flying in the UK covid update

[old man mavic]

this announcement is really only applicable to those of us who fly in the UK
the government has announced changes to the lockdown ,which means that people can go any distance from home, to exercise, or take part in an outdoor pastimes, as long as they practice the two meter rule on social distancing
at this moment in time these changes only apply to people living in England,and do not apply in Wales ,Scotland or Northern Ireland,just wanted to get that clarification out to dispel any misunderstanding
but of course this could be changed in the coming days

 

[Kneller]

As good as this is for us flyers, I can't see this being good in the long run. Most people are sensible but people will abuse this just like they have everything else. Lockdown shouldn't have been eased yet in my opinion!

 

[Kernow666]

My mini arrived today , I went out this afternoon to scope flying spots which form part of my daily exercise walk

Will hopefully be flying by the end of the week as can go out for more than my usual 1hr

 

[zocalo]

I agree with Kneller. This is probably too soon, and too confusing if we're going to avoid people dying as a result. I fully expect to see photos of the English national parks, beaches, and other common spaces, especially the more popular locations, all crowded with people dominating the front pages by this weekend (the new rules don't come effect until Wednesday).

We are supposedly a few weeks behind the curve of other European countries, and various US states and Asian countries are lifting their lockdowns too. For the sake of those few more weeks I think it would have been *much* better for us to wait and see what worked and - more importantly - what doesn't work, rather than joining in the rush to use our population as lab rats. I've seen multiple sources claiming that Germany's R value has gone back above 1 and they are considering going back into lockdown, for instance. Just *say* that's the reason why we're waiting at bit longer, and I most people would understand and accept the light at the end of the tunnel it presents quite happily, I think.

I get that people are getting increasingly fed up with lockdown, as evidenced by the growing number of people pushing the boundaries further and further, putting themselves and others at risk in the process, but that's also the crux of the problem. Lifting, and then re-enforcing a lockdown is going to be about the most demoralising thing a government can do, and that seems all but inevitable if people are not sensible about this. I'd like to hope it'll go well, but the photos of crowds in parks - e.g. Hackney - over the weekend and before the new measures were even announced don't exactly fill me with confidence.

Either way, I'm going to be continuing to stay at home as much as possible (next weekend especially!), and I'm also going to continue to abstain from flying my aircraft, no matter how frustrating that is given the wonderfully un-British weather we've been having of late.

 

[Lurch003]

Think you've just got to use common sense- All I see is the minority pictured in the papers overcrowding beaches and parks- our local tip opened yesterday and basically gridlocked the inductrial estate it's on with half mile queues from half hour before opening for the rest of the day. Hardly any was essential, but the response was "got nothing better to do!" B&Q has been flat out for the past week with queues out into the road!
Yet Yougov surveys show that the majority are still obeying (if that is the right word) and want the lockdown to continue as they're worried about returning to normality too early- suppose the balance of the economy is taking hold, or maybe they're looking at how other countries have handled it and adapting???
I don't know, I'm no expert. Maybe we've been lucky in Dorset as it's quite rural and not as busy as some counties but watching news reports and looking outside my own window doesn't appear to be the same world!
If you're maintaining social distancing and not taking the pish, I don't see a problem. We're not going to have a vaccine anytime soon and can't stay locked down forever... Just my opinion of course

 

[old man mavic]

while it would have been great foe me to have been able to drive a short distance to fly my drones
i think that what @Lurch003 described in his post #5 is going to be repeated all over England in the coming days
and in the end the existing rules will be reinstated, because people have gone overboard

 

[Physopto]

At present we are awaiting the uproar that no doubt will ensue shortly because of a slight change in our governments policies, allowing some more freedom and a partial return to work for those able to do so safely. The media are going on all the time making the most out of the populations bad luck. Wall to wall coverage. All it realy does is to install fear in many and loathing in others. The BBC seem to have realised this recently and have started reporting some happy stories.

Along with my wife we are keeping our heads down and away from idiots. I am just coming up to 70 and would like to see 80 or more along with my wife. The message over here is quite plain to me Be Sensible don't be a plonker!

