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Edinburgh, Scotland

Is Edinburgh a safe place to fly

  • Yes, as long as you now where to fly

  • No, never fly here

  • I hope so

  • I don't know


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Malakai

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I'm in Edinburgh with the family for a week or so. We are staying next to a park called The Meadows. I'm trying to find regulations for flying there. I know the general CAA flying guide of 150ft away from property and people, but not much else.

1. Am I allowed to fly here?

2. Is there an increase to the distance requirements since my MAVIC has a camera?

3. Air map shows its controlled airspace. Per my understanding it's because of airports. I'm not close to one so I don't have to alert the tower, but it's advised I do for safety. Is this true, have any detail to add?

4. Any tips? I'm trying to avoid any negative police interaction or possible loss of my drone due to ignorance.

Thanks in advance!
 
Airmap is usually a good start, but I know earlier in the year they issues a ban on drones in national park space so would do the due diligence with local police. Sucks I know, just hope you get an understanding officer rather than an ignorant one that knows nothing and is likely to just say no you shouldn't.
 
I am also headed to Scotland this year and am considering purchasing a DJI Mavic Pro specifically for the trip. However, I'm a bit hesitant based on the national parks/forests reference given above by UAVMan.

Additionally, I found the following article specific to drone use around Edinburgh Castle:

Man charged with flying drone over Edinburgh Castle

Personally, I don't think I'd try flying a drone in downtown Edinburgh (or any other crowded place), but I was thinking it would be awesome to get some footage in places I assume would be less crowded, at least at certain times of day such as mountains, some less-crowded castles and castle ruins, and so forth. I had previously read that one only needed to:
  1. Stay below 400 ft
  2. Stay 50m away from persons, vessels, vehicles, or structures not under my control
  3. Stay 150m away from crowds
  4. Keep the drone within 500 m horizontal distance of myself
But now, I am not sure. If I launched it from the shore near Castle Stalker and flew it around the castle, staying at least 50m away (probably further anyway), and then landed it back on shore, would I have violated anything? I assume not, as the castle is privately owned and I was going to get permission beforehand. But apparently you can't do it at any property associated with Historic Scotland, as the article I cite above quotes somebody from that organization as saying:

“The use of mechanically propelled items and UAVs at any of our properties is subject to a strict application and assessment process, ensuring all necessary safety, piloting and other legal aviation requirements are fully met.”

Also, found the following on the Historic Environment Scotland website, regarding UAS-based photography/videography (apparently, you need CAA certification, which pretty much restricts it to commercial use): Filming guidelines

In trying to get a firmer understanding of the situation, I found this: Home

For me, the Historic Scotland prohibitions and national park/forest prohibitions pretty much end my interest in purchasing the drone, because I specifically wanted to use the drone for this trip.
 
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Hi guys so I just had my first negative experience from Holyrood park far far away from everybody I was testing follow me mode and profile etc. when an old lady approached me saying its not allowed to fly there that it invades peoples privacy and that I need to ask rangers at the station for permission so I tried to reason with her saying that I did not even fly that far it was only following me and that I was within the restriction of CAA, and that I was not filming commercially or anything, of course she did not want to listen so I just packed the drone and left as she was very eager to argue about it. My question is is there anything which has changed about the flying in places of Holyrood away from palace away from people I was between Arthur's seat and Dunsapie Loch?
 
I have this exact same question. Ok I understand the basic restraints of recreational flying in Scotland. But I do know you can request a waiver to get around things like the distance from people, etc. I plan on being in Scotland around the time of the Tattoo and would love to use it to take photo's not only of some of the beautiful landscapes and maybe homes, but also of friends and maybe some group gatherings we plan on doing when there. Given the 50m rule, and shooting pictures of those gathers does anyone know how I could go about getting this exemption/waiver to get some decent shots and still be very respectful of peoples privacy, etc. I don't even know how often I will actually use it but at the same time I'd rather have it and not use it, than to not have it and incur penalty on a holiday trip.
 
Haven't received my drone yet but from what I've read so far I was assuming it wouldn't be possible to use it in the city at all unless in a big wide-open park, certainly not anywhere near the main city centre. Is that sort of thing possible in other countries? I was planning to use it more out in the countryside.
 
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Hi guys so I just had my first negative experience from Holyrood park far far away from everybody I was testing follow me mode and profile etc. when an old lady approached me saying its not allowed to fly there that it invades peoples privacy and that I need to ask rangers at the station for permission so I tried to reason with her saying that I did not even fly that far it was only following me and that I was within the restriction of CAA, and that I was not filming commercially or anything, of course she did not want to listen so I just packed the drone and left as she was very eager to argue about it. My question is is there anything which has changed about the flying in places of Holyrood away from palace away from people I was between Arthur's seat and Dunsapie Loch?


many general public dont have a clue regarding where you can and cannot fly a drone , you can fly a drone at holyrood park keep away from the palace and the scottish parliment. regarding the old woman just be polite and explain that you can fly there as long as you adhere to CAA regulations. go early in the morning not many people about
 
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