Before heading out today I checked the wonderful Drone Scene website and discovered a NOTAM covering the area I wanted to play in.
It is there because a bunch of paragliders will be doing their thing.
The question is… As it is a navigation warning, am I allowed to fly my drone in that area… Being careful not to interfere with the paragliders?
It is just a warning. Proceed but with caution and be aware of your surroundings.
I’d just take it as a warning to be aware of the hazard, and fly but with extra caution
FYI … NOTAMs are rife in this area. I frequently fly there and likewise when NOTAMs are in place.
The gliders frequently TOAL from Tan Hill and Milk Hill.
Thanks guys
One of my other interests, but I wait for it to warm up a bit. The Thames Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club fly from Rybury, Tan Hill, Milk Hill, Milk Hill White Horse and nearby Golden Ball. Details here showing the wind directions that the various sites will be flown from https://www.tvhgc.co.uk/projects
They won’t always have NOTAMed, but will when it’s going to be good for them, so probably busy. It’s getting to the time of year when for many pilots, this is just the take off to thermal up to cloudbase, and disappear downwind for cross country flights of sometimes 300km plus. They will need some height above the hill to glide off downwind, so by the time they leave the area should be well above 120m.
You have as much right to be there as they do, but please keep your distance, as the consequences for them of a drone in the face or cutting the lines is rather more serious than loss of a drone. Depth perception is difficult unless flying from the same hill.
Something else to be aware of - it is a risk sport, and sadly, the air ambulance gets called there a few times a year, and in fact was called there today. If you hear a chopper coming in, please get out of the way fast as they need to get on with their work uninterrupted, and usually land on top of the hill. They usually take a while to sort out the casualty, them will whizz them off to Swindon probably. Thanks.
This.