It would be nice to go out some where away from people and fly the drone, but I can see many people flocking out to the only spots suitable. So I will wait and see how things go. I am looking at on line courses on drone training to fill my time, who knows

 

[Lurch003]

It would be nice to go out some where away from people and fly the drone, but I can see many people flocking out to the only spots suitable. So I will wait and see how things go. I am looking at on line courses on drone training to fill my time, who knows

Haven't tried it yet, but I bought the game DCL (pc, playstation, xbox etc). It's predominently a racing FPV kinda game with real life championships and all that but it also has a GPS mode that allows you to fly DJI style. Hoping to give it a go later but if it's any good, I'll be practising orbits and sweeping video shots.
Plus, I can train my nephews on it before I let them loose with the drone

 

[Lurch003]

while it would have been great foe me to have been able to drive a short distance to fly my drones
i think that what @Lurch003 described in his post #5 is going to be repeated all over England in the coming days
and in the end the existing rules will be reinstated, because people have gone overboard

If you're not causing a nuisance, and maintaining safe social distancing @old man mavic , go for it. Obviously if you feel unsafe or large crowds appear, call it a day?
The lockdown rules aren't black or white and cannot cover everything... as Boris showed this week, they're open to a lot of interpretation. You're legal, but if you can't justify it to yourself ethically and morally, don't!

 

[old man mavic]

If you're not causing a nuisance, and maintaining safe social distancing @old man mavic , go for it. Obviously if you feel unsafe or large crowds appear, call it a day?
The lockdown rules aren't black or white and cannot cover everything... as Boris showed this week, they're open to a lot of interpretation. You're legal, but if you can't justify it to yourself ethically and morally, don't!

if only it was as easy as that my friend ,the rules in wales where i live are different to England,here we are not allowed to make a journey to exercise ,we can only go for a walk cycle or run from our home local to our home and ending back at our home ,and only twice a day ,when the lockdown was first introduced i contacted the local police, and asked if it was ok to go for a short drive ,to open countryside near me and then fly my drone away from others ,which is what i was doing before the virus, they advised me that ,the journey was not classed as ascencial and i would be contravening the law and would be fined if caught,i have a disability parking badge because of my health issues ,so i cannot walk far ,i will just have to wait till the current restrictions are changed to match those in England then i will be able to fly again,

 

[Lurch003]

if only it was as easy as that my friend ,the rules in wales where i live are different to England,here we are not allowed to make a journey to exercise ,we can only go for a walk cycle or run from our home local to our home and ending back at our home ,and only twice a day ,when the lockdown was first introduced i contacted the local police, and asked if it was ok to go for a short drive ,to open countryside near me and then fly my drone away from others ,which is what i was doing before the virus, they advised me that ,the journey was not classed as ascencial and i would be contravening the law and would be fined if caught,i have a disability parking badge because of my health issues ,so i cannot walk far ,i will just have to wait till the current restrictions are changed to match those in England then i will be able to fly again,

Sorry @old man mavic, I didn't realise you were in Wales. Weird how we're not currently a UNITED kingdom

 

[old man mavic]

my sentiments exactly it is fine to have devolved government ,i have no issue with that in normal times
but the fact that the rest of the UK apart from England are doing things different to each other is just adding to the confusion and uncertainty

 

[zocalo]

my sentiments exactly it is fine to have devolved government ,i have no issue with that in normal times
but the fact that the rest of the UK apart from England are doing things different to each other is just adding to the confusion and uncertainty

+1. I was absolutely flabbergasted when it became clear that all four regions were going to be going off in different directions going forwards. Confusion about what can and can't be done is definitely not what is required at this point. As you say, for regional - devolved - matters it's fine, and usually beneficial since local government should be more in touch with local needs, but for THIS? Westminster plowing ahead when they clearly didn't have buy-in from the other three governments is not just confusing, but seems reckless in the extreme. I can't imagine how confusing this must be for people outside the UK given how few seem to comprehend the difference between England, GB, and UK. As an aside, I've noticed that the daily COBR briefing slides have sometimes used GB/UK incorrectly, so even our own government can't get it right!

To get back on topic though, one thing I did think *was* clear was that people in England are now free to engage in whatever outdoor hobbies like walking, fishing, visiting parks, and so on they like - provided that they can socially distance while doing it. If someone can sit on a canal or river bank and fish or have a picnic in a park, then surely someone can fly a drone, should they wish to? If you're adhering to the Drone Code then no one should be near you anyway, and if anything social distancing should help keep curious onlookers away so you can concentrate on your flying.

Even so, I'm still not planning on going out this weekend, let alone with my drone. There's no way all the public spaces in England are not going to be packed, especially the more scenic ones, so you're not only going to be rolling the dice with Covid-19 but almost certainly with a breach of the Drone Code as well. Not worth it on either count. Maybe once things settle down a bit I'll pop out and do a few dawn shoots while most sensible people are still in bed though...

