First Negative Response when flying

General Drone Discussion
1

image
image1014×704 134 KB

Had my first negative response to flying today :frowning:
While at Longcraig (near to South Queensferry, Edinburgh, in pic), had a man come up to me and tell me I wasn’t allowed to fly. I politely told him I had checked and was and said I would land my drone (a Mavic Air) while I rechecked, I showed him the drone assist bit that it wasn’t in the airport no fly zone as he had said and he stormed off. Only to return 5 mins later with a police man who also said “too close to airport” so he was shown the map to which I was told “too close to Prince of Wales aircraft carrier”. I was told didn’t matter what app or NATS say he is police and had to stop. :frowning: apparently a Mavic Air is big enough to stop an aircraft carrier with no planes!! Appears our navy is doomed if this is true…

6 Likes
2

iu

4 Likes
3

How close were you to the Prince of Wales?

4

Try find one, or even get them to answer a phone when you really need them.

@GADC_Committee - Must be a collar felt by the rozzers badge surely

5 Likes
5

We can do gifs on here?

3 Likes
7

As it was out by rosyth I’d be estimating over 5km

8

There are a lot around at the moment for some reason, also lots of black RIBs with dodgy looking men…

9

10

Read earlier it is to anchor in the Firth of Forth and pass under bridges at low tide.

Would be great to see.

I’m guessing they will be edgy about drones after some idiot landed on the deck of the queen Elizabeth.

1 Like
11

Then they should put in place a temporary restriction zone. It’s not that difficult.

2 Likes
12

Eek! Avatar change! :open_mouth:

:wink:

13

Just geeking ;o)

14

They might do, who knows.

15

What was the outcome Matt’s, did you stop? What authority did he have to tell you to stop? If you were positive you were flying legally, I’d have given him a run for his money. (speaking as a gatekeeper turned poacher!)

3 Likes
16

It was getting dark anyway so I was about to stop… I packed up told him he was wrong and that if he was to be “quoting law” to me he should check out his facts. I’m back tomorrow and if it’s good weather I’ll be flying again but will be speaking to a mate at ATC Edinburgh and another at Fetties police HQ and make sure I have something in writing for if he shows up tomorrow

7 Likes
17

Good idea!

18

Sounds like a good plan. All for having a b*****ing if I’m in the wrong but works both ways.

1 Like
19

Could the police officer have been thinking of a Notice to Mariners? I can’t see a relevant one now but I vaguely recall something in Southampton about not approaching berthed vessels on a collision course. Maybe a jobsworth might assume that notices applied to drones too. Maybe they do.

2 Likes
20

In that case if it was side on he would be talking out of his arse as technically it’s a floating aerodrome so you would be outside it’s NFZ if it was bow/stern on then it would be border line accounting for the runway extended area.

21

The fact that he used the airport first and only then referred to the ship makes it pretty clear he had no idea what the law is or what his justification was for moving you on.

3 Likes