Permission to exceed 400 feet

Has anyone sought (and obtained?) CAA permission to exceed 400 feet? I want to photograph roman forts from directly above, but from 400ft, I’d have to fly it in stripes and stitch an image together. I assume there is software that can do that (Litchi?) but it sounds like a really good way of annoying anyone within earshot. I couldn’t see anything on the CAA website (https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Unmanned-aircraft/Recreational-drones/Recreational-drone-flights/)

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DroneDeploy does that kind of flying/stitching and makes it look like you must have been much higher, to create an orthomosaic 2D image.

This is an example, combining 300 images taken at 70m.

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Nice :+1:
This method will also give a more detailed final photo than one single shot taken from say 850ft
Cheers
Steve :laughing:

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Just looked at drone deploy it’s quiet expensive unless you can justify it for business use?!

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I know that image was taken using the trial.
If you have enough email addresses and carefully managed, that could be a lot of trials. :wink:
Could probably plan and cover 5 sites in one day so, weather permitting, up to 50 sites not difficult in one trial.

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Ssshh… don’t tell anyone … I use 33mail.com for this sort of thing, works a treat :smile:

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I like that :wink:

Yes.

My model flying club has an exemption allowing members, whom have demonstrated a required level of proficiency, to fly to a maximum ceiling height of 1,000ft agl. However this exemption is for fixed wing models only and to primarily accommodate I.C. jets and large thermal gliders.

Nidge.

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There was a change to flight height permission, but i think the information is only available via their new CAA app and not available on their website. Remember seeing a lot of complaints about this, having to install an app. As for stitching software, if you have Window10, you can download the free Microsoft Image Composite Editor, which i have used for stitching panoramas. it’s very easy to use.

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can also use ICE in WIN7 as well :+1:

Or if you are wanting to use the “premium” features without paying just set up loads of email addresses and start 30 day free trials with them just as @Pterodactyl said

DroneDeploy does all the stitching - if you use DroneDeploy for the low-level images.

Downside is uploading shit loads of hi res images to their servers, but the results are unbeatable.

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Have a look at Maps Made Easy as well. Similar to DroneDeploy and Pix4d except that it is not sunscription based. You pay for each job. Still fairly expensive but cheaper than the subscription ones.

Other than that the only way you willl get permission to fly higher is with a PfCO and an Operating Safety Case. Veeery expensive route to take and there is no guarntee that the CAA will grant the OSC.
Currently the emergency services have permission to go up to 500ft, was 600 but it’s been brought down.

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Thanks @briwy - your post pointed me to publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP722A-UASOSC.pdf
which tells me it would be a Big Deal. I’ll stitch a mosaic instead. Thanks to everyone else too :slight_smile:

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