Hi all
I thought I would share a recent positive experience I have had with regards to flying within a NFZ near a nuclear power station with the CAA’s approval.
The subject I like to video/photograph is my local heritage railway.
Unfortunately it is inside (only just by a few hundred metres) of the NFZ around Berkeley nuclear power station on the Severn estuary in Gloucestershire. Up until now my shooting angle options have been limited to say the least.
Following the phone No given in the information on the drone assist app, I called the CAA, filled out online forms all pretty straight forward and 28 days later I have permission to fly (with conditions) for the next 12 months (the maximum time you can request) within the NFZ.
Have any other members done this or done anything similar?
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What were the conditions?
Please see all the exemptions “lifted” straight from the permit.
I haven’t included the chart they refer to.
This Exemption is granted subject to the following conditions:
(a) no flight shall be made pursuant to this Exemption unless the operator has previously
notified the Nuclear Installation representative concerned at least 60 minutes prior to
the flight taking place;
(b) no flight shall be made pursuant to this Exemption except for the purpose of
conducting aerial photography of The Dean Forest Railway Limited’s Lydney Junction
Station at location, as per chart 1;
(c) no flight shall be made pursuant to this Exemption within 1 nautical mile (inner red
circle on chart 1) of the boundary fence of the nuclear installation, or in such a manner
that in the event of accident the aircraft would fall or be forced to land within the said
boundary fence of the nuclear installation concerned;
(d) no aerial photography shall take place of the nuclear installation concerned; and
(e) no flight shall take place at night.
3. This Exemption shall have effect between 30 August 2024 until 29 August 2025, with
both days inclusive, unless previously varied, suspended or revoked.
I didn’t have to provide proof of insurance or A2CofC or anything like that, only operator/flier ID
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Permission to fly around active nuclear power stations has been achieved … but not with any great ease. See : Flying within multiple restricted areas
Some of @richardmarsh888 notes on his experience may help.
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Yep, I have my exemption for the Teesside/Hartlepool power station. Like you it took a few weeks for it to be actioned but after speaking to a guy on the phone he said he could issue it for a year.
That was back in April and only managed to use it for the first time last week at South Gare near Redcar. I still haven’t edited my footage and I’m off around the NC500 this weekend so won’t happen until next week. There is a picture of the lighthouse in the photos category.
I forgot to mention in my original post that because it is a nuclear power station site, you do need to request at least 28 days in advance as advised in the instructions when you submit your request.
I had heard nothing by the 28th day from submission (yesterday) so just sent an email inquiring and I had my exemption attached to an email back to me within 20min.
They even gave me the Tel No of the power station control room I need to contact when I fly as they probably did for you, which was nice!
Yes, Hartlepool is a nuclear power station and I had to call the security office on the number given by the CAA. It should say on your form you need to give at least 60mins notice to the security team.
The guy I spoke to was helpful, just need the exemption ref, my name and contact phone number, drone type and the timeframe I would be flying.
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Living the other side of the Severn from you, I film, (hand held) ships at Sharpness. This comes on the edge of the NFZ for Berkeley Nuclear Power Station (decommissioned) and for ages have been ringing the telephone number shown on my app. No one has ever answered. Plus I have trawled through the CAA web site to find out how to get an exemption to fly at Sharpness, to no avail. Any tips on how to proceed would be of great help.
Hi
I started by calling the CAA Tel No referenced in the NFZ message on drone assist for why it’s an NFZ.
Please see below the message sent by the CAA chap while I was on the phone to him at the time.
Good morning,
Please submit your application at [Airspace Co-ordination and Obstacle Management (caa.co.uk)] CAAPortal choose “Airspace Restrictions (including exemption requests)” from the list in the “Activity Category” field.
Just follow the instructions in the form and don’t forget they need 28 days notice to review your application.
I would also go for the full 12mth limit based on where you’re located.
As I mentioned in previous replies, It was straight forward, just had to give them a nudge yesterday but they responded almost immediately with the exemption doc.
Out of interest these are the two Tel No’s that I must call an hour minimum before flying on my exemption cert.
Berkeley: Control Room Operator 01453 812253 or 01453 812161 don’t know if they are what is on the app you have been trying?
If it works out OK I am going to try for Lydney harbour!
Please let me know how you get on?
I had no problem requesting permission to fly at Heysham.
I do think the stipulation that you don’t photograph the installation is a bit silly as yoh can get an awful lot of images from walking round the sites and google earth.
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Many, many thanks for sending me the link to the form. So much appreciated and hopefully will get permission to fly at Sharpness.
Best wishes,
Chris
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Anything to help, hope it works for you.
I intend calling the control room later to tell them I intend flying tomorrow as a test.
If it works, then I’ll apply to fly from Lydney harbour sometime in the future.
Please let me know how you get on and if you need anything else please get in touch.
John
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Hi John,
I completed the form this morning and will wait patiently for a reply. The number on the Berkeley NFZ app is 01293 983880. I rang again this morning but once more got a out of office message. I asked for them to ring me back but they never do. The edge of the zone cuts across the High Level Bridge at the docks and inadvertently I flew into the zone early in the year. Shocked when my screen went black followed by a message asking me to take responsibility for the flight!
I will certainly let you know how I get on.
Chris
Hi Chris
Are you trying to contact the CAA or the Berkeley control room?
As you have filled out the online application you should have no need to call the CAA on that No now, If you do need to contact them the email to use is the one you received confirming your request with the BAL number on it.
The Tel No you have been calling is the CAA Tel No I originally called to start the ball rolling not the Berkeley control room.
Please see their No’s below given to me by the CAA on my exemption cert when it came through the other day.
I haven’t tried them yet myself and another good omen is the STD code is for Dursley
Berkeley: Control Room Operator 01453 812253 or 01453 812161
John
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Thanks John, will remain patient whilst waiting for reply to my application form sent in on Friday. Not 100% sure I filled all boxes in correctly but will wait and see.
Chris
Fingers crossed but they say that they will get in touch if somethings missing in your application.
If you haven’t heard anything before the end of the month (28 days from submission date) send an email to AROps@caa.co.uk asking where they are with your application. I did and they returned it within 30min.
Best of luck, please keep me posted.
John
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Hi John,
A pleasant chap from CAA Gatwick rang me yesterday to say that he had received my form but it had, as expected, discrepancies in it. He said he would email me with new form and how to fill it in and yes, would take 28 days for an agreement for me to fly at Sharpness. Now the bad news: His email hasn’t arrived yet and like an idiot I never took his name! Will wait until Friday before chasing.
Chris
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