Is flying a drone overseas worth it?
I’m in my 4 th year as a 107 qualified remote pilot and I just returned from a month outside of the US.
A few years ago, as a photographer with over 60 years’ experience, I decided I needed a new perspective for some of my images. So, I decided to get a drone.
So, we had scheduled a month abroad to visit our daughter in the UK, take a river cruise in the south of France and top it off with a Nile cruise in Egypt.
I had done some research in 2022 when we started planning these adventures and found flying in the UK and EU wasn’t a big deal for recreational flyers. With the rules similar to the US . So I purchased my Mini 2 to stay under 250 grams and have the most latitude and general ability to fly.
A month before our trip I reviewed my research and found most everything has changed in the UK and EU. In both jurisdictions drones and operators had to be registered with the authorities. In some cases the pilots also had to be registered. Most of the rules are the similar to the US, but there are some that are very different like no night flying and distances from people.
In both the UK & EU there were fees and test to get your numbers that needed to be affixed. The test and Course were different but not much. The good news if you are 107 Qualified you can take the test without taking the course and pass. I t is taken in sections, and you can review like a open book and fortunately no aviation skills needed. . In my case it was France through a app called Alpha Tango I took the required test through them (83out of 100) …I think it cost me 20 British Pounds UK for registration. The EU cost was different depending on which country you registered in. You can generally avoid registration if you have a sub 250 grm drone………. without a camera. Lots of those around (lol).
As a visitor you are supposed to register in the first country you enter. In my case it was France … but any EU country will work I found it easier to register in Austria even though I. wasn’t going there.
Our daughter lived in the middle of nowhere in Collyweston , near Stamford, but more important near a RAF base in its airspace. It also rained most every day with 20= Mph winds.
I had downloaded the local Apps and attempted to get clearance like LAANC approval in the US, but never got through. The base was basically inactive, and I never saw any activity. So, I did do a flight in the vicinity of her property not above 150 feet and situational awareness with my son in law as a extra visual observer. I flew less than 20 minuets’, just enough to get a few stills of the property and local village.
On to the cruising in the south of France. It rained most every day. Not enough to ruin the trip but enough that I never put the drone up.
Prior to leaving the US I checked with Egypt and found you needed permission to fly there…….and it could take some time. I applied but never got a return contact . Without permission your drone would likely be confiscated at the airport upon entry or exit. I never got permission, so I shipped the drone home before traveling to Egypt since we were returning to the US from there.
I was skeptical about the info about confiscation until we spent a week in Cairo and on the Nile and I had my whole carry on dumped at Cairo airport security because I had nail clippers (without a file). There was a great police presence and lots of check points. Most with automatic weapons in use.
So, in conclusion, we had a few great tours even though the weather wasn’t the best, but I only flew the drone for 20 minutes.
We had some freedom and mobility in the UK, but weather and restrictions were a complication. For the rest of our journey, we were on guided tours with limited free time in the best locations, not to mention the rain.
As on our last trip to South Africa, (Cape-town) last fall, many places you would want to fly are restricted. I was able to fly more there but still not as much as I planned.
Mexico, Hawaii, and Iceland are on the schedule for the rest of the year. All but Iceland are less structured visits and we planned more free time in Iceland, our second visit….. the Mini 2 will be packed and ready…..conditions permitting.
I’m in my 4 th year as a 107 qualified remote pilot and I just returned from a month outside of the US.
A few years ago, as a photographer with over 60 years’ experience, I decided I needed a new perspective for some of my images. So, I decided to get a drone.
So, we had scheduled a month abroad to visit our daughter in the UK, take a river cruise in the south of France and top it off with a Nile cruise in Egypt.
I had done some research in 2022 when we started planning these adventures and found flying in the UK and EU wasn’t a big deal for recreational flyers. With the rules similar to the US . So I purchased my Mini 2 to stay under 250 grams and have the most latitude and general ability to fly.
A month before our trip I reviewed my research and found most everything has changed in the UK and EU. In both jurisdictions drones and operators had to be registered with the authorities. In some cases the pilots also had to be registered. Most of the rules are the similar to the US, but there are some that are very different like no night flying and distances from people.
In both the UK & EU there were fees and test to get your numbers that needed to be affixed. The test and Course were different but not much. The good news if you are 107 Qualified you can take the test without taking the course and pass. I t is taken in sections, and you can review like a open book and fortunately no aviation skills needed. . In my case it was France through a app called Alpha Tango I took the required test through them (83out of 100) …I think it cost me 20 British Pounds UK for registration. The EU cost was different depending on which country you registered in. You can generally avoid registration if you have a sub 250 grm drone………. without a camera. Lots of those around (lol).
As a visitor you are supposed to register in the first country you enter. In my case it was France … but any EU country will work I found it easier to register in Austria even though I. wasn’t going there.
Our daughter lived in the middle of nowhere in Collyweston , near Stamford, but more important near a RAF base in its airspace. It also rained most every day with 20= Mph winds.
I had downloaded the local Apps and attempted to get clearance like LAANC approval in the US, but never got through. The base was basically inactive, and I never saw any activity. So, I did do a flight in the vicinity of her property not above 150 feet and situational awareness with my son in law as a extra visual observer. I flew less than 20 minuets’, just enough to get a few stills of the property and local village.
On to the cruising in the south of France. It rained most every day. Not enough to ruin the trip but enough that I never put the drone up.
Prior to leaving the US I checked with Egypt and found you needed permission to fly there…….and it could take some time. I applied but never got a return contact . Without permission your drone would likely be confiscated at the airport upon entry or exit. I never got permission, so I shipped the drone home before traveling to Egypt since we were returning to the US from there.
I was skeptical about the info about confiscation until we spent a week in Cairo and on the Nile and I had my whole carry on dumped at Cairo airport security because I had nail clippers (without a file). There was a great police presence and lots of check points. Most with automatic weapons in use.
So, in conclusion, we had a few great tours even though the weather wasn’t the best, but I only flew the drone for 20 minutes.
We had some freedom and mobility in the UK, but weather and restrictions were a complication. For the rest of our journey, we were on guided tours with limited free time in the best locations, not to mention the rain.
As on our last trip to South Africa, (Cape-town) last fall, many places you would want to fly are restricted. I was able to fly more there but still not as much as I planned.
Mexico, Hawaii, and Iceland are on the schedule for the rest of the year. All but Iceland are less structured visits and we planned more free time in Iceland, our second visit….. the Mini 2 will be packed and ready…..conditions permitting.