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UK Drone Law
755 25 2019-9-5
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DAFlys
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Hoping to get some people opinion about the interpretation of part of the UK Drone Code.  
Part of the code states -
'Keep your distance (50m from people and property, 150m from crowds and built-up areas)'

Based upon the image they show (page 4 here - https://dronesafe.uk/drone-code/), the 50m is fairly clear, although it suggests that you can overfly someones house above 50 meters.
However the second part seems to be a little open to interpretation, 150 meters from crowds,  to me I would like to see crowd defined as a number. Also it states 150m from built up areas,  where does a house stop and a built up area begin.

I was discussing this was a pfco pilot today, and his view was anywhere thats residential would count as congested or built-up area, Even an empty locked carpark thats 600m x 450m in size, although he seemed to use this argument to justify his job doing some survey work, IMHO.

So what do you thnk they mean by built-up, congested or crowds?
2019-9-5
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MJRH
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I would agree mostly with the pilot you spoke to (although I think the carpark would be dependent on other factors).  I woud view a built-up area as a cluster of houses/businesses rather than an individual property.  I think the CAA have more detailed explanations availble on their website.
2019-9-5
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DAFlys
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MJRH@SkyCam Posted at 9-5 05:37
I would agree mostly with the pilot you spoke to (although I think the carpark would be dependent on other factors).  I woud view a built-up area as a cluster of houses/businesses rather than an individual property.  I think the CAA have more detailed explanations availble on their website.

Found the CAA definition as -

A congested area means, ‘in relation to a city, town or settlement, any area which is substantially used for residential, commercial, industrial or recreational purposes’.

So a single closed building surrounds by a closed carpark one one side and woods on the other should be Ok in my opinion, especially at 150+m
2019-9-5
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A J
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We are permitted to fly 50m/165' over people and buildings in a non congested area of less than 1000 and as close as we like if we have permission from the owner of the building &/or people as they will be in our control. The radius is increased to 150m when near a congested area in line with the definition you have stated in post 3.
2019-9-5
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A J
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DAFlys Posted at 9-5 05:59
Found the CAA definition as -

A congested area means, ‘in relation to a city, town or settlement, any area which is substantially used for residential, commercial, industrial or recreational purposes’.

Thats perfectly fine at 50m unless the car park has hundreds of cars parked up and was adjacent to a huge building with thousands of people walking in and out of a sensitive area like an MOD building in which case the drone will need to be 150m away and in a safe to fly zone. I find the biggest issue these days is where you can take off and land as a lot of public space regulated by councils have banned drones.
2019-9-5
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-5 06:07
Thats perfectly fine at 50m unless the car park has hundreds of cars parked up and was adjacent to a huge building with thousands of people walking in and out of a sensitive area like an MOD building in which case the drone will need to be 150m away and in a safe to fly zone. I find the biggest issue these days is where you can take off and land as a lot of public space regulated by councils have banned drones.

Agreed
2019-9-5
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A J
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It's starting to get to the point where drones are being pushed to designated areas like RC planes.
2019-9-5
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-5 06:15
It's starting to get to the point where drones are being pushed to designated areas like RC planes.

I was just reading the CAA definitions and saw this -

A commercial operation is defined as:
‘flight by a small unmanned aircraft except a flight for public transport, or any operation of any other aircraft except an operation for public transport;

which is available to the public;                  
or
which, when not made available to the public,  
in the case of a flight by a small unmanned aircraft, is performed under a contract between the SUA operator and a customer, where the latter has no control over the remote pilot
or
in any other case, is performed under a contract between an operator and a customer, where the latter has no control over the operator,



Which seems to imply if I take a photo or video and make it publicly available it counts as commercial,  so I shouldn't post my images on the internet.
2019-9-5
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A J
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DAFlys Posted at 9-5 06:23
I was just reading the CAA definitions and saw this -

A commercial operation is defined as:

To be classified as commercial one has to profit directly or indirectly (a third party) from the use of the UAV in the airspace. Taking a photo with your drone as a recreational flight and publishing it in one of your social media accounts for your personal enjoyment as a hobbyist is perfectly fine.

If you publish it in say a YT channel that is monetised for public viewing and you receive a yield from that specific publication or if your take some photos for a friend who then uses the photos to promote his business then that is a commercial activity and you will need to hold a PfCO to do that.

"The key elements in understanding this term are ‘…any flight by a small unmanned aircraft…in return for remuneration or other valuable consideration’.

