NC500 Scotland - Apparently now a Drone Free Zone...

[Crofterkw3]

Hi all,

I was digging round on Facebook for groups to join to advertise decals that I sell, and found this lot... Security Check Required and after reading through there group rules as I prefer not to join if they don't allow advertising which they don't, then I see this...

"Drone Free Zone
To protect the privacy of our adventures, local residents along the route, the wildlife and environment, The North Coast 500 is now a Drone Free Zone.
Drone photos and videos are not permitted."

Now obviously this is just there group rule but, if you were a bit of a newby to drones and you saw this you might think it was the law... I know getting stuff removed from facebook is impossible but maybe a group badgering of the admins of the page to have it re-worded...

Cheers

David

 

[zocalo]

I doubt very much this is remotely enforceable, practically (despite complaints from locals about the extra traffic, having driven the entire route and many side trips I know for a fact you can still not see anyone for ages once you are out in the countryside proper) or legally. Besides the public access land they have no control over, the NC500 route must include countless different landowners, National Parks, and so on, all of which would have a say in this for their "bit". Individually, some might well ban drones (and some certainly have), but *all* of them, collectively?

As you say, it's just their group rule, but the wording could definitely be improved, especially since it also opens the possibility of a pilot being completely in the right and unaware of this being challeged by a local member of the group with some kind of confrontation as a result. Can't see it being particularly popular with any drone-owning members of the group either, many of whom might also be paying the NC500 org their membership fees if they're a frequent visitor to the route.

 

[DebianDog]

"to protect our privacy"? So... no cameras right

 

[Crofterkw3]

As a local on the route, it is strange how the route is treated up... Some (not me) think its just one big problem the others support it! Don't get me started on the company that runs the promotion of the route, that is just one big scam and if you are a small business on the route they don't help... Anyway good to hear Im not the only one thinking that there wording could do with a lot of improvement...

 

[Crofterkw3]

"to protect our privacy"? So... no cameras right

<Muppets> comes to mind...

 

[zocalo]

<Muppets> comes to mind...

It's clearly a knee-jerk anti-drone reaction with wording they haven't really thought through; presumably they don't realise the impact that effective photography, including by drones, has on generating tourism for a region, which is kind of the group's raison d'etre, no?

I get the division amongst the locals and even discussed it with some of them, especially re. some of the driving on the single track roads, and don't even get me started on the idiots I saw that appeared to be doing timetrials up the Bealach na Ba (who may actually have been locals), but I'm pretty sure it's also bringing a *lot* of much-needed money into the Highlands. Seems like the NC500 group needs to figure out what their priorities are.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I read that as no drone photos or video to be posted to the group . . . they don't want to encourage members to capture drone footage to upload and create more drone 'perceived issues' along the route.
Point 6 camping is similar in its methodology.