What do you make of this? Drone sign at Kingsmead, Hertford

Legal & Privacy
1

I’ve been flying since late 2017. One of my favourite spots to fly is in Hertford at Kingsmead. It’s on farmland and ever since I can remember, the farmer has given permission to fly there - even fencing off an area with a landing/takeoff strip. We contribute to mowing the grass and keeping the area tidy. It’s very popular with model aeroplane enthusiasts, drone racers and photographer flyers such as me.

So I turn up there today and am greeted with the sign shown in my image.
Quite a scary read, until you take the time to dissect the wording.

Thoughts anyone?

I still flew my Mini 2 and actually wanted someone to challenge me.

IMG_0130
IMG_01303024×4032 2.97 MB

2

There must have been some complaints from someone for them to go the effort of erecting a sign.

Do you still have contact with the farmer that owns the land to confirm where East Herts owns?

Flying above council land i thought was irrelevant as long as drone code followed anyway but they can enforce TOAL from their land?

Could be wrong :expressionless:

1 Like
3

Seems to be a very clear notice that drones are prohibited but model aircraft are allowed.

It then specifically refers to Jet or Rocket propelled aircraft which of course your mini 2 is neither.

It’s fairly vague and I’d suggest the drone bit was an afterthought.

I’d contact them for clarity personally

5 Likes
4

I’d contact the farmer if it’s his land and his permission had been already given

3 Likes
5

There have been some extremely noisy racing drones flown there in the past, but it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen these. Nearest properties are over 400m away, the other side of the River Lea.

Even before this sign was erected, I always flew within the boundaries they show.

My gripe is the confrontational heading to the sign, but once you read the main text of the sign fully - you CAN still fly your drone there. Initially it looks like the times they outline are when you can’t fly but it’s the times outside of these hours you cannot fly. I like the bit that says, “…may form the basis of a local Bylaw.”
So it seems East Herts council are too lazy to actually state what this byelaw is.

1 Like
6

Or spell it correctly

5 Likes
7

:laughing:

1 Like
8

Seems to suggest only model aircraft that are not powered by jet or rocket are allowed.

I’ve read it a few times now and I’d probably not fly my drone there until I’d spoken with them to clarify what bylaw prohibits drones.

1 Like
9

Yeah, I’ll have to speak to some of the other model aircraft flyers - the permission to fly there by the farmer has been in place for so long, I don’t even know who he is! :neutral_face:

10

The farmer could rent the land off the council and drone has definitely been added as an afterthought.
When they talk about the bylaw, they could be suggesting this is the first step towards passing a bylaw.

2 Likes
11

‘Wheel clampers are operating in this area’.

2 Likes
12

That is so badly written it hurts my brain.

So rocket and jet fueled UAS and “drones” are banned but “model aircraft” are ok.

Seems like someone put a lot of thought in to that but but not the execution of it.

2 Likes
13

I’d like to see that in action. The area is only really accessible on foot as it’s marshland. :grin:

1 Like
14

Reminds me of this

E-mail error ends up on road sign – BBC News - MAPA Translations, Inc.MAPA Translations, Inc..

1 Like
15

To be honest, I thought it was the other way around - seems like someone wanted to frighten all model flyers away - maybe I’m giving them too much credit or just being my usual cynical old f@rt self :thinking: :joy:

2 Likes
16

Hahahaha

Question

Why no flying on a Tuesday or Sunday?

Does the warden take these days off?

2 Likes
17

Perhaps he’s a vicar on Sunday’s and does funerals on Tuesdays? :grin:

5 Likes
18

Ace
:rofl:

2 Likes
19

Sounds like most council’s

4 Likes
20

The Bylaw shows where it is applicable and there cannot be a blanket ban as generally with a bylaw it needs to state specific places, this is assuming the 1906 bylaw actually still exists, this can be checked, I dont recall where but you may have to pay to get access. If your flying site is not mentioned then you are fine to go, following the code, licence rules obvioussly… also, they have not checked their bylaw against CAP 722 to see if they are now defunct…

Bylaw_Northern_Parkland.pdf (857.5 KB)

1 Like