I don’t think there’s a better way of putting it… it just shouldn’t be there.
(Unless, of course, the meet is for a group of flyers who actually do share a protected characteristic)
For this kind of letter you’re probably talking about writing to public sector organisations, and my experience from within those would tell me that ‘fists’ of any kind are going to get you a quick ‘no’.
The people you are writing to are going to fall broadly in to one of two categories: they’re either dedicated public-servants trying to deliver the best service they can with shrinking budgets and increased demands; or they’re in it for their final-salary pension and have long since realised that pension isn’t any smaller if they just do the minimum required to get to retirement.
If the person reading your letter is in the latter group it really doesn’t matter what you write. They’re taking the path of least resistance, and that means they’ll just regurgitate the policy… probably verbatim in an email. That’ll be a straight ‘no’, or it will be a ‘yes’ with a list of rules.
There’s nothing you can do about that, so you’re writing in the hope that the letter gets seen by somebody who gives a damn.
They’re great because they want to say yes… but they’re also incredibly stressed because they’re carrying the workloads of their less-dedicated colleagues on top of their own. Come at them with even a modicum of aggression (whatever kind of glove you wrap it in) and at best you lose their good will. At worst? You’ve caught them on a bad day and pissed them off just enough that they’re now going to go out of their way to shut you down… and they’re good at their jobs, so they’ll succeed.
So be nice to them. They’re doing their best in a thankless job.
Also, give them the information they need - they don’t have time to chase around asking you the basics.
If it were me writing this letter:
I’d start with an introduction of who I am, who the group is and what’s being proposed (including where and when).
If it’s a group, how many and who is ultimately responsible? What’s their experience level?
Will everybody be insured, and how (presumably individually).
I’d then go in to a bit of detail about how the event will be undertaken - flights all within the drone code (with a full description of the pertinent points, and a link to the whole thing). What extra is going to be done to make it as safe as possible, and also prevent it being antisocial.
Where, exactly, is the flight going to be? A particular part of a park? How might it impact other people in the park? I’d explain all of this to put their mind at ease.
Once you’ve covered all the basics, then ask if there’s any more information that you can provide, or if there’s anything else you can do to help with the process. They don’t have time to drag the basics out of you, but they also want to be helpful.
I don’t think there’s going to be a cookie-cutter template for this as every event will be different. But polite, friendly and thorough would be the way I’d go.
Oh and while I remember if you are looking for a large space, as I see the committee are, why not try one of the agricultural showgrounds. They are always having a wide variety of different events. The grounds are different sizes with a range of facilities and used to dealing with ‘strange’ requests!
Your statement could work to our advantage.
Instead of ‘just a big meet’, it could be some sort of showcase to the public. The public could attend, sign a weak disclaimer (or just agree that attendance is the disclaimer), be less than 1000 people etc blah blah (you know what I mean).
This could be a good fundraiser for charity, whilst putting drone hobbyists in a good light for once.
Would take some organizing though! And maybe positive media coverage. I cant do that on my own.
I would like to say, a big meet to bring quite a few of us face to face for the benefit of the forum was my initial intention. And that is still my (and a few others) plan.
It could be a lot bigger guys.
Surely the BMFA run major events during the year with all manner of RC aircraft and drones included? So nothing really revolutionary about large well publicised and nationally followed events involving drones.
Obviously being run under BMFA auspices indemnity insurance is well covered in advance as it is members only and insurance is included as a compulsory element of the membership fee. This could be an issue for a “large” gathering of GADC members at an “official venue”. Middle of a farmers field with cows and sheep indoors shouldn’t be a problem. Farm shop might do some business!
I am a member of BMFA (only do drones so I am a rarity at my club) as I’m sure a number of GADC members are. I have often wondered whether it might be possible to have a visitor element to BMFA clubs. I have several friends who while not wishing to be full members might want to accompany me to the club field, which is one of the few places near you can fly unhindered, as a guest for a small fee on a casual basis. The problem comes I guess with insurance as they would not be covered by my insurance so would not be able to fly even with one of my drones. Not too exciting just watching.
