flying over farmers fields??

[4wd]

I am a farmer who has flown drones in my fields. My horses ignored it completely, my sheep as most sheep will run from any thing different, they did but not in a panic and stopped running with the drone still in sight. I reckon hill farmers could well make a drone a very effective tool for farmers. I haven't got cattle but they are more laid back than sheep.
.

I'm a farmer too, this is not good advice.
Horses are nervous animal "much given to flight" and could easily be started running with unpredictable results.
Similarly cattle - they have a herd mentality and one or two playfully jumping about *looking at it* can soon turn into stampede-like galloping with most of them not having a clue what the 'danger' is.
Cattle breeds vary considerably and some Suckler types such as Limousins can be very wild indeed.

 

[UAV Man]

Just ask....

 

[Digata]

Just ask....

and keep a sensible height its all about safety no matter where you fly

 

[murmur70]

I'm a farmer too, this is not good advice.
Horses are nervous animal "much given to flight" and could easily be started running with unpredictable results.
Similarly cattle - they have a herd mentality and one or two playfully jumping about *looking at it* can soon turn into stampede-like galloping with most of them not having a clue what the 'danger' is.
Cattle breeds vary considerably and some Suckler types such as Limousins can be very wild indeed.

With horses, much depends on the breed. Quarter Horse show are very calm animals. Morgan's and Arabians not so much. I would certainly recommend caution around animals but they really shouldn't react any different than they would to a bird. As long as you are high enough and not "buzzing" them you should be fine.

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[murmur70]

Stupid auto correct. Should have been quarter horses not quarter horse sho

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[RaidPW]

While I think it's important to know your rights, it's also important to know which battles to fight. I'm not saying you would do this, Marky153, but allow me to use this scenario as an example.

You go back and fly over the farmer's property again, safe in the knowledge that you are legally allowed to. The farmer shoots down your drone. Sure, you can take him to court and perhaps get full compensation, and the farmer could have his shotgun license revoked. You don't gain anything from being right in this scenario.

Some suggest you go and ask the local police for advice. I'd be willing to bet that the police would tell you not to fly over the farmer's land, regardless of whether you're in the right or not. It's a question of respect - unless you have a very good reason to be flying over that bit of land (if there's a publicly accessible landmark etc.), there's no reason to antagonise someone, especially given that there seem to be a hundred other places to fly within walking distance.

 

[Fishstiq]

While I think it's important to know your rights, it's also important to know which battles to fight. I'm not saying you would do this, Marky153, but allow me to use this scenario as an example.

You go back and fly over the farmer's property again, safe in the knowledge that you are legally allowed to. The farmer shoots down your drone. Sure, you can take him to court and perhaps get full compensation, and the farmer could have his shotgun license revoked. You don't gain anything from being right in this scenario.

Some suggest you go and ask the local police for advice. I'd be willing to bet that the police would tell you not to fly over the farmer's land, regardless of whether you're in the right or not. It's a question of respect - unless you have a very good reason to be flying over that bit of land (if there's a publicly accessible landmark etc.), there's no reason to antagonise someone, especially given that there seem to be a hundred other places to fly within walking distance.

IMO, this is the best way to look at this scenario.

If I were in the OP's shoes, I would see 2 possible options going forward. 1, find somewhere else to fly and let it go, since there's really no good outcome for anyone in fighting this fight. 2, calmly and politely talk to the land owner, take the time to really listen to his concerns, and offer to either show him about the drone or maybe take some aerial shots of his place as a gesture of goodwill. Some mutual respect and positive word of mouth could be a good investment for the drone community as a whole, and could also net you some new access to places to fly that are normally off limits to folks.

 

[RaidPW]

Some mutual respect and positive word of mouth could be a good investment for the drone community as a whole, and could also net you some new access to places to fly that are normally off limits to folks.

It would depend on the circumstances that OP found themselves in, but I suspect that someone threatening to shoot the drone with a shotgun is not going to be quite as open to discussion as you'd like. I'm not sure I'd like to stick around someone threatening anything with a shotgun.

 

[UAV Man]

I think the point is ask before.... check for NFZ check for people, check, check..... then check some more.

