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UK, Is it legal to take off from public road verges?
820 3 2019-4-21
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Ken Storm
First Officer
Flight distance : 178583 ft
United Kingdom
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Is it legal to take off from public road verges, note these are very quiet country lanes with minimal traffic.

2019-4-21
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DJI Tony
Administrator

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Hi, thanks for the inquiry. I would recommend coordinating the rules and regulations when terms of flying the drones to the local department in UK who handles drone concerns for further details.  We're also sure that our valued DJI Forum members would provide suggestion in regards to this inquiry who flies the drone on the same country. Thank you for continued support.
2019-4-21
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Harbourside
Captain
Flight distance : 6467 ft
United Kingdom
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This question comes up every so often, and I have yet to see a definitive answer.
In theory you need the landowners permission to take off / land / overfly, this would include all "public places" meaning you need the local council / government permission to fly from the verge.
The CAA have nothing to say on the matter as they are only interested in what happens after you have taken off, and manned aircraft fly above the level that is considered belonging to the landowner. (although I cant find an exact figure, manned airspace begins at 500ft.)
Now the good news is that nobody really enforces the law, and as long as you comply with the CAA drone code and don't do buzzing around peoples property you will probably be fine, the fact that the drone code makes no mention of it could help your defence, although they could argue that ignorance of the law is no defence.
I have been flying drones since 2012 and have never had any real problems while out flying.
Hopefully someone can come along with the exact ruling and clear this up once and for all.
2019-4-21
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Ken Storm
First Officer
Flight distance : 178583 ft
United Kingdom
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Thanks for that Harbourside, my thought process was, public highway, public verges, I am a member of the 'public' therefore give myself permission as long as the drone code could be met. But naturally thought surely this has been covered somewhere, looks like another hole that needs filling, hopefully not be some poor beggar and a court case.
2019-4-21
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