Flying around Turbine Wind mills

[Herongate]

I've flown around them too. I keep my distance and don't try to do anything fancy like flying through or between the blades. I've heard - this is rumor to me - that hitting one of the blades could cost you a lot for a follow-up inspection. The only other concern is whether or not you're on private property when doing so. All that said, it should make for some cool shots.

https://youtu.be/TKAu2GwtZcM

Thanks for the info @Melvoid . I would definitely not try to do anything crazy like flying between blades. right now, i want to do still photography because that is what I am used to. But your point about private property is interesting. These turbines are on medium size farm properties. Am I not allowed to fly over farmland? As a photographer I can stand on the side of the road and photograph the turbines, so am i not allowed to take photos from above? I am asking the question in all naivety because I am new at this and learning every day what is allowed and not allowed. I do want to abide by the rules.

 

[Rchawks]

I work with a guy who used to be a service tech for the windmill company. He explained a few things to me about the job. Can you imagine having to climb that very long ladder in sometimes freezing bitter cold weather carrying your gear on your back, along with the extreme wind at that height. He's a gym rat and very fit but told me the physical stress was more than he cared to continue doing. I always thought there must be some kind of pivot joint on the blade holder that caused the blade to shift coming out of the top of the cycle, he explained that's not the case and that it's the tip of the blade flexing coming out of the arc that gives that effect.

 

[Robert Prior]

Am I not allowed to fly over farmland?

You are allowed to fly over, but you must obey all applicable laws.

Bill 156, for example, makes it an offence to interfere with a farm animal*, and of course the usual rights to privacy and peaceful enjoyment of property apply too.

I've got some lovely photos I've taken near Claremont, but there's a couple of farms I'm avoiding because they have animals, and I know how skittish they can be. I'd love a picture with the cows or sheep as more than dots, but not at the cost of spooking them. I'm not worried about the law, I just don't want to interfere with someone's livelihood — being a small farmer is hard work, and they don't need a city-slicker making it harder. Some animals are placid, some are high-strung, so I want the farmer's permission before flying close. At 100 m I'm not worried, but I'm not flying 5-10 m above a herd without asking first.


*The purpose of the bill is to stop animal rights campaigners from going undercover to gather information on mistreated animals, but as written it also includes things like giving an animal in a stalled transport truck water ('interacting' is 'interfering') so a drone spooking animals could also be construed as interfering. And as my friend the lawyer points out, ending up in court is expensive even if you are found not guilty.

 

[Herongate]

You are allowed to fly over, but you must obey all applicable laws.

Bill 156, for example, makes it an offence to interfere with a farm animal*, and of course the usual rights to privacy and peaceful enjoyment of property apply too.

I've got some lovely photos I've taken near Claremont, but there's a couple of farms I'm avoiding because they have animals, and I know how skittish they can be. I'd love a picture with the cows or sheep as more than dots, but not at the cost of spooking them. I'm not worried about the law, I just don't want to interfere with someone's livelihood — being a small farmer is hard work, and they don't need a city-slicker making it harder. Some animals are placid, some are high-strung, so I want the farmer's permission before flying close. At 100 m I'm not worried, but I'm not flying 5-10 m above a herd without asking first.


*The purpose of the bill is to stop animal rights campaigners from going undercover to gather information on mistreated animals, but as written it also includes things like giving an animal in a stalled transport truck water ('interacting' is 'interfering') so a drone spooking animals could also be construed as interfering. And as my friend the lawyer points out, ending up in court is expensive even if you are found not guilty.

Thanks @Robert Prior ! That is reassuring. I would not want to bother animals either or fly too close. I took some drone photos recently of a combine in a field harvesting corn. I would hope that it was ok to do so. I don't know how high up I was. I guess I would get that info by looking at the flight log for that day?

 

[Melvoid]

Wow! I did not know that @Flying Shroppie ! So you are saying that a turbine (windmill) that appears to be turning very slowly from where I stand, is in fact going very fast at the tips of the blades???

Yes. Figure the distance of one revolution at the tip of a blade. Then time it to see how long it takes. Someone might want to check my math, but I tried once. A 75' blade means about a 150' diameter. Circumference is 471'. Might take 3 or 4 seconds to complete one rev. 3 seconds = 157(or so) feet per second. If I'm close, that's 107mph or so at the tip. Now, I'm not sure what the rpm is at a given wind speed, so I'm only going by rpm. I'm sure in a higher wind you could get some impressive numbers; but then you might not want to fly too close to moving objects in a higher wind.