 

[Fishstiq]

It would depend on the circumstances that OP found themselves in, but I suspect that someone threatening to shoot the drone with a shotgun is not going to be quite as open to discussion as you'd like. I'm not sure I'd like to stick around someone threatening anything with a shotgun.

I don't disagree with you. It could have been an idle threat

It would depend on the circumstances that OP found themselves in, but I suspect that someone threatening to shoot the drone with a shotgun is not going to be quite as open to discussion as you'd like. I'm not sure I'd like to stick around someone threatening anything with a shotgun.

I don't disagree. Could be an idle threat ("talk to my gf again and I'll kill you!"), Could be legit. It's an option though.

 

[dam]

Farmers carrying guns and that too in the UK..??? Wow.. especially as most coppers dont over there. This is preposterous !!

 

[erkme73]

Another thing to help understand crop farmers' paranoia - there is huge legal intimidation being applied to farmers who refuse to use (or use sparingly) seed that has been produced (genetically modified) by Monsanto (and the like). There are several documentaries that highlight the methods and tactics used by the seed provider to trap farmers. If so much as a single crop item is found to contain DNA from their seeds (even if it was through unintentional and unstoppable cross-pollination from a neighboring farm), they are sued and often lose their farms.

Thus, having a drone over their fields may well cause anxiety for reasons we (non-farmers) could never appreciate.

 

[UAV Man]

Farmers carrying guns and that too in the UK..??? Wow.. especially as most coppers dont over there. This is preposterous !!

Yeah about the only firearm about in the wilds of the UK.... Crazy old farmers roaming the country side drinking home brew cider with 1850 blunderbuss's.. Make short work of a drone with a hand full of nuts and bolts...

 

[RaidPW]

Farmers carrying guns and that too in the UK..??? Wow.. especially as most coppers dont over there. This is preposterous !!

There are legitimate reasons for farmers to own and use shotguns, and it's extremely easy for law enforcement to revoke a licence for any infractions. They're not a protected right like in the US.

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[Roadrash]

Right i too hold a shotgun certificate and a firearms certificate he should no way have threatened to use any weapon at all full stop .
He knows the rules he also knows the rules that he too should not be anywhere near a footpath with a loaded firearm .
Call the local police on 101 and ask for firearms licensing unit
He is not of sound mind to hold a firearm if he's going to make those sort of threats .
Makes me sick
Phil

 

[UAV Man]

Are we really dwelling on the threat to bear arms or forgetting the invasion of privacy.... I can guarantee if WE ie. considerate pilots do not start respecting other peoples rights we WILL lose ours to fly. No question!! You DO NOT have the right to fly where and when you want to. Image you have a daughter sunbathing and some idiot flies over with a drone.... Or trying to enjoy a peaceful afternoon in the garden....

Come on people, start respecting man....

 

[RaidPW]

Agreed. This hobby so far has escaped overly-harsh regulation in the UK, let's not provoke our wonderful government into addressing that.

 

[UAV Man]

Agreed. This hobby so far has escaped overly-harsh regulation in the UK, let's not provoke our wonderful government into addressing that.

... and they'll approach it in the normal knee jerk uneducated fashion! By banning everything to please the majority ie. the joe public who doesn't share our joy of looking down on the world.

 

[TheLightSpeed!]

I had a guy here in Arizona (everyone has guns) threaten to shoot my P4 down once. I landed it and went over to him and asked him why he shouted that at me? He said the normal "spying" and "privacy" stuff. I asked him if he would come over and see the drone, look at the screen so he could see that we don't have telephoto lenses. Most people's details are concealed at a similar level as a aircraft flying overhead.

I think it's really teaching the public they have nothing to be scared of.


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[Will Vardy]

Farmers carrying guns and that too in the UK..??? Wow.. especially as most coppers dont over there. This is preposterous !!

We have a pretty good system to be fair. Youd be surprised just how many guns are in civilian hands it's just we don't make a big deal of it. Also general Bobbys don't carry but a firearms crew is never very far away. Start threatening someone with even a knife and you'll be staring at the muzzle of a g36 in no time