The term ‘available to the public’ should be interpreted as being a service or commodity that any member of the public can make use of, or actively choose to use, (e.g. because it has been advertised or offered to someone).

Examples showing how commercial operations are defined are available in our guidance for small UAS operators".

2019-9-5
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DJI Tony
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Hi, we're sure that our valued DJI Forum members would provide their feedback in regards to this matter. May you please always have a safe flight. Cheers!
2019-9-5
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-5 07:48
To be classified as commercial one has to profit directly or indirectly (a third party) from the use of the UAV in the airspace. Taking a photo with your drone as a recreational flight and publishing it in one of your social media accounts for your personal enjoyment as a hobbyist is perfectly fine.

If you publish it in say a YT channel that is monetised for public viewing and you receive a yield from that specific publication or if your take some photos for a friend who then uses the photos to promote his business then that is a commercial activity and you will need to hold a PfCO to do that.

thanks AJ,   I hadn't considered the available to public statement like that.  
2019-9-6
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DAFlys
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DJI Tony Posted at 9-5 08:01
Hi, we're sure that our valued DJI Forum members would provide their feedback in regards to this matter. May you please always have a safe flight. Cheers!

Thanks DJI Tony.  I think we've had a good discussion on the topic.
2019-9-6
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A J
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DAFlys Posted at 9-6 00:55
thanks AJ,   I hadn't considered the available to public statement like that.

Basically, if any money is made with your drone in any way it's commercial otherwise, it's recreational. At present you don not need any training or guidance from an NQE such as obtaining a PfCO to fly your drone in line with the drone code for leisure purposes.

We will need to register our drone/s as an operator and pass a basic on line test as an RC pilot with the CAA from 30 November 2019 but that is more of a legal formality for recreational flying only and will not involve the courses and having to write an operations manual as with the PfCO - so even after registering and passing the RC pilot test we still will not be able to use our drones commercially without a PfCO.   
2019-9-6
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-6 01:06
Basically, if any money is made with your drone in any way it's commercial otherwise, it's recreational. At present you don not need any training or guidance from an NQE such as obtaining a PfCO to fly your drone in line with the drone code for leisure purposes.

We will need to register our drone/s as an operator and pass a basic on line test as an RC pilot with the CAA from 30 November 2019 but that is more of a legal formality for recreational flying only and will not involve the courses and having to write an operations manual as with the PfCO - so even after registering and passing the RC pilot test we still will not be able to use our drones commercially without a PfCO.

I saw the test should be available from the 1st of october so not long now.
2019-9-6
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A J
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DAFlys Posted at 9-6 01:12
I saw the test should be available from the 1st of october so not long now.

That soon eh - I'll just get it over and done with as soon as!
2019-9-6
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-6 01:17
That soon eh - I'll just get it over and done with as soon as!

Me too.   Did the french exam for practice already too.
2019-9-6
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A J
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DAFlys Posted at 9-6 02:07
Me too.   Did the french exam for practice already too.

What type of questions mate? How high, far etc or anything more demanding than knowing a drone code?
2019-9-6
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-6 02:14
What type of questions mate? How high, far etc or anything more demanding than knowing a drone code?

The french exam was the usual distances to people etc and some unique questions about how to check NFZs and when insurance would be required.  Its free to do here - https://fox-alphatango.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/en/
2019-9-6
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A J
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DAFlys Posted at 9-6 02:42
The french exam was the usual distances to people etc and some unique questions about how to check NFZs and when insurance would be required.  Its free to do here - https://fox-alphatango.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/en/

Cool - thanks for the link mate
2019-9-6
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-6 02:58
Cool - thanks for the link mate

no problem.   I'd like to do more of the foreign exams but all the others so far seem to be only for residents.
2019-9-6
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A J
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DAFlys Posted at 9-6 03:34
no problem.   I'd like to do more of the foreign exams but all the others so far seem to be only for residents.

Bear in mind that each country will also have different regs and laws to us so be mindful of that when you sit the UK test - happy to PM each other with answers
2019-9-6
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DAFlys
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A J Posted at 9-6 04:07
Bear in mind that each country will also have different regs and laws to us so be mindful of that when you sit the UK test - happy to PM each other with answers

Yes indeed.
2019-9-6
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A J
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.
2019-9-6
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DJI Tony
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DAFlys Posted at 9-6 00:57
Thanks DJI Tony.  I think we've had a good discussion on the topic.

