Anyone tried to fly near or around Tilbury/Coalhouse Fort? On Sunday took a drive to this location and upon reaching the car park at Coalhouse Fort, an on their sign at the entrance it does say no drones. So we left the area and went over to Tilbury Fort. They don’t have a sign tat entwined anything about drone restrictions, however just to be sure we enquired at the ticket office at the entrance and we were told that flying drones is not permitted on their property, showed me some printed document which although not an official headed document from CAA, suggests that we have to apply for permission etc.
I’d be interested to hear if anyone managed to fly their drones there and whether they took off and landed outside of the fort premises. Would it be wrong for us to fly the drone outside of their premises and without flying directly over it, but circling around it above 50m, would we break any rules or regulations? I want to fly responsibly, keep within the CAA regulations.
I am of the firm belief that I am going to have to change my “Angle of Attack” so to speak on matters such as these !.
Instead of turning up at the gate, just Pre-plan your flight on Litchi of the area you want to film.
Go park down the road, and let it get on with it !.
To answer your question, I believe the Fort runs next to the Thames?,
so why not fly above the river?.
Also the Park near it is Owned by “Thurrock Council”, Public Property.
and No mention of “No Drones” on the website.
It is not owned by the NT , or EH, I would be playing ignorant with them, if it were me !!!, and I was approached.
I do have Litchi however google earth doesn’t show 3D version of the Fort so wasn’t sure how that would turn out but I suppose 55-60m above ground level might be ok I guess. I might resort to a litchi mission on this one.
Googling the fort may have its height.
Even in Litchi - if your video stream holds up for whatever the distance will be, and your mission approaches the fort so that you can check height, you can always cancel the mission if you see you’re too low.
Alternatively, a quick manual recce flight to check height isn’t a bad idea.
Good point. Noted
Also, leave Obstacle Avoidance on in case. It’s very clever - as in this video … Did not understand Litchi Reverse - #9 by colinbm
I’ve flown at Coalhouse fort. I took off from round the front of it and kept away from the fort itself.
I did get near once but not above it.
I wasn’t approached by anyone and didn’t see the any signs at the car park.
They do have a sign there which does say no drones.
But if you haven’t seen the sign, because you never went where the sign is … 
Christ !, you only want to fly round a fort !
That’s bloody War & Peace !!.
Talk about covering your bases !!
“PLA … ban the flying of drones … above the river …”
They can’t! Simple!
I don’t even want to fly directly over it… just circle around it so won’t be flying over people even.
so what about the planes that go into Southend?, they don’t count I suppose!
Was the sign at the entrance to the fort. There’s nothing at the car park.
“drones are not allowed anywhere on the Coalhouse Fort site”
Fair enough. Fly from outside the land they control, then your drone is not on the Coalhouse Fort site.
Is there different rules for RC aircraft and drones?
I second that Dave !!
Once we parked and walked over to the path leading to the fort, there is a sign there. Lots of info and at the bottom tells you what you cannot do. It included drones.
Drone Flying Rule #1 - Avoid looking at signs! 
No, not really, but, if you ask most places for permission they say no on principle for fear of what saying yes will make them responsible for.
Obviously there are places that are total no-nos … but in so many locations, a careful recce will find a way to fly, and often the flight won’t be notice by those that mistakenly believe they have greater powers/authority than they really do.
And challenging these misguided people often only annoys them and increases their determination to impose their beliefs on us.