Russel Square, London

Where to fly your drone in the UK
22

for some reason the quote above reminded me of this

23

Nah…

Edit: Did used to like Banzai though.

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24

Easy to remember

Feet:

Feet_
Feet_1200×628 199 KB

Meter

Gas meter
Gas meter1200×1200 271 KB

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The question is how accurate is the barometer? and how much the air pressure will change over the time of the flight? :slightly_smiling_face:

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… and the land isn’t level … and there’s moving air that bumps the drone up and down … and <a very long list> … :man_shrugging:

27

Once the drone is in the air people don’t tend to notice it. I’ve flown in Coventry City Centre at peak shopping time and the most contact I had with the general public was passers-by saying hello. :+1:t2:

Don’t get hung up on a situation that might not even occur. Cross that bridge when you come to it. :+1:t2:

Now just go out and fly, and enjoy it :ok_hand:t2: :+1:t2:

1 Like
28

In London, nobody says “morning” to anybody, they’re all stuck on their phones pretending they’re important!

29

This will explain why when I’m down in London, stood taking a piss in Wetherspoons facilities and say ‘hello love’ to the bloke besides me I get strange looks.

#friendlierupnorth

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I used to say “I say old chap, would you hold this for me please?” in the same situation! Got the same looks!

Or, “Get your hands off me”, same thing!

31

If in doubt Google it. Here are the guidelines for flying on Hampstead Heath: Hampstead Heath Drone Guidance 2021 (cityoflondon.gov.uk)

At a glance it looks like you can fly recreationally as long as you stick to the Drone Code. I haven’t checked airspace restrictions. At least they don’t have a total ban!

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32

Thanks for sharing that Peter

What is your thought on this @kvetner :slightly_smiling_face:

33

People seem to try and find reasons not to fly and it baffles me.

If you search hard enough you’ll find someone somewhere who says you can’t fly there when in reality you probably can.

Stop searching for reasons not to fly and just go out and fly do your usual checks on drone scene first and if it’s clear of air space restrictions then go ahead and fly.

If anybody approaches you and asks you not to fly there then just be polite plead ignorance and just move on.

You’ll enjoy the hobby far more that way :+1:t2:

4 Likes
34

BEEP.

No. The actual, irrefutable legal limit is 120m, as per CAP1789A Article 4 (and repeated in UAS.OPEN.010), which matches the legislation.

As already noted though, nobody will be standing there with a 120m long tape measure.

And you can fly above 120m in the Specific Category, with the right Operational Authorisation, it’s only a fixed limit in Open.

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35

100% this.

Re: Russell Square Gardens, there is a Camden Council byelaw that makes it illegal to “wilfully obstruct, disturb, interrupt or annoy any other person in the proper use of the pleasure ground”, with a 50 quid fine.

I’ve gone to the bother of looking that up, but if I wanted to fly in Russell Square, I’d crack on with it, do my best not to annoy anyone, and pack up and go somewhere else if politely requested to by the authorities.

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36

I like that guidance. It says “If you are in doubt about whether you can safely fly your drone on Hampstead Heath, please contact [email deleted] for further guidance”.

So if you’re not in any doubt, you don’t need to ask, just go for it. Note the very last section, 11, though: if people fly drones in an anti-social way, it will give them the excuse to seek restrictions, most likely through a PSPO. So fly, and be nice to people who are around.

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37

Thanks all. Will take a little wander over there later.

38

I don’t doubt - and I don’t doubt that’s probably the only place an aviation altitude is specified in metres. Certainly in my 55 years of flying various things from fast jets to a paraglider.

They also contradict themselves in their own Drone Codes of the last 3 years and refer to it as the “400ft Rule”.

So some numpty converted 400ft, rounded to 120m, and included it in the paperwork that got signed off … because nobody there gives much of a damn about drones as long as the moaning public is silenced for a few minutes.

Edit: That image coming from the current CAA Drone Code.

39

Reflecting on whats been said, I wonder whether it went something like this:

  1. EU bureaucrat insists on everything being in metric in the ‘new’ drone regulations, including flight altitudes, because that’s how Brussels does things.
  2. CAA rolled their eyes, wondering why the EU put the max altitude in meters, instead of the aviation standard of feet. Due to Brexit it gets transferred into UK law lock stock and barrel.
  3. CAA decide to convert 120m into ft for the public, and get 394.7 “darn … best round it up to 400ft as a nice round number” - but then have to include the reference to 120m in brackets 'cos thats the actual legal limit.

The result is a Government agency defying the laws of maths in saying 400ft = 120m

:laughing:

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They actually “wonder”? That needs a brain.