I’m Luke 24 years old and based in the Essex area.
I have just picked up a DJI Mini 2 SE a few days ago, been interested in drone photography and videography for a little while but never pulled the trigger so I’m looking forward to now undertake this a new hobby!
Unfortunately, I live 10 mins away from an airport so I am inside the no fly zone! If there are any recommendations around this area where I’ll be able to fly and not get into trouble, I would appreciate it.
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@lukeozade Hi Luke. Welcome to GADC. I live within Southend FRZ too. If you want to get some practise flying and filming head down to Wallasea Island. Look up “the boat house” on google maps. This is where I go to try stuff out. Nice and open and not much about to crash into. I don’t recommend the marina it’s self as I have heard some people there aren’t too friendly.
South Fambridge is quite good, plenty of boats there to photo / video.
Thanks @OldGit62 i was thinking going down that way or canewdon but wasn’t sure how I can tell if i need permission to film on land or if even I actually need it!
If you are standing on private land, then you need the land owners permission. The man that owns the land surrounding the boat shed is fine with people going on that bit of his land. At South Fambridge I park up and walk down the bridle path to the sea wall and fly from there. Never had any problems. If you want to see what it’s like there I have some videos on my You Tube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyr1LLR1TH3sAGFyL7OviUw.
If you want some company message me and we can meet up.
Hi Luke. Welcome aboard, I’m another one also within Southend FRZ. Southend ATC are really quite accommodating I have found, I have arranged permission twice with them now and not had any problem though I have not tried any purely leisure flights, I don’t know how they would treat frequent requests for ‘playing about’, so I try to get out of the FRZ if I want to fly generally and you will hardly be missing any exciting scenery.
There are plenty of areas around Canewdon that you can fly, in fact all along the Crouch can be OK, just watch the wind and the gulls!
Hope you don’t mind me posting it here, but it may give you some ideas. This one covers the full length of the Crouch from Hullbridge down to Wallasea.