Possible drone meet-up in Blackpool on 26th October

Opportunity for a meet-up although could be a bit crowded: Drone User trying to organise permission for a group of people to fly within the Blackpool FRZ for 26th October: details on the editor’s Facebook page.

Bugger, It’s my sisters wedding. I’m in Blackpool every Saturday but that one.
Do you think she’ll move the day. :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

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I live 200 m from your proposed meet up. You would need permission there certainly but further up along the prom those with qualifications for night flying are outside the NFZ from approx near the Tower as far north along the prom as you can go right the way up to Fleetwood.

Your big problem will be weather. As in most of the country at moment flying out of the question. Even on quite.calm days this time of year the wind can be prohibitive. Last time I got a decent weather window was well over a week ago and managed to get a couple of hours in.

I won’t attend as I don’t do night flying as not qualified or experienced enough but good luck to all that do attend.

Sorry if I wasn’t clear: it’s Drone User magazine who are organising this and from what I can see their safety plans are pretty sensible. I’m unlikely to go myself, too much else going on in life right now!

Recreational users don’t need a qualification for night flying, but should definitely still plan carefully.

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There is no qualification needed for hobbyist night flying.

Only PfCO pilots need this for commercial operations at night.

You wouldn’t even have to be there in person, could just send the drone from home :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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Unfortunately Mavic 2 knows where the airport is and won’t fly without hacking.

Indeed, not in the UK but I was using “qualified” in the sense of competent and confident. Anyone with my fairly limited experience would be insane to fly at night with overhead tram power lines, tall Illuminations tableaux, people walking the lights on the prom everywhere, lots of distracting lights and traffic everywhere. Bad enough during the day on my own thank you.

Seems very strange to me that someone qualified with a piece of paper has the same status as me for night flying. I thought qualification was to try to guarantee some sort of competence in dangerous hazardous situations. Apparently not?

It’s not that they are qualified to fly at night, more that they have permission to fly commercially at night.

I’m not sure how much practical night training PfCO guys get if any.

It’s more to do with procedures and good practice like visiting in daylight to observe and plan your flight.

This is the conundrum for me. What has “commercial” to do with it? Why should the fact that you are being paid be a consideration? I may well get full training to PfCO standard and indeed am considering it. I would have zero interest in doing anything commercial and it would be done purely to gain all the skills needed to be a safe and confident hobbyist.

It seems very strange to me as remarked previously that a “professional” is expected to adopt recommended procedures, prepare flight plans and follow good practice and I can just turn up.

Professional or not I have done my daylight due diligence and studied procedures necessary and concluded I would be a bull in a china shop and will therefore restrict my flying to daylight and mild wind conditions with few people. Good luck and an enjoyable event to those that have the skills. I might turn out to observe!

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I don’t do Facebook but I am interested in coming along.
would it be possible to post the details on here please.

thanks

@SputnikTheAirDog They appear to be meeting near the south beach car park both Sat 26th evening and 27th morning, I’ve not seen any times but I know they are expecting PL insurance and planning to cordon off an area. Further information will only be via that facebook link, I’m not likely to go so won’t be tracking it in detail, sorry!

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How do you think the rest of us gained the skills to be safe and confident hobbyist’s?

It’s not through any course.

Practice and research, that’s all you need.

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thanks @kvetner

Hacking is such an ugly word.

I believe that the parameter changes (mod) required to fly in a NFZ are not available anyway on the M2 series (I’ve not visited the scene recently)

But they are …

I thought unless you are on early firmware you are stuffed ‘Patch’ is a nicer word than ‘Hack’ dont you think.