 

[Herongate]

Yes. Figure the distance of one revolution at the tip of a blade. Then time it to see how long it takes. Someone might want to check my math, but I tried once. A 75' blade means about a 150' diameter. Circumference is 471'. Might take 3 or 4 seconds to complete one rev. 3 seconds = 157(or so) feet per second. If I'm close, that's 107mph or so at the tip. Now, I'm not sure what the rpm is at a given wind speed, so I'm only going by rpm. I'm sure in a higher wind you could get some impressive numbers; but then you might not want to fly too close to moving objects in a higher wind.

Thanks @Melvoid ! I guess my math and physics courses have left the premises of my brain! I will thread very carefully if and when I decide to go photograph those turbines !

 

[baddog]

Hello,
i am a new drone pilot. i have a DJI mini4pro. I plan to fly around Turbine windmills and I was wondering if that can be dangerous in terms of possible magnetic fields interference or something else I don’t know about. I wouldn’t want the drone to flyaway or get fried.
What should I be mindful of, besides not getting to close to the blades !! ?
thank you in advance for your advice.

The problem with flying around wind turbine farms is not so much the electrical interference.

Where do they usually install wind turbines, windy places... and since you mentioned a Mini 4 Pro, you are a very light drone and prone to be much less stable in windy conditions.

Good luck though.

 

[baddog]

The problem with flying around wind turbine farms is not so much the electrical interference.

Where do they usually install wind turbines, windy places... and since you mentioned a Mini 4 Pro, you are a very light drone and prone to be much less stable in windy conditions.

Good luck though.

 

[Robert Prior]

Thanks @Melvoid ! I guess my math and physics courses have left the premises of my brain! I will thread very carefully if and when I decide to go photograph those turbines !

To refresh your scientific memory, here's some papers:

ShieldSquare Captcha

Dissipation of Turbulence in the Wake of a Wind Turbine - Boundary-Layer Meteorology

The wake of a wind turbine is characterized by increased turbulence and decreased wind speed. Turbines are generally deployed in large groups in wind farms, and so the behaviour of an individual wake as it merges with other wakes and propagates downwind is critical in assessing wind-farm power...

link.springer.com

Wake Effect Model - WAsP

www.wasp.dk

I'll admit it's been decades since I've done the kind of maths in these papers (I'm so rusty my brain has seized) but have at it!

What I could glean is that wake effects and turbulence are significant both upstream and downstream of the rotors, and are measurable several diameters downstream. So my takeaway is to be very cautious and keep an eye on the attitude indicator on your controller for clues as to what your drone is experiencing.

 

[DARKSeifer]

Wind turbine generators are placed in windy areas... and that will be your main concern there, specially with a <250g drone.

 

[Dmcvey]

I've flown around them too. I keep my distance and don't try to do anything fancy like flying through or between the blades. I've heard - this is rumor to me - that hitting one of the blades could cost you a lot for a follow-up inspection. The only other concern is whether or not you're on private property when doing so. All that said, it should make for some cool shots.

https://youtu.be/TKAu2GwtZcM

Drone helicopter collision in Florida resulting in dent and scratches to one rotor blade. Reportedly $60,000 in damage.

 

[jccvk2106]

Thanks for the info @Melvoid . I would definitely not try to do anything crazy like flying between blades. right now, i want to do still photography because that is what I am used to. But your point about private property is interesting. These turbines are on medium size farm properties. Am I not allowed to fly over farmland? As a photographer I can stand on the side of the road and photograph the turbines, so am i not allowed to take photos from above? I am asking the question in all naivety because I am new at this and learning every day what is allowed and not allowed. I do want to abide by the rules.

I have 3 wind turbine my loc , law of the land in germany no nearer then 100meters , only 107 doing inspection . just be safe ask farmer if can fly over his land , can use wind turbine for quick shot , I use goggle earth as has a tape measure , point A to B . if inot sure most turbine are marked on maps with height as well 120 meter, unlesss special permission

 

[Herongate]

I have 3 wind turbine my loc , law of the land in germany no nearer then 100meters , only 107 doing inspection . just be safe ask farmer if can fly over his land , can use wind turbine for quick shot , I use goggle earth as has a tape measure , point A to B . if inot sure most turbine are marked on maps with height as well 120 meter, unlesss special permission

Thank you @jccvk2106 for your suggestion about using Google map.

 

[T'Jingles]

Thanks for the info @WanderLost .

The 550 RTH is good to clear the windmill. But isn't the drone in violation as soon as it clears the windmill?