You're most welcome. Should you have further concerns, please keep us posted. Thank you for your support.
2019-9-8
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YouKnowWho
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Planning my trip to the UK, and came across an article talking about the drone laws in the UK, here are some questions discussed, I think it's pretty clear.

Do I Need A Drone License In The UK
Under current UK law, you don’t need a license to fly a drone, providing it weighs less than 20kg. However, new legislation which was released in April 2019 requires all drone owners with a drone weighing between 250g and 20kg to register and do an online safety test or face a £1,000 fine. The fees associated with this are still being negotiated, but are proposed to be £16.50 per operator.

For drones over 20kg, you need special authorization from the CAA and your drone will be classed as a large unmanned aircraft. To find out more about large unmanned aircraft, refer to the CAA website.

Can I Fly A Drone Over Private Property In The UK?
You can fly a drone over private property in the UK, but there are some regulations regarding how close to properties you can fly. You must ensure that your drone is at least 50 meters away from any person or private property at all times; of course, if you’re flying the drone around a friend then that’s fine as long as you have their permission.

Can I Fly A Drone In London Or Other Urban Areas?
In urban areas, the above rule applies but is slightly modified. In urban, built-up areas you must ensure that your drone is at least 150m away from people and buildings and you can’t fly over buildings like you can with regular houses in non-urban areas.

It’s worth noting too that if you’re at a special event, say a concert or a festival, the 150m rule would apply to this too. The reason behind this is because of broadcasting rights. For example, you could just throw some epic footage of Glastonbury on Facebook and Youtube and the BBC would likely get a little peeved that you’re airing the show for free when they’re the sole broadcasters for the event and make money from TV licensing.

Can I Fly A Drone At The Beach In The UK?
As the beach is a public area, you can certainly fly your drone around it. You do need to remember the 50m rule, however, if your drone has a camera fitted to it. Remember, people are less likely to want to be filmed if they’re bikini-clad enjoying the sunshine.

I Am A Holidaymaker. Can I Bring My Drone To The UK?
Absolutely, but don’t forget to abide by all the UK drone laws. Also, from November 2019, if you want to fly your drone, even if you’re from overseas, you will still have to ensure that the drone is registered and that you passed the safety test.

This, of course, just applies if you intend to fly the drone recreationally. If you want to fly your drone for commercial purposes in the UK, you will need to get permission from the CAA. You can find their application form here.

Do I Need Permission To Fly My Drone In The UK?
In short, the answer is no – but let’s look at this in more detail.

As I mentioned in other sections of the article, there are some rules and regulations surrounding drone flying within the UK. If you plan on flying your drone within 50m of a person or their private property, you’ll need permission from them, preferably written so that you have proof should you require it.

If you plan on flying the drone for commercial purposes, you’ll need permission from the CAA.

If you’ve got a huge drone (larger than 20kg) you’ll also need permission from the CAA to operate large unmanned aircraft.

Also, if you want to fly your drone above the 400ft limit that has been set in the UK, or want to fly within 150m of urban areas you’ll need to apply for special permission and demonstrate that you are fully capable of operating the drone safely. As a general rule, the more that you want to “push the boundaries”, the more proof you’ll have to provide.


Flying Your Drone For Commercial Purposes
If you want to fly your drone commercially, whether you’re a UK national or not, you need to apply to the CAA for permission. As part of the application process, you’ll also need to attend a course where they will assess whether or not you can safely and securely pilot the aircraft whilst obeying current laws and regulations.

How do you know if you’re flying the drone for commercial purposes or not? Well, the key elements as defined by the CAA are ‘…any flight by a small unmanned aircraft…in return for remuneration or other valuable consideration’

Any permission that is granted by the CAA will be valid for 12 months, at which point you can renew if necessary. There are two types of permissions that the CAA grants for commercial operations; standard and non-standard. For non-standard permissions there are lots of factors to take into account, and, regardless of the type of permission you have, you’ll be required to have appropriate insurance to cover the commercial operation.

If you want to know how much you’ll need to pay to operate a drone commercially in the UK, you can find the updated list of charges here.
Source: https://cultofdrone.com/drone-laws-in-the-uk/
2019-9-9
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DAFlys
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YouKnowWho Posted at 9-9 18:44
Planning my trip to the UK, and came across an article talking about the drone laws in the UK, here are some questions discussed, I think it's pretty clear.

Do I Need A Drone License In The UK

thanks very informative.
2019-9-10
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