I usually do.......and on this occasion it saved the day.

I've been meaning to go up to the peninsular at Barrow-on-Furness in Cumbria for some while, in particular to go over to Piel Island and photograph the ruined castle there.

That's what I do, photograph old castles, abbeys and medieval buildings.

Problem is when I got there the tides were all wrong as the only way to get over is by boat, although it was late afternoon and I should have got there earlier.

Anyway luckily I had the drone, so I flew it over to the island but reliable video was simply out, as I was very much at the top level for the wind and earlier in the day a mastershot I tried was total rubbish, speeding up and slowing down but I still managed to get some nice stills.

I enclose a shot as I approached the castle and one closer up, I was around 1.5 km away at this point.

Cheers

Nice pictures, I localized on the map. At what altitude did you fly? Any signal deterioration? https://goo.gl/maps/jU5WpwJSMdcUh48i8

Nice place.
Pics are somewhat bit blurry...
Have you used AF on these?

cmarines Posted at 6-30 09:56
Nice pictures, I localized on the map. At what altitude did you fly? Any signal deterioration? https://goo.gl/maps/jU5WpwJSMdcUh48i8

Thank you.

There were a number of gulls flying around near shore, so not to antagonise them I flew over at around 90m, then came down to photo the castle once closer and flew around it.

I never fly over these protected buildings, only around them.

No real signal problems but I was getting some strong wind warnings quite often.

The position on the map is slightly off.

Cheers

SnowSkier Pilot Posted at 6-30 10:33
Nice place.
Pics are somewhat bit blurry...
Have you used AF on these?

Yes I was using auto, although they have been edited and heavily compressed to jpeg.

The originals are fine and when you zoom in are nice and clear.

If anything I had to compensate for the greens post production, I've found the M3P really soaks up the green colours far too much.

Cheers

SnowSkier Pilot Posted at 6-30 10:33
Nice place.
Pics are somewhat bit blurry...
Have you used AF on these?

Pics are somewhat bit blurry...
Have you used AF on these?
There's nothing wrong with the focus and AF is fine to use.
The forum shrinks uploaded images - these are only 1000 x 750 so you can't enlarge without them turning to mush.

Pretty impressive results in the conditions.

Lovely shots,    I used to visit my aunt in Ulverstone and sadly didnt know about this location or I would have paid a visit.  

How do you maintain VLOS at that distance with a Mini 3 Pro?

Or am I missing something in the regs that means it's not needed?

Blériot53 Posted at 7-1 02:20
Pretty impressive results in the conditions.

Thank you.

It wasn't too bad, my only worry was that if it went down over the sea or on the island and I wouldn't be able to retrieve it. Of course the strong wind and RTH warnings were also a slight punt, but I made sure I brought it back with plenty of battery spare and didn't risk it.

Cheers

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-1 03:55
Thank you.

It wasn't too bad, my only worry was that if it went down over the sea or on the island and I wouldn't be able to retrieve it. Of course the strong wind and RTH warnings were also a slight punt, but I made sure I brought it back with plenty of battery spare and didn't risk it.

I've done a few of those heart-in-mouth flights too
Always a sigh of relief when the drone gets back safe.

DAFlys Posted at 7-1 02:59
Lovely shots,    I used to visit my aunt in Ulverstone and sadly didnt know about this location or I would have paid a visit.

Thank you.

It was my first visit and a lovely part of the country, looking inland and seeing the Cumbrian Peaks in the distance.

There are actually two Islands, but there's a causeway out to the first, Roa Island, and then the water blocks access to Piel Island and there's a small jetty with a lifeboat station too.

There is no way you can get across unless by boat, the tides and currents in these waters are lethal and it's essentially part of Morecambe Bay, where all those Chinese cockle pickers got stranded on the sands in the tide and drowned a few years back.

Piel Island actually has it's own King, a commemorative title and a new King was officially crowned last year. He basically manages the Island and runs the Pub and B&B and is the caretaker of the Island.

Cheers

No Original Thought Posted at 7-1 03:13
How do you maintain VLOS at that distance with a Mini 3 Pro?

Or am I missing something in the regs that means it's not needed?

You don't have VLOS with such a small drone at that distance, it was over sea, fields and no buildings or people so not a danger to anyone but me losing my drone.

Cheers

Despite the windy conditions and distance you obtained some very impressive shots.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 7-1 05:19
Despite the windy conditions and distance you obtained some very impressive shots.

Thank you, that's most kind of you to say.

Cheers

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-1 05:50
Thank you, that's most kind of you to say.

Cheers

My pleasure.  Hope you have a great weekend.

Labroides Posted at 6-30 14:56
Pics are somewhat bit blurry...
Have you used AF on these?
There's nothing wrong with the focus and AF is fine to use.

