I have been meaning to post this story for a while. Recently I went on a trip to Ireland with the main purpose of visiting the famed Skellig islands, which featured prominently in the most recent Star Wars franchise, the Last Jedi, as Luke's remote dwelling place. There are a handful of operators that make the 10 mile odd trip from the coast of Kerry in the season, between mid-May and mid-September (off season the seas are too rough); they're mainly fishermen, who have reinvented themselves into tourist guides. So on account of the immense popularity of the trip after the movie came out, you need to book well ahead. The islands are just pieces of sharp rock protruding from the sea and the main one, Skellig Michael, has a 6-th century early Christian monastery (which featured in the movie as well) and you can land on it and do a tour. So this is what I did and I brought a drone with me. The passage was pretty rough with half of the passengers (all Americans) throwing up. My girlfriend threw up too. Luckily the captain got us covered (years of experience I suppose) and was quick to hand out little buckets. Unfortunately after holding my gf's puke in my hand for a few minutes in this mad swell I though it be good to just chuck the contents overboard. Sadly, I forgot about the wind so the whole thing was immediately blown back on one of the passengers raincoat. Imagine my embarassment...
Anyway, I digress. As soon as we landed the weather cleared and we started to climb to the top where the monastery is. I brought the M2Z with me so at the trailhead I was looking for signs saying No Drones. I didn't find any. So when we did the visit and listened to a guide speak, on our way down I stopped and launched the bird for a few minutes. Didn't fly over people or buildings, just over the ocean and some cliffs.
When we were coming back down to the pier there was a local guide and she asked me if I was the one operating the drone. I said yes. She said they weren't allowed on account of this being a bird sanctuary (hundreds of gannets and some puffins, which also feature in the movie, sort of). I said I was sorry but didn't see any sign. She says there's a note on the website so I ask which website. She says the one where I booked the tour. I said I booked this on www.skelligboat.com and there is nothing about drones. Again, I said I was sorry and returned to the pier. I guess my bad for not asking.
When I was at the pier, a passenger from our boat caught up with me, and started laying into me. He was pretty aggressive and demanded to know if I'd been rude to the guide. I said no (he really threw me off with this question). Then he started his speech about how irresponsible, look at the birds, blablabla, look at the signs (no signs), look at the website (again, no mention on my website), how he's a certified drone pilot (as am I in fact) and a lot of other unpleasantness. Frankly I was too surprised that someone is behaving like that (I don't really think it was his place to be doing that) that before I composed myself he was gone.
The moral of the story: it is illegal to fly a drone in Skellig Islands, which is a pity, because it's a dream location: remote, rugged, beautiful. Apparently this ban didn't apply to Hollywood producers (plenty of drone footage in the movie and in promotional videos), but I guess that is to be expected. I only wish the Irish government would put up some signs to make it obvious drones aren't allowed in the area. Yeah, I did not inform myself properly, so my fault I guess. Still, I got some very nice vids from the island so not all is lost
If you haven't visited yet, you should.
Anyway, I digress. As soon as we landed the weather cleared and we started to climb to the top where the monastery is. I brought the M2Z with me so at the trailhead I was looking for signs saying No Drones. I didn't find any. So when we did the visit and listened to a guide speak, on our way down I stopped and launched the bird for a few minutes. Didn't fly over people or buildings, just over the ocean and some cliffs.
When we were coming back down to the pier there was a local guide and she asked me if I was the one operating the drone. I said yes. She said they weren't allowed on account of this being a bird sanctuary (hundreds of gannets and some puffins, which also feature in the movie, sort of). I said I was sorry but didn't see any sign. She says there's a note on the website so I ask which website. She says the one where I booked the tour. I said I booked this on www.skelligboat.com and there is nothing about drones. Again, I said I was sorry and returned to the pier. I guess my bad for not asking.
When I was at the pier, a passenger from our boat caught up with me, and started laying into me. He was pretty aggressive and demanded to know if I'd been rude to the guide. I said no (he really threw me off with this question). Then he started his speech about how irresponsible, look at the birds, blablabla, look at the signs (no signs), look at the website (again, no mention on my website), how he's a certified drone pilot (as am I in fact) and a lot of other unpleasantness. Frankly I was too surprised that someone is behaving like that (I don't really think it was his place to be doing that) that before I composed myself he was gone.
The moral of the story: it is illegal to fly a drone in Skellig Islands, which is a pity, because it's a dream location: remote, rugged, beautiful. Apparently this ban didn't apply to Hollywood producers (plenty of drone footage in the movie and in promotional videos), but I guess that is to be expected. I only wish the Irish government would put up some signs to make it obvious drones aren't allowed in the area. Yeah, I did not inform myself properly, so my fault I guess. Still, I got some very nice vids from the island so not all is lost
If you haven't visited yet, you should.