I tend to agree with this, especially for a letter or email. There’s much more likelihood of success with a friendly personal contact e.g. a local councillor, and even then there needs to be something strong and positive in it for their organisation: money or guaranteed good publicity. None of these bodies has any interest in helping out if they believe they will get complaints or (worse) the risk of being dragged into an injuries claim. Those are genuine and major issues for most organisations. You can offer to share aerial photos with them as an inducement, but corporations and public bodies don’t need that sufficiently to outweight the negatives.
I think there’s much more likelihood of success with smaller organisations or private landowners. I got permission from a local church to take aerial photography last year, starting with an email which politely acknowledge all their potential concerns, showed that I was well-organised and respectful, and led to a short face-to-face meeting to provide reassurance.
In my past working relationship with a Local Authority they, understandably get jittery around public safety (it is their single biggest concern at public events).
The ‘trick’ or approach for a better word, is to try and sell your proposals to them. Provide factual positive stories about crime technology as an opener ie news stories on where drones have assisted Police in finding missing persons, or assisted the Fire Service at major fires (including wildfires). Also open with how many Police forces are embracing the technology and where it’s being effectively used in agriculture.
You’ve got to remember that many LA employees will have only read the bad press about drones so unless you start with something like the above, you’ll be on a hiding to nothing before you even start talking to them!
It’s a big topic and I’m happy to chat if you want to message me first
What about a caravan site such as Haaven ? out of season they are dead, big camping feild, pub(s) ! food, easy to park and could even offer to do a display for some other holiday makers and raise awerness for us and drones ?
Just an idea.
I use to go with family and school friends to this place when I was a teenager it’s got a great big field for campers caravans a local village pub in working distance and the owner was a farmers family owner they also had a vintage car rally every year I wonder if thiscoulf be a place to use barlows caravan park north wales near to a55
Personally I feel that if large numbers of drone enthusiasts all turn up at some field to highlight difficulties in flying and in particular with considerable public awareness being “Drones… expect the local airport will be closed now…” attitude it will possibly make things worse.
Don’t get me wrong I am one of the biggest advocates of flying where and when you want within the CAA guidelines,
I have asked several individual landowners, not that I needed to unless taking off and landing on their land and all have implied No… so I respected that, but I have since found asking local groups, charities, reserves and supplying them with all the info up front, licence, experience, how can I help them, CAA controls and how it works, Drone code, my own safety precautions etc. etc. they have said yes after I told them I was going to fly rather than specifically just ask for permission, they have no idea unless you tell them what it’s about up front, only what they heard on the news…
Large groups gathering I just know will cause constination, before I started flying I would probably have thought the same, think back, you probably would too.
Divide and conquer… slowly chisel away at local authorities as individuals, once you get a foot in the door with any credible group or authority it gets a lot easier… take my word.
I’m now being asked, non commercially can I do some video footage for specific groups, the local council I think would find it very hard to intervene, they have no policy and no real idea about UAV’s in fact they might be next to ask… ha- ha…
Just my thoughts, a bit like CB radio back in the day for those who remember it… chants of make it legal from gatherings of enthusiasts for years, eventually they did, it turned into a disaster and within a year or so it was almost extinct… if people had just got on with it, slowly showing there wasn’t a big problem it may eventually have been licenced anyway but in a way people wanted, incredibly thirty five years later, yes a bit long… it has been, updated and re licenced and exactly as it was before the disaster licensing.
Divide and conquer…
Please find attached the Council’s drone policy which sets out requirements for anyone seeking to fly a drone from Council land. Accordingly, given you have not yet obtained a licence, I am afraid it would not be possible for the Council to give you permission.
Maybe if you had asked his sister she may have said yes!!
I have asked a few people to fly on their land and they all have said yes. Again, maybe you come across as the sort of person that will piss on their land and that’s why you were refused.
Moral of the story here is to ask the right people, and change your tact.
Oh she did. He still to this day doesn’t know or hasn’t let on.
Dont see him much these days come to think of it.
We are talking about local councils and organisations here.
They’ve probably never had to think about drones until you ask the question.
Do they really care you are flying a drone? Probably not. When you ask the question the first thing that pops into their head is liability. What if I give permission and something goes wrong.
Its easier just to say no and draw up a ridiculous blanket ban.
