Flying during lockdown

[Pky]

I live 3 miles from the coast and have flown most days in between checking on relatives and shopping. I've done 3 or 4 sunrises in the last 2 weeks as well as in the afternoons. The beaches are empty except for the odd dog walkers and it's easy to stay out of the way. I've seen plenty of police passing me and not one has made any attempt to bother me. If you want to go fly just be sensible, avoid people and attention. I've found it relaxing burning through 8 batteries on my Air and Pro 2.

 

[lookout]

Are you sure? Venus is a "sunset object" not a dawn object.

Venus is both. It alternates.

 

[irpnetgb]

If you are alone you cannot infect or be infected by people directly. I go for a walk in the woods and fly. I see no one. Quarantine means isolation from others. I think this qualifies.

We are constantly being told to #StayAtHome but people like yourself think they are okay to just carry on as before, because if you are alone then it's okay?

Are you also alone at the shops? The chemists/pharmacy? The street? Do you touch things at the supermarket? Press buttons at crossings? Open doors? Touch anything else when flying your drone?

We are not in quarantine, yet. We are in lockdown. That means no going outside unless it is ESSENTIAL. (Quarantine would be complete isolation, which some people are doing but is not enforced). Sunbathing in the park is not essential, neither is flying your drone. Arguably flying your drone while you are out 'exercising', whilst not essential could be deemed as part of your exercise, but I'd like to see you justify that to a judge or a few thousand people who might die because you are out of your home. Staying indoors, or at least within the confines of your own home is the best way to make sure you and everybody else is safe.
It's not about YOU, it's about what happens if..you fall and hurt yourself and need medical attention you put others at risk...you come into contact with something that someone with COVID-19 has touched and then go and give it to anyone else you may have contact with at the shops, in the street, your neighbours or anything you touch, cough or sneeze upon.

I'm a key worker, manufacturing medicines for children with leukaemia and adults with sickle cell. The products go worldwide. My safety cannot be guaranteed because of people with your attitude. All you have to do is stay at home. You put me and any of the patients I make medicine for at risk (because they already have weakened immune systems and I could inadvertently pass it on through equipment or contact with their medicine because I have to share a queue with you at the supermarket, or use crossing buttons that you've used, or a bajillion other things you may have touched).

People need to take lockdown seriously. Look at Italy and Spain. Thats the tip of the iceberg if you do not stay indoors. Watch what happens in Africa in a few weeks time. Wait until someone you love becomes infected. Perhaps your lackadaisical approach might change then.

Finally if you don't take me seriously I'll leave you with this one final thought. This all started with one or maybe a handful of Chinese people. 620,000 people worldwide, as of today, are infected and more than 29,000 people to date have lost their lives to COVID-19. Is the message sinking in yet?

 

[kwilliam8]

Are you sure? Venus is a "sunset object" not a dawn object.

I think that the term "the Veil of Venus" is another name for "the Belt of Venus", which is an atmospheric phenomena visible shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset. See - Belt of Venus - Wikipedia

 

[Pky]

We are constantly being told to #StayAtHome but people like yourself think they are okay to just carry on as before, because if you are alone then it's okay?

Are you also alone at the shops? The chemists/pharmacy? The street? Do you touch things at the supermarket? Press buttons at crossings? Open doors? Touch anything else when flying your drone?

We are not in quarantine, yet. We are in lockdown. That means no going outside unless it is ESSENTIAL. (Quarantine would be complete isolation, which some people are doing but is not enforced). Sunbathing in the park is not essential, neither is flying your drone. Arguably flying your drone while you are out 'exercising', whilst not essential could be deemed as part of your exercise, but I'd like to see you justify that to a judge or a few thousand people who might die because you are out of your home. Staying indoors, or at least within the confines of your own home is the best way to make sure you and everybody else is safe.
It's not about YOU, it's about what happens if..you fall and hurt yourself and need medical attention you put others at risk...you come into contact with something that someone with COVID-19 has touched and then go and give it to anyone else you may have contact with at the shops, in the street, your neighbours or anything you touch, cough or sneeze upon.

I'm a key worker, manufacturing medicines for children with leukaemia and adults with sickle cell. The products go worldwide. My safety cannot be guaranteed because of people with your attitude. All you have to do is stay at home. You put me and any of the patients I make medicine for at risk (because they already have weakened immune systems and I could inadvertently pass it on through equipment or contact with their medicine because I have to share a queue with you at the supermarket, or use crossing buttons that you've used, or a bajillion other things you may have touched).

