Bedford County Council - now allowing drone flights

Went on the the Bedford County Council Web Site, to find where I could fly my drone.
Unfortunately, the web site states : Drones are prohibited from use on any of there parks or open spaces. As they don’t seem to enforce any of their regulations, it will only be the responsible and law obeying drone operators, who won’t be flying.
Well done Beds CC

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Can you post the link to this info?
Thanks! :+1:

Well do, when I work out how:grinning:

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Just paste . :wink:

I had a similar response at a park around here earlier in the summer !.
Some “Jobsworth” from the Council approached me when I was flight testing my Mavic, after a firmware update “You can’t fly that around here, Mate !”
(as, in the background was a Guy, on the Park with at least a 4 ft wingspan Biplane (electric) which he was flying recklessly, in the Park Field next to me)
AND, also, numerous RC Boat enthusiasts were on the Boating Lake, making far more noise that any drone I know of !.
My response:
“So where are the signs that tell me that I cannot Fly a Drone ,MATE!”
No response , so I carried on flying !.
Perhaps we should take our local councils to task in respect of “Discrimination”.

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near the bottom

https://www.bedford.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces.aspx

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I live im Milton Keynes and most of the parks here are Park Trust land… NO DRONES!

But If I’m Flying my drone, I don’t go to my local park midday on a Saturday afternoon. I’d either go early morning or early evening. Keeping the contact I have with the public to a minimum. Ive never been ask not to fly or leave, and the last interaction I had with a Parks Trust Ranger was him watching the screen for 30 minutes asking all sorts of questions about the drone.

The real problem with drone are peoples perception of them. They seem to think all are fitted with Uber Telephoto lenses and are generally hovered outside bedroom windows. In reality when was the last time you read about a drone injuring someone at a park? Now , answer the same question But, when was the last time you read about a dog biting someone at a park.

So what’s the legal score here?

For example, let’s say you went ahead and flew anyway, despite knowing this piece of information.

Are you breaking a criminal law? If so, which one?

Or is this a civil matter?

Are there Notices in the Parks? to re-enforce the website ban.
If there isn’t ,then, I would say “I have no internet, how am I to know of the ban”
That would screw them up !.
The judge would laugh them out of court !.
Our Parks have no notices, I’ve looked at ALL of them !.
And , not a mention of drones on the Council Website !.
The only thing we have to watch out for is, the Air Ambulance that sometimes crosses the Park on it’s way to the Hospital, about a mile away.

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Exactly, no signs, though the ‘friends’ of the park that I think you’re talking about say no permission will be granted by the council for filming with drones…
My issue with their stance is that flying isn’t prohibited according to the website and filming isn’t prohibited. So why when the two combined is there an issue according to them.

Edit: It occoured to me that filming and photography are two different things… So no issue with taking pics 120m up.

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Hi I wish that were the case. However, below is a copy of the statement on the Bedford County Council web site.

Drones & Radio Controlled Vehicles

Please note that Bedford Borough Council prohibits the use of all* drones or radio controlled vehicles within their parks and open spaces.

The use of a drone or radio controlled vehicle at an event may only be permitted in exceptional circumstances and when a professional company and/or event organiser have approached Bedford Borough Council for prior approval

I can see where the confusion comes from. Its the caveat claiming permission may be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Nothing stopping you taking off out of the park from a public area, remember, they may own the land, but, not the air above it !
That comes from the CAA,
See documentation in Members Only area “GADC Drone Information Pack”.
One assumes that there are no NFZs, and that you abide by the Drone Code.

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I just get the feeling you can’t fly drones without it upsetting some one, the stigma is that people think you can super zoom in on them and the camera has x Ray capabilities.
Drone flyers new dress attire will be full camo

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Would’nt get that paranoid about it, I have been flying these things for years. It has never bothered me what other people think, I have (as many people on here will testify) had numerous altications while out flying.
Let’s say I “educate” people that what I am doing is lawful. And having certain pieces of paperwork on me to reiterate the point has proved successful!.
Yes, there have been times that I may have just overstepped/bent the laws a bit, but,never to the point of it being dangerous.

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Bedford Borough Council have now announced that drones can be flown in accordance with CAA legislation.

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Common sense from a council. Hats off to Bedford council for allowing drones to fly (providing they are registered and flying in accordance with CAA regs). Now if we can get others to follow suit…

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I’m wondering if it is worth people sending the pdf to their local councils, suggesting something like “in light of changes to CAA legislation, would you consider changing your rules as Bedford County Council have”

The worst thing that can happen is they say no, but at least they’ll be aware that things have changed.

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This is from a FB page stating that FOUR MARKS PARISH COUNCIL will call the police if you refuse to stop flying your drone!

http://www.fourmarks-pc.org.uk/_UserFiles/Files/Policies/2020/FMPC%20Unmanned%20Aerial%20Vehicle%20Policy.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1cFdlxaOqE1EWtnnG2BtBMc2dheEX19TqCMzhu_btIAM1ipj3hAp5_D-I

Thats laughable.

And about 3 versions out of date.

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i know its dated 2017 and under review july 2020!!

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