Were you flying at Burnham Beeches on Friday 13th January 2023?

Hi Guys, might anyone know who was flying a DJI FPV yesterday afternoon at a field by Burnham Beeches (nr Beaconsfield)?

I became worried when it flew over me so I landed and left. If anyone knows who this was, PLEASE seek permission from the landowner first.

From joyriders, gypos coursing and the general smashing down of gates and fences among the things this farmer must contend with it would be wise to ask before needless upset is caused. Other than that, I’d love some company while flying!

Is permission a legal requirement to overfly the area?

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A low jibe Joe. My point is about trespass as they were on private land and general good manners. We don’t have a good reputation generally and it’s not hard to see why. We don’t know each other but you’re a regular on here and I’d bet my left lipo that you don’t behave like that.
I would’ve gone to ask them but there are some gypsies in the area who are regulars about and are unpleasant. I’ll leave it at that.

AAhhh so the flyer was actualy ON private land and trespassing? If so then a different story, but you didn’t really make that clear in your OP. If that is indeed the case then I would be more inclined to agree with you, some people hate us enough as it is. And yes, out of manners I do sometimes ask for permission, but most of the time I don’t as I kinda know when I’m going to be refused. If I know I am not flying illegaly then I’ll crack on regardless.
Just be careful about the gypsies for two reasons. They could have been using a drone to spot hare for coursing, they could also have been scoping out the bloke with nice expensive drone.
Out of curiosity how high did they fly over you and did they know you were there?

ps, it wasn’t a jibe. It was a simple and honest question. There are enough people out there trying to police us and stop us from our hobby.

I also read it as they were just flying over some random field (and also wondered what all the fuss was about) :blush:

Hi Joe, my bad! It was a windy day and I had my Inspire up but heard a whine and thought to myself it must somehow be an echo of my aircraft (don’t answer that!). I kept on looking and then saw the FPV fly over me at, hard to guess, at 15m height. If they didn’t spot me they weren’t looking as I have a big rucksack for the Inspire, another for ym FPV and a 3 foot orange landing mat - all that in a green field!
You’re right about the gypsies. We all know what they get up to. Out here they usually take the gates off their hinges for their poaching and general joyriding through fields with livestock. At the last frost I was shocked to see a gate had been driven into with such force the gatepost had been taken out. In the pic it’s about 12 foot from where it was. Looks like they were coursing and left a roe deer carcass in the field. The farmer was saddened and said he didn’t mind if they wanted to hunt for food. Anyway I’m banging on. So I upped sticks sharpish and left. Here are a couple of pix of their visit…


Yeah that’s pretty sad. We get them where I live as well, we have lots of hare round my way and very few rabbits. I’ve reported them several times to the wildlife crime officers but they’re always gone by the time the van arrives. They’re generally pretty nasty people and don’t mind turning on anyone who tries to get involved. Told my other half if she ever sees them in the fields by our house that she’s just to keep driving and let them get on with it. They’re never normally more than 45 minutes and then gone. They quite often turn up in a layby a couple miles from my house and stay the week before being moved on. When they arrive I empty my shed and take everything up to my brothers, had numerous chainsaws, logsplitters and all other manner of stuff nicked after they’ve ripped the shed door open. And when they leave the mess and destruction they leave behind is astonishing.
Edit
Why would they leave a deer carcass? Surely they woud have gralloched it and took the rest home for butchering?

I’m sorry to hear about your burglaries - a nasty experience. Took me a year to get over our last one!
Leaving the carcass is, I think, what is so shocking about it. Looks like it was young lads (another story) but I can only think they were just betting on the dogs. The vehicle tracks went through 3 large fields and they wrecked the front of their truck bashing through the gate. Young ignorant vandals.
The young farmhand, when he’s about, usually goes after them. He’s a brave lad!

Soorreee - everything clear in my Forrest Gump head - just not translated well through the keyboard!

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