Hi. Yes, I know that. The uploaded images have less  quality

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-1 04:12
You don't have VLOS with such a small drone at that distance, it was over sea, fields and no buildings or people so not a danger to anyone but me losing my drone.

Cheers

I assume you are aware of this:

https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/drone-code/flying-safely-and-responsibly

No Original Thought Posted at 7-2 02:38
I assume you are aware of this:

https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/drone-code/flying-safely-and-responsibly

What are you hoping to achieve with the snarky, passive-aggressive, virtue signalling posts?

Problem for me is that I don't keep the batteries charged, as I don't fly too much.
So I can't just take it with me.

Nice captures btw!

No Original Thought Posted at 7-2 02:38
I assume you are aware of this:

https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/drone-code/flying-safely-and-responsibly

Yes, thank you.
I suppose whenever you fly your drone you never take it behind trees, over behind a hill or have your view blocked, ever ?

I use common sense like most responsible drone users, and as I said earlier I never fly over these monuments, around them but never over them, unlike many you see posting on places like Instagram.

Save your lectures for others.

Montfrooij Posted at 7-2 03:21
Problem for me is that I don't keep the batteries charged, as I don't fly too much.
So I can't just take it with me.

No USB charger point in the car ?

If I'm on a day out I whack mine on charge right away between locations, and over a whole day I took those photos I did a dozen flights and only used one and a half batteries.

Cheers

Labroides Posted at 7-2 03:08
What are you hoping to achieve with the snarky, passive-aggressive, virtue signalling posts?

Thanks, needed saying really.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-2 05:31
No USB charger point in the car ?

If I'm on a day out I whack mine on charge right away between locations, and over a whole day I took those photos I did a dozen flights and only used one and a half batteries.

I'm also a video guy, so I use the whole battery on one location and possibly more than one.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-2 05:31
No USB charger point in the car ?

If I'm on a day out I whack mine on charge right away between locations, and over a whole day I took those photos I did a dozen flights and only used one and a half batteries.

And yes, I have a USB point, but I seldomly have time when I'm on the road, so never take the drone unless I plan on filming something.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-2 05:17
Yes, thank you.
I suppose whenever you fly your drone you never take it behind trees, over behind a hill or have your view blocked, ever ?

I pointed the rules out in the hope that you actually weren't aware of them, not to lecture. I hoped it was ignorance of the existence of the rules that led you to fly like this.

So you admit, then, that although you believe your flight was 'safe' it was not actually legal.

Are you also aware that Cumbria is a favourite area for military low flying training and that fast jets often fly down to 250ft? That's 150ft below the height you can legally fly your drone - or do you think the height restriction didn't apply to you either?

The VLOS rule is there for a reason. At 1.5km you would not be able to identify where your drone was in relation to any fast jet, and the shirts they travel you would have no chance of avoiding.

Sorry, but that is just irresponsible flying and WHEN an accident happens - maybe not caused by you, but by someone else who thinks the rules don't apply to them for some reason - it will be restrictions for the rest of us as well.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-2 05:17
Yes, thank you.
I suppose whenever you fly your drone you never take it behind trees, over behind a hill or have your view blocked, ever ?

Let's try some quick calculations ...

Your drone was 1.5km away.

It is welle stabilised that a mini drone cannot be seen beyond around 500m max - and at that distance determining orientation is just about impossible.

You hear a fast jet 8n the area. You are by water so the direction of the jet sound is difficult to determine at first

At 40mph it would take a full minute to fly your drone back into VLOS and that doesn't include time to orient it for returning

That is a full minute before you have any chance of actually seeing your drone - meanwhile a fast jet 8lis approaching from some direction and you may well be flying into its path instead of avoiding ... You don't know

In reality you are unlikely to spot your drone for closer to two minutes - and the fast jet will likely/hopefully have passed safely. Hopefully.

Your risk assessment was poor in this case, and you have admitted that you think the rules don't apply to you. It's not virtue signalling - it's worrying!

No Original Thought Posted at 7-3 00:21
Let's try some quick calculations ...

Your drone was 1.5km away.

One, as ex-RAF and an Air Traffic Control Officer I am fully aware of flying rules.

Two, fast jets do not fly at the altitudes I was operating at, even on a low level sortie and certainly not where I was.

Three, you really are becoming a bore.

No Original Thought Posted at 7-3 00:21
Let's try some quick calculations ...

Your drone was 1.5km away.

. . . . . . . . .

No Original Thought Posted at 7-2 23:24
I pointed the rules out in the hope that you actually weren't aware of them, not to lecture. I hoped it was ignorance of the existence of the rules that led you to fly like this.

So you admit, then, that although you believe your flight was 'safe' it was not actually legal.

