

 

video (assuming embed works)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSL2ty9Jvjo

Not sure how legal that video is:
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/safety-in-the-community/drone-safety-and-the-law/

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Operational-guidance-for-drone-users-flying-a-drone-near-a-railway-track-April-2022.pdf

 

[Hudds Lad]

Had one follow us on the way to Napton earlier this year, no idea who was piloting it as once we’d worked out where the buzzing was coming from and spotted it the drone went back off down the canal and round the trees on the bend behind us.

 

Should just deal with them like the Aussies do  

 

 

[nb Innisfree]

Years ago I used to imagine a faraway future where a drone could fly automatically to a predetermined position and check if there was an available space at a mooring spot. Looks like that may be a reality in the nearer future. 

Edited December 20, 2022 by nb Innisfree

[Jess--]

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

Hard to be sure but it seems unlikely that after the long traverse following the train, you could still see which way the drone was facing other than by using the video link. No doubt you could still see the drone as a dot, but could you really see its orientation other than by the video link?

 

As for overflying people, the drone code has the blanket statement but then goes on to alleviate lighter drones so if your drone is below 250g then fair enough. The law is a bit woolly in this area for drones 250-500g

 

Anyway, it is good to air the finer points of the law to someone who is considering buying one (the OP).

The mavic mini was built specifically to fall into the sub 250g drones category (and has labels all over it stating that it is 249g)

the stock mini I agree you would struggle to judge orientation at the distance I was when chasing the train however mine was slightly modified with a high brightness red led replacing the stock rear lamp and a high brightness white led mounted in the front (in place of a bit of trim) which made it a doddle to know it's heading (red light = flying away / white light = flying towards / red & white = flying sideways / flashing red & white = falling out of the sky)

[nicknorman]

20 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

The mavic mini was built specifically to fall into the sub 250g drones category (and has labels all over it stating that it is 249g)

the stock mini I agree you would struggle to judge orientation at the distance I was when chasing the train however mine was slightly modified with a high brightness red led replacing the stock rear lamp and a high brightness white led mounted in the front (in place of a bit of trim) which made it a doddle to know it's heading (red light = flying away / white light = flying towards / red & white = flying sideways / flashing red & white = falling out of the sky)

 

Aha! So when you modified it to add high brightness LEDs, did you by any chance add more than 1 gram of mass?

[matty40s]

3 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

 

Aha! So when you modified it to add high brightness LEDs, did you by any chance add more than 1 gram of mass?

You just cant let it go can you, perhaps ask for the receipts and product specifications??

[ditchcrawler]

On 19/12/2022 at 15:05, Loddon said:

Looking at buying a drone to film boats, scenery and other such stuff.

Cant afford a DJI mini drone as although they are good they are expensive.

Does anyone have any experience of others, budget is about £200 plus

Must have 3 batteries and pref a 4k camera and of course GPS and a decent app.

Any thoughts apart from don't bring that thing near me.

Have a word with Andrew Dyke he is into it

[nicknorman]

1 minute ago, matty40s said:

You just cant let it go can you, perhaps ask for the receipts and product specifications??

 

If I let it go it might buzz into my face. I know you are always very "anti" whenever I mention this stuff. Not sure why you would want other people to be unaware of what laws they are breaking, but I guess it takes all sorts.

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, matty40s said:

You just cant let it go can you, perhaps ask for the receipts and product specifications??

Sounded good to me, maybe a 😁 would have helped

[magnetman]

 

[Graham Davis]

The owner of Sweet Lamb Rally Complex did that to a drone that was being flown without his permsiion and against MotorSport UK regulations. He did warn the pilot several times that he would do it if he didn't land it immediately and was roundly abused....................BANG!!

[PeterF]

9 hours ago, Tonka said:

What is a drone and what is a radio controlled helicopter or aircraft. Very confusing as you didn't need a licence to fly a radio controlled aircraft the last time I flew one which was pre 2000. Some of the bigger models used to have a camera in. 

The same rules applying to drones now apply to radio control planes and helicopters. I fly RC planes and have operator ID from the CAA (civil aviation authority). All things like drones and RC models are classed as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Air Navigation Order, the law covering all flying.

[Tonka]

1 minute ago, PeterF said:

The same rules applying to drones now apply to radio control planes and helicopters. I fly RC planes and have operator ID from the CAA (civil aviation authority). All things like drones and RC models are classed as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Air Navigation Order, the law covering all flying.

Which year did that come in

[PeterF]

3 or so years ago. Restrictions are slightly less onerous if you are a member of the British Model Flying Association.

[Jess--]

19 hours ago, nicknorman said:

 

Aha! So when you modified it to add high brightness LEDs, did you by any chance add more than 1 gram of mass?

lol no there was no increase in weight as the leds replaced existing leds or plastic trim pieces (if anything it was slightly lighter due to removal of led lenses at the rear)

 

That Mini I ended up selling as spares after a leaf falling from a conker tree crashed it into a lake (sucked into prop and stopped the motor), it did fly again after it was dried out but had some intermittent issues where it would sometimes shut down all motors in mid air or randomly start all motors at full throttle even though the drone was turned off (in short not safe to be used anywhere)

I replaced it with the Mini SE (Mini brains with Mini 2 motors, body & battery)

 

with the Mini and Mini SE you have to be careful as they are so close to the weight limit, if you fly either with prop guards on then you are over the limit

if you fly a Mini SE with the batteries from the original Mini you are either on the limit or 0.1g over

 

 

[matty40s]

I'm in the process of donating my Phantom Advanced to Ukraine and hopefully getting a Mini3 Pro to play with.

[Kiwidad]

31 minutes ago, matty40s said:

I'm in the process of donating my Phantom Advanced to Ukraine and hopefully getting a Mini3 Pro to play with.

Hello, my name is Ukraine, please deliver the drone (and a few patriots)

[manxmike]

Here on the Isle of Man, during TT and MGP, we have a total ban on drones within a 1000 metres of the race course and as far as the Southern 100 is concerned since it is within 3 miles of the airport they are completely banned.

Imagine a drone dropping out of the sky into the path of a bike doing over 180mph .....