Don’t know whether to buy a drone or not. Obviously many people on this forum enjoy flying their drones. I have never owned or flown a drone yet.
I have been educating myself re drone code etc. The rules surrounding NFZ zones and airports are clear enough, it’s the SSSI area that confuse me.
I want a hobby that is relaxing and involves the scenic places photography made possible by a drone without worrying about getting into confrontation with anyone who feels it necessary to tell me not to be flying because they think I should not.
The rules surrounding SSI sites seem less clear than FRZ’s etc. How do I make sure, in these circumstances, that I am flying legally?
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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.
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Apply common sense when flying at an SSSI and you’ll be fine.
If birds are nesting, don’t fly.
If the SSSI is simply biological, I’m sure the insects and bacteria in the water won’t mind you flying your drone there
Where are you based? Check out the Meetups category and tag along, you’ll get to see the drones in use first hand and someone will no doubt let you have a go
Rules, shmoolz. SSSI sites can be easily checked using Dronescene or similar. As PingSpike says, check the reason why it’s a Triple SI site. If it’s for plants, insects or geology then it’s fine to fly. If it’s for nesting or migratory birds, then check the breeding / migratory times and make a judgement call. Common sense will tell you if it’s safe to fly.
Get yourself one of the sub 250gm drones ( less restrictions on flying them near buildings/ people. Avoid the cheaper £50 specials which promise fantastic hi res pics and 4k video though. These are usually disappointing.
There is a fear of confrontation mainly because it’s reported as news whereas the vast majority of interactions with the public when flying a drone are positive (in my experience). But positive news tends not to be newsworthy!
A sub-250-gram drone gives you more options for places to fly. The DJI Mini 4 you are contemplating is ideal.
The law around drone flying is relatively straightforward and has been presented in a simplified form as The Drone Code. Follow that and you will be ok. And the Drone Code can be further simplified into a simple motto - Don’t be a Dick!
There are exclusion zones around airports. Want to fly in them? Don’t be a Dick! - get permission first from the relevant authority. They are normally (again, in my experience) very helpful.
With a Mini 4 you can fly close to people. But you don’t have to. If it will annoy them or invade their privacy - Don’t be a Dick!
Regarding SSSIs. As others have said, it depends on the reason for it being an SSSI. Would you let your dog run around in it? Grasses and insects - possibly. Nesting birds -no. Common sense applies - or the motto Don’t be Dick!
tl;dr
Fly with forethought and courtesy, consider others. You’ll enjoy it!
MINI4 Pro is a darn good bt of kit, and will serve you well…
Been flying for 2 years now, only had 2 confrontations - both on the same day, one with an NT guy and one with a farmer - and I just brought the drone down and left…
All other interactions have been very positive, and the footage you can get is amazing… Nothing beats the sense of freedom of flying a drone and capturing something epic…
I wish you well with your drone journey and will look forwards to seeing what you are capturing
Thanks for information. Beginning to feel more comfortable about buying drone now. I have been watching DJE Media on YouTube where he has been visiting NT sites. Think NT have finally realised that they can’t stop people flying over their property if they take off and land from public space
Hmm, a self-proclaimed auditor, most of whom I find seek out confrontation in order to boost their views and make a bit of money in advertising revenue…
As long as you stick to the Drne Code, check Dronescene for flight restrictions and don’t be a dick, then most folks are fine… Never had a conflict like he seems to have all the time tbh…
Ground hazards are outlined in yellow on Drone Scene maps, which are an excellent ‘where can I fly’ resource, and on this very site. SSSIs are amongst them, as are other marked locations that require common sense and judgement if you want to fly from or over them. Many urban parks snd sports fields are treated in this way for example, because they can be crowded pn occasions, but there is a fundamental difference between Saturdays when all the local football matches are in progress and midweek afternoons when everyone’s working or in school and there’s only a few dogwalkers and pram pushers about.
You can fly in the yellow areas, just obey the rules and avoid situations that may cause problems to yourself or others by being aware of the possible hazard. You’ll find that most people are either not bothered at all by your drone or are interested and will ask questions. SSSIs for interesting geology or rare plants, for instance, will not be affected by drones flying over them, but all SSSIs are treated as ground hazards by default. Fly wherever you like so long as it’s safe and permitted, check that the landowner allows TOAL, be aware of FRZs and NOTAMs, and, as has been said, obey rule 1; don’t be a dick!
TOAL - Take Off And Landing - the spot you fly from… NT cannot stop you overflying, but any landowner can prevent you from taking off or controlling a drone on their land…
