Potential fallout from lawbreaker?

[Jw89]

Evening all, someone local to me has been posting photos on a local FB page of the area taken with his new DJI FPV, stating that the photos are taken from 500m up. Now if he chooses to break the law in this way that's up to him, although that is a lot higher than the upper limit and does seem to be at a height which could definitely poise a risk, however is there a chance this could have repercussions for those of us who fly our drones legally and safely within the area(rural Scotland)? Has the been instance where issues like this have lead to local clampdown or greater policing? It seems a bit daft to fly that high then boast about it on Facebook.

 

[Severian]

Send him a private message and ask him. He may not even know what the legal requirements are. I find that's too common. If he doesn't know, that's one thing. But if he did, I doubt he'd be broadcasting the altitude on a public page.

 

[Jw89]

Send him a private message and ask him. He may not even know what the legal requirements are. I find that's too common. If he doesn't know, that's one thing. But if he did, I doubt he'd be broadcasting the altitude on a public page.

He states he's done the online tests so does know what he's doing. And then goes on to offer to fly over people's houses in the town to take photos!

 

[Severian]

Is flying over houses illegal in Scotland?

 

[Jw89]

Is flying over houses illegal in Scotland?

Flying within 50m of residential areas is.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Well if he is going to those heights with that thing hopefully he wont be flying too long.
I'd pm him all the same, 500m above the launch point is legal providing the ground under the drone is 378m above the launch point. I hope to be 'hill climbing' if we ever escape lockdown.
It could be he is confused about the difference

 

[Jw89]

Well if he is going to those heights with that thing hopefully he wont be flying too long.
I'd pm him all the same, 500m above the launch point is legal providing the ground under the drone is 378m above the launch point. I hope to be 'hill climbing' if we ever escape lockdown.
It could be he is confused about the difference

No it's all flat around where he's flying. Rang 101,as he's a well-known member of the local community and it's a bad example, especially as he says he's doing it again tomorrow.

 

[THE CYBORG]

 

[Jw89]

View attachment 125270

You can see how we get to the point of having greater restrictions and licenses etc when people do this sort of thing...

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Their bragging about it on social media etc. etc. doesn't help either.

 

[Meta4]

You can see how we get to the point of having greater restrictions and licenses etc when people do this sort of thing...

When people break existing laws, the solution isn't to make tougher laws.

 

[old man mavic]

@Ceramicsbyjoshuawilliams are you sure its 500m high, thats 1645 ft and at that height the pictures would not be very good for detail ,with the size of the aperture on the camera ,have a look at a picture at 50m and then compare it to the ones he is posting ,he could just be trying to elicit a response from others ,and to see if anyone does respond ,but i agree he is not helping the cause for those of us who fly drones

 

[Jw89]

@Ceramicsbyjoshuawilliams are you sure its 500m high, thats 1645 ft and at that height the pictures would not be very good for detail ,with the size of the aperture on the camera ,have a look at a picture at 50m and then compare it to the ones he is posting ,he could just be trying to elicit a response from others ,and to see if anyone does respond ,but i agree he is not helping the cause for those of us who fly drones

I did think of that, however I know from my own flying how certain features look at 120m up and the photos he is posting are definitely a lot higher up than that.

 

[w00dy67]

Well if he is going to those heights with that thing hopefully he wont be flying too long.
I'd pm him all the same, 500m above the launch point is legal providing the ground under the drone is 378m above the launch point. I hope to be 'hill climbing' if we ever escape lockdown.
It could be he is confused about the difference

The legal height limit is 120m / 400ft above ‘earth’ regardless of where you are. It’s not above sea level it’s the height from the earth surface to the drone, not from the take off point. In no way is 500m anywhere near legal, that’s just irresponsible to the rest of the drone community. As far as I know the height given in the fly app is from the take off point (home point) to the drone, so if you fly out over a valley for instance you would be a lot higher than your original take off point.

 

[KB9Radio]

I did think of that, however I know from my own flying how certain features look at 120m up and the photos he is posting are definitely a lot higher up than that.

Face it, he's just an idiot. They do exist in nature, and the rest of us pay the price unfortunately.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Evening all, someone local to me has been posting photos on a local FB page of the area taken with his new DJI FPV, stating that the photos are taken from 500m up. Now if he chooses to break the law in this way that's up to him, although that is a lot higher than the upper limit and does seem to be at a height which could definitely poise a risk, however is there a chance this could have repercussions for those of us who fly our drones legally and safely within the area(rural Scotland)? Has the been instance where issues like this have lead to local clampdown or greater policing? It seems a bit daft to fly that high then boast about it on Facebook.

Okay, this is what you do. Send him a message somehow, either private or even publicly. State that you thought his photos were amazing and you had thought about getting a drone for a long time. Tell him you would love to be as good as he is one day, taking photos and ask him some basic beginner questions. What do they cost, how high can they go, how far do they fly and how long do the batteries last. Ask him if you need a license and and is there a limit to how high you are allowed to fly.

Let him give you all that info and ask if he might help you out in choosing a suitable drone. Then ask him how high he was when he took the photos he posted and once you have all that info, report him to the CAA and local police, secretly, if he was flying illegally!

 

[rcourtney671]

Bait and switch. ?

 

[Cymru]

There have been several incidents in the UK where an individual has been prosecuted based on social media and youtube posts of flights.
I believe the guy the flew into Faslane was caught due to FB posts.

Is the FPV EASA class approved? If not, it weighs 795g so he's restricted to A3 without an A2CoC.
That means NO uninvolved people present in the area of flight and not within 150m of residential, commercial or industrial. So flying over houses is illegal as well.

 

[Cymru]

Is flying over houses illegal in Scotland?

Unless he's done an A2CoC certification, with the weight of the FPV he cant fly within 150 horizontal distance of a residential, industrial or commercial area.
And NO uninvolved people in the flight area.

So generally, yes. In this case it would be.

Also if he's flying it using the goggles and has nobody with him, thats illegal too.

 

[Blume TMS]

When people break existing laws, the solution isn't to make tougher laws.

I absolutely agree but politicians love to make new laws to protect us from ourselves.