Totaly agree with you, I find that after many years of flying RC helicopters mainly, it’s now second nature for me to have a quick scan; although not a full 360 with a 50 Nitro in the air, but with GPS assisted drone it’s a piece of cake even when I’m alone in my flying field, just years of self-programming eh!
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A very interesting topic, I was wondering if anyone knows what Pilots are supposed to do when taking evasive action, just in case I should decide to do the same thing, I haven’t made my self very clear here so I will tell you why I ask. I was flying my MP last year off the coast of Tynemouth in the mouth of the Tyne, ( that’s where I’m from see ) any way I was looking at the cliffs and coast line when all of a sudden a Paraglider, I think that’s what they are called, its like a hang glider with a motor. Came around the cliffs at more or less the same height as me which was around 200 ft. I had a major panic and didn’t know if I should go left , right ,up or down to get out of his way, I was worried in case he saw the MP and took the same action as I did and we ended up crashing.
I wondered if maybe there was a rule always to go left or right to avoid a collision so we would both make the right decision and end up going away from each other, In the end I panicked and went down and he didn’t even see me so all was well but I do know that horrible feeling of impending doom.
Hi Paul, i dont konw of any rule as such, I recon its just take the best action permissable at the time, but I may be wrong…
Glad you encounter ended well…
If 2 paragliders are on course for a head on collision the correct manouver is to turn to the right.
This would be second nature to a paraglider pilot and probably what they would do on encountering your drone unless unsafe to turn that way.
Best course of action for you would be to go straight down.
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Excellent thanks for that Callum, I was sure there would be a rule even if an unwritten one , its really good to know not to go to my left.
Thanks for the link to the training manual as well, very useful
The “turning right” rule is standard aviation law - for all aviation the world over. Paragliders included.
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Yeah, I remembered it from college when we were learning about TCAS.
Thought it might be same for paragliders.
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Thanks mate
That’s really useful to know, although hopefully I will never be in a position to use it.
Maybe we drone pilots should comply as well ?? I bet not many drone pilots are aware.
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Actually, I said “for all aviation” … but not for hot air balloons.
a) they can’t make such a manoeuvre, and
b) they’ll be going the same direction at the same speed in any case. LOL!
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Problem with drone is your watching from a point on ground and sometimes difficult to judge what direction you should go depending on your orientation.
Might be quickest to just get it down as fast as possible.
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Yes I think your right Callum
This is where a full manual mode would be useful.
They would descend really fast inverted with “full up” applied. 
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You learn something new every day thanks chaps…
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Thought it may be interesting to develop this thread…They (balloons)will only be going in the same direction if they are all flying at the same height! Balloon steerage all about flying at the height where the wind is blowing in the direction you want to go in. This can either very subtle - a few degrees or enable you to fly in a box i.e. get back to where you started. Balloon competition flying is mainly about flying to specific locations.
Neil - I fly a Mavic and a balloon - looking to see how to combine the two!
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This all comes under “Collision Avoidance”.
Simple - balloons don’t collide (in the air).
Same height = same direction/speed.
Different height = not going to collide in any case.
(Yes, after launch at a balloon gig, they do bump into one another because of low level wind variations caused by buildings/trees … but the closing speed is so low it can’t really be called a collision. )
Being very pedantic … paragliders/hang gliders don’t always turn right. And that’s when it would be dangerous to do so.
A lot of low level paragliding is done along ridges/cliffs (and along lines of reasonably high hotels at tourist resorts ), with paragliders flying both ways, turning, and flying back the other way.
When they are below, or close to the top of the ridge/cliff, the one flying with the ridge/cliff on their left will turn right, but not the one with the ridge/cliff on their right … in case they would collide with it.
There’s also the issue that the paraglider pilot may not expect a drone to be following that aspect of air law … so anything might happen.
A good example of “paragliding hotels”. … Urban Paragliding On The Beach Soaring Off Of Buildings - YouTube
Yeah I was thinking along the same lines… 
With a paraglider - descending is actually probably the best option.
Paraglider/hang glider pilots NEVER want to lose height! It’s all about staying up and going higher! :).
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Ha, I’m from North Shields and sometimes fly around the lighthouse early in the morning. In the summer those paragliders are around quite a bit - and the helicopter doing pleasure flights. I just stay away from the place when it’s busy and go to the local field which is normally quiet.
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Its a small world init !! I live in Hertfordshire now but I was born and brought up in North Shields.