Looking at the fly zone map for where i live, it seems i live in quite a restriced zone. I appear to have quite a few coloured circles around my town as a result of a (growing) airport. I have no interest in flying near this or close to planes but worry that i am heavily restricted as a result. Can someone take a look and confirm the restrictions i have in place. I am based in southend on sea, essex, uk.
I also need to do the verification video for the care refresh and think there might not be an area close to me that allows me to reach the height required.

My suggestion is that you search it yourself with these links, because you will require it later on for different places. YOu can also download the UAV forecast APP. Pretty useful itself.

http://www.noflydrones.co.uk/

https://www.dji.com/flysafe/geo-map

Bokepacha Posted at 2018-7-24 03:05
My suggestion is that you search it yourself with these links, because you will require it later on for different places. YOu can also download the UAV forecast APP. Pretty useful itself.

http://www.noflydrones.co.uk/

I have looked and still unsure on the restrictions dictated by the coloured circles around me. I guess a different colour indicates a difference in restriction. The areas covered by both sites also seems to differ in range, albeit only slightly but would errr on the side of caution by using the one with a bigger radius anyway

Well, that's how it is. I also thought when I bought the drone that I could fly anywhere nearby. The truth is that there are extremely many natural reserves in my area which are no flight zones, sadly.

Another thought i have is sometimes the planes fly in and out in a roughly SE direction out over the water, and then loop round in various directions depending on which flight. The link on noflydrones does not cover the water in the area they head, could this be because they have already achieved a height greater than the limits applied to how high we can fly in the uk?

Have a look at the 'Drone Assist' App' that can be downloaded from the Drone Safe U.K website.

"Drone Assist

Drone Assist is the new drone safety app from NATS, the UK’s main air traffic control provider, powered by Altitude Angel. It presents users with an interactive map of airspace used by commercial air traffic so that you can see areas to avoid or in which extreme caution should be exercised, as well as ground hazards that may pose safety, security or privacy risks when you’re out flying your drone."


By looking at that map and zooming in you will see that it is mostly 'Class D' airspace, and their recommendation is that you should avoid flying within this area, BUT:-



Something else to be aware of is that the 400ft altitude limit and no flying within 1km of an airport which were written into law at end of May.

https://www.gov.uk/government/ne ... tion-for-passengers

I think the message the CAA is trying to get across is fly, have fun, but safety first. They even ran a national drone photography competition last year to highlight the 400ft limit.

Flying high is fun at first, but you eventually realize that everything looks the same, even at around 400 feet. My best footage is always when I at 200 feet or below. Things on the ground are more interesting then and  you get more of  a sense of movement. Figure out the treetop height where you are and fly 50 feet above that. You'll be safe from planes and helicopters and your footage will be cool.
Plus if there is a plane or helicopter 150 feet off the ground, you're sure to notice long before it gets near you and you can lie flat on your face after landing your drone


Over water you can go even lower, say down to 30 feet.

Aardvark Posted at 2018-7-24 03:40
Have a look at the 'Drone Assist' App' that can be downloaded from the Drone Safe U.K website.

"Drone Assist

Many thanks for this. This gives the biggest radius i have seen so far. I have seen drones flying and footage from around here all over so know that people do fly them. There is also an rc plane club that operates on the marshes very near the flightpath.

OneDoesNotSimply Posted at 2018-7-24 03:58
Flying high is fun at first, but you eventually realize that everything looks the same, even at around 400 feet. My best footage is always when I at 200 feet or below. Things on the ground are more interesting then and  you get more of  a sense of movement. Figure out the treetop height where you are and fly 50 feet above that. You'll be safe from planes and helicopters and your footage will be cool.
Plus if there is a plane or helicopter 150 feet off the ground, you're sure to notice long before it gets near you and you can lie flat on your face after landing your drone

Yeah from my limited flights i have realised there does appear to be a sweet spot in terms of height, esp with images looking straight down. As you suggested with regards to tree line and another 50ft or so, that has been my approach so far. I never got the drone to push it to its limits in terms of what it can or should do.

samgawthorpdji Posted at 2018-7-24 04:01
Many thanks for this. This gives the biggest radius i have seen so far. I have seen drones flying and footage from around here all over so know that people do fly them. There is also an rc plane club that operates on the marshes very near the flightpath.

Just because you see people fly it doesn't mean you are allowed to. Unfortunately, many people buy drones nowadays without even knowing what they are allowed to do and what not.

Hi Sam - that looks like Menorca. Any footage ready to post yet?
Oh, and many happy returns!

Dorset_Horn Posted at 2018-7-24 04:20
Hi Sam - that looks like Menorca. Any footage ready to post yet?
Oh, and many happy returns!

Wow how did you know that. Thats impressive. I have one video on my insta page that i have made. If you search for samgawthorp on there you will find it as its not uploaded to youtube or anything

OneDoesNotSimply Posted at 2018-7-24 03:58
Flying high is fun at first, but you eventually realize that everything looks the same, even at around 400 feet. My best footage is always when I at 200 feet or below. Things on the ground are more interesting then and  you get more of  a sense of movement. Figure out the treetop height where you are and fly 50 feet above that. You'll be safe from planes and helicopters and your footage will be cool.
Plus if there is a plane or helicopter 150 feet off the ground, you're sure to notice long before it gets near you and you can lie flat on your face after landing your drone

This.  I find it much more 'productive' to stay below 200' than I do above it.  Sure there are scenarios where being above 200' gets the better picture, but I've notice that most of my flying and recording takes place between 100'-200'.  I also had a similar situation as you described as well.  I was flying on a beach just outside of the 5 mile buffer at 75' and heard the distinct sound of a helicopter.  Took a look around, noticed the Coast Guard flying the shoreline, and I immediately landed my Mavic until they were clear.  They were flying at maybe 150', so there wouldn't have been a problem, but I didn't want to create a problem.   

samgawthorpdji Posted at 2018-7-24 05:02
Wow how did you know that. Thats impressive. I have one video on my insta page that i have made. If you search for samgawthorp on there you will find it as its not uploaded to youtube or anything

I've had a couple of trips and would love to go back soon. I have filmed fish in that fantastic water and had a few sessions in a restaurant right on the rocks!

Dorset_Horn Posted at 2018-7-26 02:04
I've had a couple of trips and would love to go back soon. I have filmed fish in that fantastic water and had a few sessions in a restaurant right on the rocks!

It was lovely and the water in that bay is just magnificent. Only there for 5 days so we didnt stray from there at all. As i said i have one video i made of the OH paddling out and back, but its on insta and nowhere else. Not looked at adding it to skypixel, i guess u can upload vids made out of the dji app

Dorset_Horn Posted at 2018-7-26 02:04
I've had a couple of trips and would love to go back soon. I have filmed fish in that fantastic water and had a few sessions in a restaurant right on the rocks!

Not sure this will work

Definitely looks Cala Blanca and my favourite watering-hole the Sa Cova restaurant!
Loved the colours, the music and the memories. Now you have to teach the OH to fly and film you.