 

[Andy Mac 230]

Is it possibly the fact that the un United Kingdom ie not England are politically led by non conservative parties Who actually are using this as a political lever against Westminster. If BJ and his advisors get it wrong they will have done good by saving their own constituents lives. Thus leading to more I told you so and the nice unbiased media having yet another field day. Surely in this time of a pandemic they should all be singing from the same song sheet and working together.....not sniping at the first opportunity..correct me if I’m wrong but your political beliefs are not normally on your headstone. Personally I think it’s a bit too early because as we have seen there are a lot of plonkers out there who flaunt the guidelines, can’t apply common sense, and now have even more flexibility to do so, because “where is it written down that we can’t do this”
Sorry rant over!

 

[gnirtS]

Its all politics - deliberately doing something differently just to remind people they're present and pretend to be relevant.

If Boris said something would open on Tuesday, Cardiff Bay would say Wednesday just to make a point. Same in Scotland with Sturgeon getting a confidential cabinet briefing then going to press conference 30 mins before the main one to get the jump on it.

Theres no way you're going to get consensus among the devolved governments because its conservative main vs labour/nats elsewhere. They'll always use it to politically point score.

If Boris says its safe to come out they'll say the opposite. If Boris says stay indoors they'll say its safe to come out.

If i decide to return to Wales in the next few weeks im quite luckily in that im about 20-30 mins drive from the border so provided i can sneak out to England for the day i can escape house arrest. There are enough quiet roads the chances of getting caught are slim.
Anyone living further west is likely not that lucky and cant do that.

 

[deltamike]

Irrespective of what the government say I am staying in voluntary lock-down until further notice. Common sense tells me this. I think BoJo is lifting the restrictions too soon but time will tell, but Singapore found out the hard way.

 

[old man mavic]

Irrespective of what the government say I am staying in voluntary lock-down until further notice. Common sense tells me this. I think BoJo is lifting the restrictions too soon but time will tell, but Singapore found out the hard way.

the choice you have made is fine, and just because you could now drive to fly your drone ,you have made a decision not to,
all i am wanting is to have the same choice you have,i have no desire to increase my chances of infection after spending 6 weeks plus at home

 

[deltamike]

I am fortunate that I have a large area on my property to fly and have had perhaps 15 flights in the past week mainly with trialing camera settings. The flights are generally up to 200 feet and then a pan. I am going to make a video for U tube in which I simplify camera settings for shooting video.

There are so many camera settings so I am trying to find the best simple settings that give a provide good quality video. Watching U tube videos on camera settings I am trying to sort the chaff from the rest plus the fact that my Pinnacle editing software does not like codex H265 and D-log M. Maybe time for a change perhaps but from what I have seen the rest of the editing software is more expensive.

 

[zocalo]

the choice you have made is fine, and just because you could now drive to fly your drone ,you have made a decision not to,
all i am wanting is to have the same choice you have,i have no desire to increase my chances of infection after spending 6 weeks plus at home

That's gotta suck not having the freedom to decide, but even when you do have it take care and choose wisely.

Statistically I'll probably be OK going out and about, but that's clearly not guaranteed and, since I am going out for shopping and to support parents, there's also the possiblilty that I'm currently asymptomatic and could infect others, which is the big black cloud behind the silver lining of finding out you've had the disease and didn't notice. I'd like much more data on how widespread this is and what actual infection rates including asymptomatic cases are, e.g. like that from the on-going ONS survey, so I can make a more informed decision before I start rolling those dice.

Until then, as I said above, I *might* consider doing a dawn shoot when I probably won't see another soul, or at least will be confident that I can keep well away from a limited number of others in the vicinity, but going out in the middle of the day or evening, to somewhere there will almost certainly be loads of other people around *just* for a bit of R&R? No, I don't think so.

 

[gnirtS]

Irrespective of what the government say I am staying in voluntary lock-down until further notice. Common sense tells me this. I think BoJo is lifting the restrictions too soon but time will tell, but Singapore found out the hard way.

Singapore didn't lock down. Their current mess is *entirely* because of open borders and returning migrant workers. The first wave was stopped entirely by very effective test-trace-isolate in the same way Taiwan and Korea did.
They only did a (limited) lock down after this (which is already being lifted).

(Theres also not a shred of evidence lockdown works and most models show it pretty much guarantees a second wave so its quite possibly exactly the wrong thing to do).