I was at a large event today in town and had about 4 or 5 drones, zooms and phantoms, flying over the crowds. So definitely outside of the open category and there where no flight reports on drone scene, or drone assist. Wouldn’t a pilot with operational authorisation put a flight report out? So definitely I think there are the majority of drone owners who have no clue. I also thought that a copy of the drone code or leaflet directing to the website was to be given out with every drone sold? I definitely didn’t get one from Argos when I got mine.
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They do have a Drones Buying Guide
https://www.argos.co.uk/features/drones-buying-guide
As well as on all the product pages the disclaimer
It is illegal to fly a drone or model aircraft between 250g-20kg that does not show a valid operator ID. You must pass the drone test and register with the CAA before you fly at https://register-drones.caa.co.uk. For further information visit: https://dronesafe.uk/
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It maybe as I was going through an “Employees Reward Programme” to buy it* but again nothing in or on the box which is what I thought intiailly when I heard about such “Drone Responsible Schemes”
*A buy in thing from other companies and organisations, I’m not an Argos employee!
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The reason “the Daily Fail and BBC run stories about a bloke flying a mini 2 and his neighbour complains about him spying” is that … neighbours complain about him spying. Don’t shoot the messenger. Literally happened to me. Fortunately I was in the local WhatsApp group and when I explained I was hovering - not over anyone’s garden - to shoot a time-lapse, perfectly legally, people wanted to see the photos and learn about the drone etc - but they explained there’d been a previous incident of some tw*t poking around in people’s gardens.
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Daniel, same here from the same outlet (no surprise!)
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And there lies the problem , people who read rags such as daily fail etc take it for real news, must be true ! ( I read the daily fail as well as many other papers) , to get a " balanced " view ,but am well aware of the media and their bullshit. So problem here is these types who read these stories , and that is what a lot of it is ,see a drone hovering and think it MUST be spying on them. well I, for one have absolutely NO interest in your house , garden , or anything that you do… TIMELAPSE hovering is a perfect example of their paranoia . 
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How can you expect us normal people to abide by the rules when the Rule Makers in this country have broken all the rules on COVID - which actually KILLS people? And get away with it.
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I suggested a few years ago to use buying a tv as an example. You at one time could not buy a tv without giving your personal details to the vendor for them to register you for a tv licence. Why cannot stores that sell drones , remembering that you must now be licensed , sit a test, know the rules, do the same. This then means that all drone buyers, not toys, should be on a register. If this means extra cost for licensing I for one would not mind if it then becomes known that most if not all drone flyers are flying responsibly and within the rules, cheers Len
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It’s very difficult to understand what is going to change or happen in 2022, something needs publishing in a simpler way so we all have a good idea, I’m going through the A2 at the moment but wondering is there any legal point, I’m doing it anyway to learn and be as component as I can & also because I have payed for it but noticed another price drop this week of the purchase price of the course ??? This leads me to think as soon as 2022 comes the new rules will make the A2 pointless, maybe I have got it wrong but before someone says I have please explain to me why facts only please, I am not having a go at the course providers there courses are excellent and worth the money for the knowledge alone & I will be exploring other courses as I go, I would just like some clarification.
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I care about regs that have suport and reason, sadly most acts of Parliament don’t follow thus pattern. Its been one rule for them one for us for too long, with the police nothing more than political thugs. I don’t think it’s going to end well.
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I kind off agree with @lensimages. Surely something like this isn’t beyond the reach of 21st century capabilities. A couple of months back, I posted that our local nextdoor group was in uproar over a complaint about a drone hovering and spying over a back garden. It turned out to be totally innocent with a teenager and a birthday present but this just shows how easily this kind of thing happens. Looks like both parent and teenager had no idea of the rules and regs.
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Where the Government are concerned, in my opinion they will stop anybody having any pleasure,
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Where the Government are concerned, in my opinion they will stop anybody having any pleasure
Lot of Private Pilots feel the same…they say CAA Curb All Aviation…
The rules are there for everyone’s safety.
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In my particular case I’d have a problem to reactivate with my Fimi A3 - no smart phone used and no way of entering details to the controller. But of course not that many of them around. I joined the British Drone Flyers to give me a little more leeway in where I fly.
At the moment the sub 250g drones are the best choice for freedom of where to fly although if they have a camera the responsible person still has to be registered. I’m very tempted - the choice of sub 250g drones is widening, although the new ones still need more reviews and firmware upgrades. I’d probably carry a copy of the drone guide with me when flying near people to give them correct information about the rules for these drones. But the little drones are not particularly visible, very easy to fly out of sight.
Anyway I’m waiting to see what happens with the 2022 regs. I have a sneaky feeling that the powers that be will have woken up to the proliferation of sub 250g drones and change the rules again 
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They will if one of them gets a smack in the face with a sub 250G missile!! 
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There are no new regs coming in or after 2022, so far as anyone knows. Same regs as today.
The only change will be that all legacy drones >250g will drop to flying in A3 or under Article 16 or under the GVC OA.
The A2 CofC will only still be useful after that if new C2 drones start being sold.
Because there is no sign of C-class drones appearing any time soon, I’m betting the CAA will extend the transition date.
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I believe that one of the issues with sub 250g drones is the general belief that you do not need to even register them. and this could be the reason why many owners are not aware of the drone code in any great respect. Following on and reading the Argos guide wording: -
“Owners of drones weighing 250 grams or more must register them with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and take an online safety test. These requirements will come into force on the 30th November 2019.”
So you may read that and think for a mini 2 at 249 g you do not need to do anything. No registering and no online test after all it is just a toy? I guess for some spending around £400-500 can still be a toy.
All forgetting that it has a camera.
So just one reason why user may be unaware.
Adrian
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I am quite pragmatic when it comes to this stuff. I would be happy for a mandatory registration for flying or a slightly increased fee if I knew that people who didn’t abide by the rules would be dealt with (this includes knowing the CAA would do their bit such as kicking the arse of sponsors who try and charge for airspace restrictions).
I am also a realist and know that it wouldn’t have any effect at all.
Pilot with OA may or may not put a flight report out.
But a bigger drone may not necessarily be a holder of an OA…
I’ve noticed that the bigger drones such as older Phantoms are on eBay at attractive prices. One of my “usual” remote flying spots when I was trying out a new big drone, I got talking to a couple of local lads with a modified Landy. They were telling me how they’d brought a cheap Phantom 3 off eBay and been trying it out. OK, up there it is remote and meets the 150m rule, but when chatting to them I (gently) established they had no idea about the regs. I have no doubt they wouldn’t see any reason not to use their drone in a built up area.
We will see more and more drones, in response to complaints bylaw restrictions will be introduced by local authorities- but mostly not policed (other than a few high-profile crack-downs) so those who abide the law will be punished and those who already ignore the law will continue to do so. Just like with road vehicles… (e.g. electric scooters, mopeds, uninsured cars etc).
GC
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