People need to take lockdown seriously. Look at Italy and Spain. Thats the tip of the iceberg if you do not stay indoors. Watch what happens in Africa in a few weeks time. Wait until someone you love becomes infected. Perhaps your lackadaisical approach might change then.

Finally if you don't take me seriously I'll leave you with this one final thought. This all started with one or maybe a handful of Chinese people. 620,000 people worldwide, as of today, are infected and more than 29,000 people to date have lost their lives to COVID-19. Is the message sinking in yet?

I actually agree with you 100%. In that context, I cannot argue with anything you said. It's easily as irresponsible going out for a run, walk (with or without a dog) and cycling to me it is anyway. I live in a rural county with isolated places close by to go and make my best judgement in that regard. To many I might be judged as irresponsible but that's an opinion I can live with.

 

[irpnetgb]

I actually agree with you 100%. In that context, I cannot argue with anything you said. It's easily as irresponsible going out for a run, walk (with or without a dog) and cycling to me it is anyway. I live in a rural county with isolated places close by to go and make my best judgement in that regard. To many I might be judged as irresponsible but that's an opinion I can live with.

I wholeheartedly agree about the run/walk/cycling. I leave my house to go to work (7 minutes by bicycle, I can't drive so it's either walk or cycle) and come back. Maybe once or twice a week I shop. Thats it. I'm staying at home because I know I will be safe there. But going to a shop and queuing outside with 'social spacing' still concerns me. It's at that point I am most vulnerable. People who do go out for non-essential things present an even greater risk when I am in those queues or sharing a supermarket with them. Hence I implore people, please please stay at home!
I should also point out, I ain't no spring chicken either. I'm in my 50's as are a majority of the team I work with (some older still, 2 younger)

 

[irpnetgb]

As highlighted on the news yesterday, the police dont actually know the law here. They've been making it up as they go along and got caught out when someone got a direct reply from the cabinet office stating the opposite of the police.

UK police use drones and roadblocks to enforce lockdown

New law empowers police to use force to send people home as confusion continues over safety guidelines

www.theguardian.com

The amount of overreach they've used in this in such a short space of time is scary - it proves they really need checks and balances because left to their own devices they rapidly evolve into a restrictive, arbitrary, petty service.

Google the Derbyshire police drone unit twitter feed as one good example, spend all day doing no useful police work but flying a drone over the empty peak district and the few people they found were all miles from anyone else, obeying all the rules and still got put onto a public shaming video uploaded to twitter. Its quite chilling that these people were obeying all the rules and laws and yet the police thought the best use of resources wasn't stopping groups of kids in parks and bridges or catching up on the alleged huge backlog of work they have, it was the easy targets of law abiding people.

Another force now has an online portal for reporting your neighbours for breaking rules.

Ultimately its FAR safer from a infection risk to drive a few miles to the middle of nowhere than it is to walk from your house where there'll be a lot more people all doing the same.

Last night the government changed the advice to "stay local if possible" but the above incidents were before then.
So don't assume the police (i) know the rules or (ii) will act in good faith. They've been shown to be incapable of it (and that should be remembered when this is all over).

It's FAR safer to stay indoors!!!!!!!!!!! It's not about being safe for YOU! It's about being safe for everyone else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[irpnetgb]

Well it is not against the law to drive and the police cannot stop you for just driving that would require marshal law however this is a very serious problem we are involved in right now so the best practice is not only stay away from people but stay away from things people touch. Going out for a walk or hike in the woods is perfect along with driving out to some desolate scenic spot and doing a drone video. I am going out next time the sun shines and do just that however i do it by motorcycle so I guess that is better?

And if you crash your motorcycle? You'll put many lives at risk..but hey so long as you can enjoy your drone flights right? It's this kind of dumb logic that has caused over 640,000 people worldwide to get the virus and 30,000 deaths.

 

[irpnetgb]

I live 3 miles from the coast and have flown most days in between checking on relatives and shopping. I've done 3 or 4 sunrises in the last 2 weeks as well as in the afternoons. The beaches are empty except for the odd dog walkers and it's easy to stay out of the way. I've seen plenty of police passing me and not one has made any attempt to bother me. If you want to go fly just be sensible, avoid people and attention. I've found it relaxing burning through 8 batteries on my Air and Pro 2.

