welcome to my first stupid question. I am new to this game and was looking at doing some scenery footage for my wife’s YouTube channel. It is only very small. I purchased a DJI Mini 3 Pro whilst on holiday in the Highlands. After checking the necessary apps, I could see so few places to actually use the drone. Red, red everywhere. I have a couple of questions in relation to this if anybody can help.
I was looking at doing Kylesku Bridge, but it’s covered in red, however the world and his mate seem to film there. Am I understanding the red areas correctly in that it is a total no fly zone or are they flying incorrectly?
Secondly, the area is covered in SSSI. Can I still fly these areas. I follow the links that the apps have in place but I can only seem to find information on not allowing new animals, vegetation etc into the area.
Any help would be greatly appreciated and don’t worry if you cannot answer these I have plenty more questions.
Looking on Drone Scene, it looks like that is intermittent restricted airspace, but it is only active when they have issued a NOTAM.
The restriction is called “EG R610A Highlands”. It states that the people controlling it can be contacted on Military Airspace Management Cell - Low Flying (MAMC LF) at RAF (U) Swanwick, Tel: [01489-443100].
The FRZ - EGR610 at Kylesku is a military Low Flying Zone, it is not active 100% of the tme, and they publish the hours it is in use on the website below, so if you fly outside of these times then you are ok to fly.
As to the SSSI’s, you have to do a little more research and see why there is an SSSI, if it is for nesting birds or a nature reserve, then flying is a no, but if it is for a rare flower or a rock formation, then you should be ok to fly, check the website below for more details on sites…
Hello BudgieUK and firstly thanks for the link you supplied. There are four listed for the highlands, A,B,C and D, how would I know it is A. Is it just Long/Lat supplied on the list?
Your help has been greatly appreciated and I hope opens more opportunities for me when next in the Highlands, Thanks
Hello AlbionDrones, and thanks for your help. I was unaware of the RAF link you supplied and this will help a lot. With regard to the designatedsites link, again this is appreciated and will no doubt help. We sadly spent two weeks in the Highlands terrified of sending it out with so many warnings, so played on the side of caution and waited for totally green zones. As you say, even with the SSSI locations we wouldn’t send up for fear of birds nesting etc. Information is power, thanks for your help.
Yup, know how you feel, I was the same when I first started, and even recently had some qualms on flying with birds around, but as long as you check the details and fly carefully then go for it…
I have been to Scotland 3 times this year, with another trip planned in October, flown around Drumnadrochit, Tongue and on Orkney mainland, the areas are amazing to fly in and lots of good footage from each trip- take a look at the Drne Scene map and you will see where we have been flying…
You’ll find that the LFAs (Low Flying Areas) are only active Monday to Friday (they have the weekends off), so go flying on Saturday or Sunday. I should still check with the RAF guys, but you should be OK.
I am a regular in the Highlands, and fly my drones whenever I am there, just need to check the notams etc, and you should be good to go, I will 2nd what AlbionDrones has said about the North coast, and Orkney fantastic places to get the drone up, as is Skye, Kiktrock on Skye between May and September is a no go because of nesting birds, also should you find yourself there Shetland is another excellent place to fly
hi
i’ll be in scotland in few days. where you guys are checkin notam?
i’m interested in EGR610A too.
Does drone assist shows notam active in this area?
Hi. I’m new to using dronescene and still getting my head around what I can and can’t do. I live in the Scottish Highlands and sadly I see red blocks over most of it. The biggest area (Restricted Area: EGR610A THE HIGHLANDS) I think relates to Exercise Joint Warrior which happens only a few times of year. I’m not sure where to find out more information about this restriction. Am I correct in assuming I will need to contact them each and every time I want to fly in this area, or is it only if a Notam is issued? Is what I see on dronescene the NFZs rather than Notams for these? If so, where do you find info on Notams for your area?
Forgive the newbie questions - I’m still finding my way around all the info.
Thank you that’s helpful. I did try a search before I posted but didn’t think to use the restriction number.
I’m still not clear though on whether the red patch on the map is a Notam or are they something different which I find somewhere else?
The area is used for flight practise for MOD/RAF, in the Airspace Restrictions layer. It is only active when notified by a NOTAM, which has it’s own layer. You are free to fly in it at all other times. I would switch the Airspace restrictions layer off, but keep the NOTAM layer switched on. Check before you fly that there aren’t any NOTAMs issued, and you’re good to go
Thanks @mynameisjoe. This is starting to make sense now. So can I just check - if the restricted area is not one which is restricted all the time and there is not a NOTAM for it, I don’t need to contact anyone to request permission? Is that correct? Or do I still need to notify someone of my intention to fly? Would the area be locked in DJI Fly otherwise.
