I am now to drone flying etc but v3ry enthusiastic and willing to get deep in to the drone word.
Unfortunately the more videos I check to learn about rules and areas where I can fly safely I get more confused. Yes, I use all possible apps and I make sure there area where I attend to take off is clear of all kind of restrictions and it is clear and safe to fly, but still, I am feeling something can go wrong and someone it is going to get me in to trouble.
I don’t know if you feel the same or how long toke you to clear this feeling.
Living in London is not helping either as every time I want to fly I need to travel out this city and I end up in unknown places and maybe this is what’s fuelling the constant fear.
I just want to share my view with you guys and find if it is a common way for some other drone flyers .
Hi Pirata and welcome to Grey Arrows Have a look at this, it may answer some of your concerns
Have you seen our members map? (Click the burger-menu in the top right) You may find some pilots living near you. Feel free to add yourself to the members map 1 too
We’re a well established club with many knowledgeable members so it’s very likely that any issues you come across will have been discussed here before. Our discussion forum has very powerful search features which should help you find what you need but if you get stuck you can post a new question in the Questions & Answers category.
Looking for Public Liability Insurance? Then look no further, we offer £5,000,000 worth of cover to our Insured Members! Details of our PLI can be found at: FAQ - Grey Arrows Drone Club UK
Looking for recommendations of places to fly? Check out our interactive map on Drone Scene 1 - be sure to log in to gain access to the full suite of features and map layers:
Where To Fly Your Drone in the UK 1
Find places to fly your Drone (UAV) in the UK and share your favourite flying locations with other hobbyists pilots.
And please feel free to add locations of your own too.
Our Associates are able to enjoy a lot of great services for free but our Members are eligible for a whole lot more! You can find all the details about our Membership Benefits on our FAQ
And finally, if you are new to drones and wondering what it’s all about, have a look at Resources for a beginner
Depending on the drone you are flying there are opportunities within the London area as well as out in the country. There are may apps that claim to give the areas where flight is permissible but our own Drone Scene is the best.
It pulls in the data from reliable sources such as the CAA and Altitude Angel, gives comprehensive details of restricted areas and the recommendations and directions for tested flying sites are made by GADC themselves.
It may look daunting at first, as all comprehensive solutions tend to be. The simple way around that is to select the area in which you are interested and ask questions in here. Someone will always guide you through the details and may well have flown that area themselves.
Sounds great! researching and looking for information often confuse and that’s alright, the worst is the sensation of even after checking all sources and be sure you can fly I am waiting the moment someone comes to confront me
Starting out is a little daunting at first and I found there is a tendency to ‘info overload’. There is lots of advice out there and obviously on these forums as well and everyone here will do their best to help.
Keep it simple and don’t try to take on too much too quickly.
Just start with the basic safety considerations and legalities (which it sounds like you are already doing) then go find a field with lots of open space (to give room for error) to practice the basic flying controls.
Repetition, repetition, repetition. And then repeat some more. You’ll soon find confidence will come with that practice.
Stick with it and hest of luck but above all enjoy!
As others have said, using the Drone Scene maps for places to fly is a great place to start. I also look at where other people are flying their drones from the footage posted here. It’s an amazing source of inspiration and I’ve gone to some great spots solely based on what I’ve seen here.
I started myself by going to a local park, where I knew the area so I had that familiarity with the layout. Go at a quieter time when there’s less people about and you can start with the basics of controlling your drone. You may not get any award-winning footage, but practice builds confidence.
One of my fears was flying my drone over terrain I couldn’t get to if it suddenly dropped (water, cliffs, fenced off areas). Practicing in safe areas gave me the confidence in my abilities and the capabilities (and limitations!) of my drone. Now I’ve no problem zipping it across the Thames to follow a boat - but I still won’t take it too close to the water!
I have found that when I started I was limited to the number of places I felt confident enough to get the drone out, but after a few months I am slowly building up a list my list of sites. Attending a meet up would be a good idea. There is a certain confidence in numbers and other members can advise where they fly.