I'm so glad I'm not your relative and don't have to share a shop with you! I feel for those that do. But so long as you can fly your drone, because thats far more important than saving lives right? You just don't get it do you.

 

[twoheadlines]

".... Well it is not against the law to drive and the police cannot stop you for just driving that would require marshal law ... I am going out next time the sun shines and do just that however i do it by motorcycle so I guess that is better? ...."

Marshall law is being enforced in some areas of the world now, in all but name. Compulsory quarantine is being considered by NYC authorities - how will that be enforced?
Does everything to do with trying to suppress the effects of COVID-19, anywhere in the world, have to be enforced at the point of a gun?
( Mod Removed Comment)
If, as the writer of the words I have italicised above suggests he comes from the US, why, why, why not take a minute to look at a situation which is fast becoming out of control in your own country, and then take a second to say: "no, I'm not going to ride into the woods today, (and for a while yet) to fly my UAV, because at the moment that might not be a better choice for my neighbour.

Happy and safe flying ?

 

[KanjaniAir]

I have been lucky here on the outskirts of the Lake District, I have to take the dog for a walk so I take both the dog and the drone for a walk.

Nice!! Great idea!!

 

[Pky]

I'm so glad I'm not your relative and don't have to share a shop with you! I feel for those that do. But so long as you can fly your drone, because thats far more important than saving lives right? You just don't get it do you.

Do you leave your house? Do you go for a walk? If so, you're a risk. I'm guessing if you do, you stay away from people. If the path Infront of you was crowded, you'd turn the other way. You're a responsible person. I don't doubt it.

Everyone should stay at home 100%. If you leave your home, you should only do so for the prescribed reasons. This is serious and we need to stop it spreading and we do that by distancing ourselves. Every person must do that or more die. Stone cold I get it.

 

[irpnetgb]

Do you leave your house? Do you go for a walk? If so, you're a risk. I'm guessing if you do, you stay away from people. If the path Infront of you was crowded, you'd turn the other way. You're a responsible person. I don't doubt it.

Everyone should stay at home 100%. If you leave your home, you should only do so for the prescribed reasons. This is serious and we need to stop it spreading and we do that by distancing ourselves. Every person must do that or more die. Stone cold I get it.

My point exactly! I HAVE to leave home because I'm a key worker, as stated in one of my other replies. But if other people choose to be careless, they put me at risk. This I cannot avoid. I need to go work and I need to shop. NOT GO SOMEWHERE TO FLY A DRONE, ALONE OR NOT!!!

 

[irpnetgb]

As all flights back to the UK I had booked have been cancelled i am obliged to self isolate in the foothills of the pyrenees in my 16 acre garden. Nobody can truly confirm what i can and cant do, I am 2.5km up a minor cul de sac, so far no sign of a gendarme roadside check.
Reading the "allowed activities" outside form rules I probably can only wander in the garden for an hour a day"!!
Luckily I can launch from a velux window in my attic room so almost unlimited fly time.

In the UK you are free to remain within teh confines of your property, that would include the garden regardless that it may be a 6 feet square or 6 acres square.

 

[irpnetgb]

I think the fact we are even having a debate or discussion about this shows that human beings are lemmings.
Conspiracy theories aside, the police and emergency workers are doing their best to help you survive. If you choose to be an idiot because you think you are 'special', or it's marshal law and you don't like that or you think the police are trying to power grab or the government (PM or President) is an *** etc etc then I hope for your sake none of your family catch it.

There is a virus that has so far killed 30,000 people and has 650,000 cases worldwide. If you or your loved ones get exposed you or they could die. You know, like the zombie apocalypse portrayed in many films, except you are not the hero who will survive and this is real life. Simple enough to understand?
Essential journeys only. Go to the supermarket for essential items, get medicines from the pharmacy and if like me you are a key worker, go work. That is it! Stay home. Thats all you have to do to survive.
Is it really so hard to understand?
This is why there are 650,000 cases and 30,000 people dead! A minority think they can do what they like. A virus only needs a minority to spread. Some of those 30,000 people probably thought they were special like you too. If you get COVID-19 in the UK and get placed in ICU, your survival chances are 50%. (Probably similar around the rest of the world, but I don't factually know that).

