Glenfinnan Viaduct

Albion Drones · 2022-10-31

Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Hogwarts Express

We had a great trip with Highland Adventures from Inverness, riding the Jacobite train from Fort Willam to Mallaig and over the Glenfinnan Viaduct before returning via bus to be able to see the train cross back over the Viaduct, however, a user error on the controls meant no footage of the train crossing the viaduct was captured - much to my great dismay - hence only the photos taken whilst on the train are available for this video... Perhaps one day we shall get another chance to see the train cross the viaduct and to film it...

The Glenfinnan Estate now operates a NO DRONES policy - nicely illustrated with a couple of drones nailed to the sign - however you can still overfly the area as long as you do not Take off and Land from their land and maintain Visual Line of Sight with your drone according to the Drone Code. Landowners do not control the airspace, and unless there is an active NOTAM from the CAA they cannot prevent overflight as long as the flight is completed according to Drone Code and complies with GDPR regulations.

We were unaware of this restriction prior to arriving, hence the footage we have is taken from a good distance away - complying with the landowner's request not to fly from their land - which several other fliers did not, I saw 2 other drones flying much closer to the viaduct. As hubby was sufferring with his hip I was on my own for this flight, and added to the restrictions I didnt feel I could fly any closer to the Viaduct, hence the footage is from a good distance away.

It is a shame that permission is now withdrawn as there used to be a very reasonable £10 Take off fee, but this has now been increased to a £1250 filming license, which is not sustainable for a hobby flier like ourselves.

Montfrooij · 2022-10-31

Very nice video!

DAFlys · 2022-10-31

Lovely footage. Id heard about the £10 fee but Id hadnt heard that they withdrew it for a greedy 1250. thats disgusting.

DAFlys · 2022-10-31

PS, From your video I know realise the Loch Shiel was also in Harry Potter.

Albion Drones · 2022-10-31

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 08:03
PS, From your video I know realise the Loch Shiel was also in Harry Potter.

Yup, Hogwarts is supposedly just over the hill on the RH side of the Loch... I did look, but didnt see it...

DAFlys · 2022-10-31

Albion Drones Posted at 10-31 08:30
Yup, Hogwarts is supposedly just over the hill on the RH side of the Loch... I did look, but didnt see it...

Darn it, that would be epic to fly around. Last time I was there it had snowed.

Albion Drones · 2022-10-31

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 08:34
Darn it, that would be epic to fly around. Last time I was there it had snowed.

[view_image]

Invisibility spell matey, they must have been down on the day you visited... Even the Hogwarts Express was invisible to the drone - or was it I didnt press the record button... Lol

Depp · 2022-10-31

Nice footage. I was there in April and saw the nailed drones. As the weather was bad I didn't get any usable footage.

Albion Drones · 2022-10-31

Depp Posted at 10-31 12:42
Nice footage. I was there in April and saw the nailed drones. As the weather was bad I didn't get any usable footage.

Yeah, they have the desired effect alright, seeing them produces a fear reflex - even though you know they cant 'shoot' them it still makes you pause...

DowntownRDB

Lovely compilation.

Blériot53

Lovely scenes - even without the train

djiuser_2xHZh5mztNUv

So can I take off from the carpark? If not where can I TOAL?

Albion Drones

djiuser_2xHZh5mztNUv Posted at 3-15 08:14
So can I take off from the carpark? If not where can I TOAL?

You could take off from the beach, or anywhere that is public land... I walked down the path to the bridge form car park, and saw the sign, so retreated back over bridge and TOAL from there, meant I couldnt get too close, but got some good footage, just a shame I missed the train - didnt press record! Argh!

Codgerzh2

Excellent video

Albion Drones

Codgerzh2 Posted at 8-13 14:34
Excellent video

Thank you

djiuser_NveIgxuimchI

Hi looking at the OS map of the area isnt there a PUBLIC footpath to and from the viaduct which means if its a public footpath the landowner has no right to tell you not to launch a drone from there surley?

jcgonzalez

I'm travelling to Scotland next week and decided to try my luck and contacted the owner directly. He replied quite fast with the following:

"We no longer offer permission to fly drones @ Glenfinnan Estate. You require the land owners permission to land & takeoff. This is not given. Please use your camera for photos"

Codgerzh2

Stunning scenery and great footage of the viaduct-brilliant

Albion Drones

Codgerzh2 Posted at 5-18 14:54
Stunning scenery and great footage of the viaduct-brilliant

Thanks, just a shame I 'missed' the steam loco transiting the top... Ah well, we live and learn - although hy DJI can't provide an auto-record function on Cine drones is beyond me...

CharlieRC

I have a friend visiting the location this week. Not great wether for it though unfortunately.
I jokingly said he needed to have taken a drone for great footage/photos of the viaduct, to which he replied "no drones allowed" which then sparked a friendly debate between us.
"Says who?" I said... "Scottish Government" he replied, haha.
As a non drone-flyer he's clearly been taken in by whatever garbage was spouted to him either in the way of information boards at the location, or perhaps location guides online.
As an RC aircraft pilot for 20 years, and a member of the RAF for the past 24 years (meaning its an important priority that I participate in outside work hobbies with the utmost of legality) I can most certainly point him in the right direction, but considering he's not even bothered (doesn't even own a drone) I decided to just leave the conversation there.

To echo points already made here...

Yes, in the United Kingdom (which yes, Scotland is still a part of) the airspace is regulated by the CAA. Certain locations of importance and sensitivity have NFZs published and enforced.

Glenfinnan Viaduct is not one of those locations.

Permission to take off and land a drone on private property, is no different to having permission to scratch one's rear end. A land owner has the civil right to ask anyone to leave their property, for any reason they wish. If you sneeze too loud, or fart they have a civil right to ask you to leave.

If you don't cease the activity they personally don't wish you to participate in, and they ask you to leave, and you don't, this then becomes a case of Civil Trespass.

Taken from the ask police uk website: Trespass to land in most instances is a civil matter, and as such the police do not have the power to assist. Initially, the landowner should ask the trespasser to leave the land and if he/she does then all is well. If he/she refuses to leave the land then you will need to consider taking civil action.

The signs are not legally enforcable as they have no relation to law. They're private signs put up by private citizens on private land. They can say whatever they want, and if you disobey, you're not breaking the law.

The best way to go about things like this is to NOT ask for permission, where you suspect it will be withheld. Instead, operate your drone from the land, once airborn it is protected under CAA law, and if it IS shot down, THAT is actually illegal. You may then find a representative of the estate comes and asks you to bring down your drone. You are not required by law to do so. The only thing they can ask you to do is leave the land. By leaving the land, with the drone airborn, you risk falling foul to CAA VLOS rules. Therefore you can not be bullied into breaking the law. Maintain your ground, as politely as possible. Take your photographs, record your footage and bring your drone back in a safe manner. Then you can leave the land.

Its a shame that these bully tactics work on so many people, but I fully understand why someone with less insight and/or confidence might act differently.

Of course, the golden rule of flying drones - for me at least - is "don't be a d**k"

Albion Drones

CharlieRC Posted at 5-27 09:29
I have a friend visiting the location this week. Not great wether for it though unfortunately.
I jokingly said he needed to have taken a drone for great footage/photos of the viaduct, to which he replied "no drones allowed" which then sparked a friendly debate between us.
"Says who?" I said... "Scottish Government" he replied, haha.

Thank you for the reply and the information, very well written and thought out...