Margate Filming Permissions (Thanet District Council)

Legal & Privacy
1

Hi,

I have seen some nice photos of Margate recently and was hoping to record some footage on Thursday but came across the information below from the Thanet Council. Has anyone dealt with them before? Is it difficult to obtain permission on a short turnaround?

Land Owner/Authorities Permission
To take off and land a drone, you need permissions from the landowner.
The Kent Safety Advisory Group principles are endorsed by the Kent Resilience Forum Page 22 of 53
If this is a public space such as a beach or park, you will need permission via the Kent Film
Office, for which you will need to complete and submit the following:
• Filming Application Form
• A valid CAA licence for drone operator.
• Risk Assessment and Method Statement covering the drone operation applied for.
• Public Liability Insurance covering the drone operator for a minimum £5 million
Please allow at least 5 working days’ notice for any filming involving drones.
Further information can be found on their website:

Thanks,

Peter

2

According to Drone Scene, Thanet District Council have no bylaws and no polices relating to the recreational use of drones from their land.

Further information is available to club members:

Screenshot 2024-09-10 at 16.19.46
Screenshot 2024-09-10 at 16.19.462456Ă—1456 421 KB

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3

I was just checking that myself.
Read through the full response.
:+1:

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4

I’ve also just seen it is an SSSI and trying to look into if it is for nesting birds etc.

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5

That information is also available to club members on Drone Scene, along with the reason as to why it’s an SSSI :slight_smile:

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6

@PeterH1 They can take that instruction and stick it where the sun don’t shine IMO!

I’d look at the citation in the SSSi, via the DS Link, first though to establish the impact a drone would have. If flora and fauna only I would fly. If nesting birds during the breeding season I wouldn’t fly.

My area council has a no fly policy, I pay my taxes so they can get stuffed!

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7

I live in Bexley and the film thing, as I understand it, relates to commercial flights and larger drones so the councils can screw you for fees??? There are no specific bylaws as far as I can find Prevent TOAL on public land.

In Dartford similar except there did seem to be a bylaw preventing use of drones on Dartford Heath (an open space of heathland). I found most of this in the Freedom of information enquiries obtained through the grey arrows web site. Any comments are welcomed if I have either understood or mis understood the FOI reply’s and council web addresses.

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8

I found this on the web where the Grey arrows did a Fredom of Information on drone use. It was on a web site whatdotheyknow.com

I think I read somewhere that filming permissions apply to commercial users? Worth checking out. Does anyone have observations on this information???

Geoff

TDC FOI, Thanet District Council 11 March 2024

Ref: FOI 7577
Dear Greys Arrow Drone Club,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 07/03/2024.
The response to your request is set out below/in the attached document.
Our response:
We confirm that we do not hold the information that you have requested.

  1. Do you have any byelaws specifically relating to the recreational use
    of drones from your land?
    No

  2. In the absence of specific byelaws, do you have any policies relating
    to the recreational use of drones from your land?
    No
    If you are unhappy with the way your enquiry has been dealt with, you may
    ask for an internal review by submitting a request within one month of the
    date of this response.
    Further information on the internal review process is can be found
    here: [1]https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/off…
    Your request should be addressed to the Information Governance Manager,
    Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, CT9 1XZ or by
    emailing [2][email address].
    If you are still dissatisfied after an internal review, you may appeal to
    the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9
    5AF.
    Further information on how we process personal data in Information
    Governance can be found on the Council’s privacy statement
    page: [3]https://www.thanet.gov.uk/privacy-statem…
    Kind regards,

Information Governance Officer
Information Governance | Legal
Services
[4][email address] | (01843) [6][IMG]
577247
[5]Cecil St, Margate CT9 1XZ
[8]link to Thanet district councils
facebook account [9]link to Thanet
district councils twitter account [10]link
[7]Thanet District Council to Thanet district councils instagram
account [11]link to Thanet district
councils linkedin account [12]Link to
Thanet District council youtube

On Thu, 7 Mar 2024 at 14:42, TDC FOI <[13][email address]> wrote:

Receipt for ref: FOI 7577

Dear Grey Arrows Drone Club,

Thank you for your information request dated 07/03/2024

I can confirm that we have received your request and are now processing
it.

We will look to make a full disclosure of the information requested by
09/04/2024

We will let you know if there are any issues processing your request and
if there will be any delays regarding collating the information you have
requested.
Further information on how we process personal data in Information
Governance can be found on the Council’s privacy statement
page: [14]https://www.thanet.gov.uk/privacy-statem…
Kind regards,

Information Governance Officer
Information Governance | Legal
Services
[15][email address] | (01843) [17][IMG]
577247
[16]Cecil St, Margate CT9 1XZ
[19]link to Thanet district councils
facebook account [20]link to Thanet
district councils twitter
[18]Thanet District Council account [21]link to Thanet district
councils instagram account [22]link to
Thanet district councils linkedin
account [23]Link to Thanet District
council youtube
[24]Newsroom - Thanet
[25]No Excuse for Abuse campaign

show quoted sections

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9

Yes:

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10

@flybynight Its a great feature Geoff, available in Drone Scene.

Find an area of interest in the map, tap the icon on the right with a ? on it then tap your finger on the map and the Council authority details for the area is displayed with a link to the FOI website you found.

I use it for places that I’ve not been before. :ok_hand:

Apologies, if you knew all of this anyway! :hugs:

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11

There’s also an excellent video, by @ianinlondon, all about it and how to use it …

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12

Thanks to everyone. I am a newbie and didn’t know if PeterH1 new about the information available or drone scene. Am I correct in thinking Filming Permissions relate to commenrcial flyers and not recreational flyers with small drones?. Excellent video on Drome Scene. I now know more than I did before!

Geoff

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13

@flybynight it depends on the authority Geoff. Most do not distinguish between the two types of flyers but some do stipulate commercial use only.

For example, and I know they aren’t an area authority but, the National Trust Policy (and by association a byelaw) states no drones are allowed to TOAL from their property.

Therefore if it doesn’t specifically say commercial only, then assume it refers to all drone use. :saluting_face:

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14

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

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15

A clever lad I once knew used to say:

“rules are for the obeyance of fools, and the guidance of wise men”.

I found out much later it was from a quote by World War I pilot Harry Day, but very poignant I think, when applied to this hobby of ours. :saluting_face::nerd_face:

16

:joy::+1:

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17

What weight drone are you flying? Sub 250g do not seems to get permission if I have understood it correctly?. Cut and pasted below.

All drone filming is the sole responsibility of the drone operator, including all health and safety provisions, as well as copyright, privacy and nuisance considerations.

You do NOT need a Drone Permit from KFO if you launch/land your drone on private property but must seek the owner’s consent.
You do NOT need a Drone Permit from KFO if your drone weighs less than 250gr.
Kent Film Office merely grants permits for launching or landing sites on the public highway or public land, like beaches, parks, greens, etc. The actual flight is the sole responsibility of the drone operator.
18

Not quite sure what you are getting at Geoff?

19

It is probably me not making sense!!! I was under the impression that you need to apply toMargat filming permissions to fly in the Margate area. ie get a drone permit to take off and land. I then looked at their web site and cut and paste part into my posting which suggests sub 250g drone don’t require a permit; which I am taking to mean a 250g + must apply for a permit and pay a fee. Does this make sense or am I talking total rubbish? (which would not surprise me!)

20

You still don’t need a permit, or ask permission, for a drone 250g+

PingSpike

Thanet District Council have no bylaws and no polices relating to the recreational use of drones from their land.

If you are wanting to fly a heavier drone then there are obviously other rules from the CAA that you need to comply with

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