Please do not go droning if your country is in lockdown, except from your garden or within the confines of your property.

Rant mostly over.

 

[Drgnfli]

I've flown out of garden over fields to maintain currency but agree that travelling to fly would be frowned upon..it's not essential.☹

"Travel" is allowed in my part of AZ! It is "recommended" not to "bunch" up with 10 or more folks. Folks are going to National Forests & parks & target shooting & driving 4wheelers, etc, etc.

 

[gnirtS]

It's FAR safer to stay indoors!!!!!!!!!!! It's not about being safe for YOU! It's about being safe for everyone else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most accidents happen in the home. You are also allowed out to exercise. Where you could hurt yourself. Or go shopping, where you could hurt yourself.

Ultimately, you're way less likely to infect or catch a virus on a hillside with no person within half a mile than you are an enforced walk around the local streets with other people.

Given the government has no plan on how to end this (borders remain fully open bringing in potentially hundreds of new seed cases a day, arrivals aren't tested, screened, isolated or monitored and are free to use public transport etc and they're ignoring the WHO testing mantra) its going to go on a long time. SIGNIFICANTLY longer than most other countries. So lockdowns can last months, when lifted cases will spike and they do it again and again.
Thats a problem - you can ask people to put their lives on hold and live in poverty for a while once. But you cant keep doing it forever and cant repeatedly keep doing it.

Lots of people dont have gardens either. Ultimately shutting someone indoors for months on end with no sunlight, no exercise is going to have worse problems for mental and physical health than allowing them to go for a lonely walk on the beach.

People are more compliant with sensible freedoms. Wandering around a deserted moorland or beach would fit into that category.

The whole key-worker definition is ludicrous. Way over 80% of those listed shouldn't be on there. A huge amount of politics rather than science went into those lists.

I do agree flying a drone is not needed at all. However if the only exercise you do is go and stand in a field for an hour then i cant see how it does any harm either. The police will likely stop it though as currently they have little work to do and are enjoying the massive power trip. It gives them a break from persecuting people about Twitter posts.

 

[Andrex]

Luckily I have a garden which is, at its furthest point, 150 m from my house and other buildings, and I live on the edge of the countryside so I can take off and fly from there.

However, I won't be travelling anywhere other than my locality to fly, not because of anything to do with the act of flying the drone, but because travelling away from home increases the risks (i.e. RTA) and thus the potential risk and load on the health service, however unlikely.

I don't see any particular problem if I was to go for a run or cycle on my daily exercise, and fly for 5-10 minutes in open countryside away from anyone else. I guess if the drone went down over land with poor access, and I tried to retrieve it and put myself at risk doing so, then it could be considered increased risk in line with the driving element, but it's not only unlikely, but also a separate 'dynamic risk assessment' could be made as to whether to even bother retrieving the drone at that time anyway.

In short, don't travel anywhere to fly a drone at the moment. If anything, the landscape will look better in 3-4 weeks' time anyway as trees enter full leaf and we move closer to summer.

 

[gnirtS]

Given the state of the roads and pavements in a lot of UK towns id argue there's much more risk of an RTA or breaking your ankle in urban areas than going somewhere quieter...

 

[Vinny0418]

The main problem is complying with the drone code.
Most people live in towns so the rules about distance from people and not over congested areas would apply.
Also the visual line of sight is hard in towns.

So nothing different. You cant leave your house to do it - its non essential.

Its worth noting that some police forces are becoming VERY petty about people outdoors, even miles from any other people going for a walk so id expect them to clamp down on drones just because (i) they can and (ii) they're bored.
Speed camera revenue is down, routine police work has basically stopped so most are just sat on their arses or wandering around with nothing really to do.

The police in the peak district, clearly with nothing productive to do any more, released a "shame" drone video of people walking in the area, miles from other people, nobody in groups over 2, doing no harm at all. But they still wasted time and resources filming then releasing this video.

As a UK Police officer I can assure you we are not (Removed by moderator) doing nothing. We are still going to domestic incidents where people are putting us at risk of being infected. Unlike everyone else who are at home isolating and avoiding the risks we don't get the opportunity. The government have introduced the strict policy of people staying indoors to prevent this disease spreading and killing people. You may think we are being petty by enforcing it but I like many others want the Coronavirus to do one sooner rather than later.