Wherever I go I study maps beforehand, so I know the lay of the land and work out where I can fly from and where I can't.  In this case I had full vision all around, I could see the castle and as you can see from the photos a very wide vista and field of vision.

Fast Jets while flying in the Cumbrian Mountains doing Low Level Sorties, they do not come down as far south as I was across the Furness, and should a light aircraft or even a fast jet be approaching, the height I was at it would come nowhere near me and I could easily drop down a level, as I do when I'm flying locally to my home  when a light aircraft appears.

Drones also have a camera don't you know, so you can see exactly where you are ?

You make out I had no idea where I was, I knew exactly where I was at all times.

But also, any fast jet down there would be in more danger of hitting a gull or sea bird in an Air Strike than me, which is one of the main reasons they don't come down there.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-3 10:18
Wherever I go I study maps beforehand, so I know the lay of the land and work out where I can fly from and where I can't.  In this case I had full vision all around, I could see the castle and as you can see from the photos a very wide vista and field of vision.

Fast Jets while flying in the Cumbrian Mountains doing Low Level Sorties, they do not come down as far south as I was across the Furness, and should a light aircraft or even a fast jet be approaching, the height I was at it would come nowhere near me and I could easily drop down a level, as I do when I'm flying locally to my home  when a light aircraft appears.

Except that gulls can see the fast jet coming and avoid... Their eyes are not remote from their bodies.

You were remote from your drone to the extent that you could not see your drone.

Simple fact is that your flight was deliberately and consciously illegal under the Air Navigation Order laws and I'm sure the CAA would not accept your reasoning at all.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-3 10:18
Wherever I go I study maps beforehand, so I know the lay of the land and work out where I can fly from and where I can't.  In this case I had full vision all around, I could see the castle and as you can see from the photos a very wide vista and field of vision.

Fast Jets while flying in the Cumbrian Mountains doing Low Level Sorties, they do not come down as far south as I was across the Furness, and should a light aircraft or even a fast jet be approaching, the height I was at it would come nowhere near me and I could easily drop down a level, as I do when I'm flying locally to my home  when a light aircraft appears.

Oh, and if 6oubread the link I sent you'll clearly see that drones having cameras is no excuse because it is unaided line of sight that is required and using the camera and screen is specifically mentioned as not being an unaided view.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-3 04:23
One, as ex-RAF and an Air Traffic Control Officer I am fully aware of flying rules.

Two, fast jets do not fly at the altitudes I was operating at, even on a low level sortie and certainly not where I was.

As an Air Traffic Controller l, then, you really should know better!

The whole of the UK's Class G airspace is available for low level millitary flight down to 250ft.

That's 150ft lower than you can legally fly your drone in the UK

Similarly, rotaries often fly below that 400ft drone limit - as you will know as an ATC.

The VLOS rule is what allows you to fly up to that height as it means you can take avoiding action if necessary as you can actually SEE your drone in relation to what is around it.

You could not see your drone and were a couple of minutes from being able to get it in a position where you could see it.

What's more, you claim to know the rules and therefore knowingly flew illegally and are now trying to justify that.

There is no hope.

No Original Thought Posted at 7-3 23:49
As an Air Traffic Controller l, then, you really should know better!

The whole of the UK's Class G airspace is available for low level millitary flight down to 250ft.

. . . . . . . . .

No Original Thought Posted at 7-3 23:49
As an Air Traffic Controller l, then, you really should know better!

The whole of the UK's Class G airspace is available for low level millitary flight down to 250ft.

Please do the forum a great favour.
Get back on your high horse and fk off.

No Original Thought Posted at 7-3 23:49
As an Air Traffic Controller l, then, you really should know better!

The whole of the UK's Class G airspace is available for low level millitary flight down to 250ft.

Are you still here ?

Go away and close the door as you leave, there's been an awful unwanted draft since you arrived.

Blackbuckone Posted at 7-4 09:45
Are you still here ?

Go away and close the door as you leave, there's been an awful unwanted draft since you arrived.

It's that really the best you can do?

No valid defense so get abusive...

In answer to the question, yes I'm still here and not planning on leaving any time soon.

No Original Thought Posted at 7-4 23:36
It's that really the best you can do?

No valid defense so get abusive...

Hilarious....

The One-Trick Pony is back and clearly doesn't get the hint, from me or others

i don't come here to have arguments with an annoying and arrogant person like yourself, and I have certainly not been abusive. But if I did come here for an argument, I can assure you I would leave you floundering on the floor and crying like a little baby.

So run along and find someone else to annoy, I lost interest in you some while ago.

No Original Thought Posted at 7-2 02:38
I assume you are aware of this:

https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/drone-code/flying-safely-and-responsibly

lol.....Why would you post this? Condescending at best
I assume you are aware of this....