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Council policy bans hobby drones over "their" land. UK

Crispjon

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Jan 14, 2018
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70
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Our local council (East Devon District Council in Devon UK) has issued a drone policy that basically bans hobby drones from taking off or flying over any land owned by them. They may allow a commercial flight on payment of £200 and that appears to be for one flight!! However there are very tight restrictions even on that. They also say we should have written permission from any landowner that we take off from or fly over which is news to me. I have asked them (among other things) to provide me with a map of their land and whether a tenant (for instance a farmer) can give permission as many of our farms are council or church owned. However if caught they say they will "instruct you to stop immediately". which does sound a rather empty penalty !
I guess we were expecting this kind of petty response. Interesting days ahead.
 
Our local council (East Devon District Council in Devon UK) has issued a drone policy that basically bans hobby drones from taking off or flying over any land owned by them. They may allow a commercial flight on payment of £200 and that appears to be for one flight!! However there are very tight restrictions even on that. They also say we should have written permission from any landowner that we take off from or fly over which is news to me. I have asked them (among other things) to provide me with a map of their land and whether a tenant (for instance a farmer) can give permission as many of our farms are council or church owned. However if caught they say they will "instruct you to stop immediately". which does sound a rather empty penalty !
I guess we were expecting this kind of petty response. Interesting days ahead.
How can they ban from flying over their land, they don’t own the sky.
 
Wow. Quite a step by the Council. I presume they have the legal right to make such prohibitions as they will have taken advice. This is a step that makes our hobby more difficult to follow especially if we do it for fun rather than profit. Wonder if this move is being mirrored around our newly independent-of-Europe country?
 
Our local council (East Devon District Council in Devon UK) has issued a drone policy that basically bans hobby drones from taking off or flying over any land owned by them. They may allow a commercial flight on payment of £200 and that appears to be for one flight!! However there are very tight restrictions even on that. They also say we should have written permission from any landowner that we take off from or fly over which is news to me. I have asked them (among other things) to provide me with a map of their land and whether a tenant (for instance a farmer) can give permission as many of our farms are council or church owned. However if caught they say they will "instruct you to stop immediately". which does sound a rather empty penalty !
I guess we were expecting this kind of petty response. Interesting days ahead.

Education is the only answer.
 
How can they ban from flying over their land, they don’t own the sky.
Apparently in UK you can claim certain rights to airspace up to 500' called the lower stratum. Of course we are not supposed to fly above 400'. However who is going to catch you and furthermore take you to court? It's another unenforceable "law" in a very grey area.
.
An interesting read if it's too windy to fly!
 
Apparently in UK you can claim certain rights to airspace up to 500' called the lower stratum. Of course we are not supposed to fly above 400'. However who is going to catch you and furthermore take you to court? It's another unenforceable "law" in a very grey area.
.
An interesting read if it's too windy to fly!
My understanding is that the landowner only has any claim of the airspace is if there is a building on it, not free air.

Annotation 2020-02-01 185723.jpg
 
Our local council (East Devon District Council in Devon UK) has issued a drone policy that basically bans hobby drones from taking off or flying over any land owned by them. They may allow a commercial flight on payment of £200 and that appears to be for one flight!! However there are very tight restrictions even on that. They also say we should have written permission from any landowner that we take off from or fly over which is news to me. I have asked them (among other things) to provide me with a map of their land and whether a tenant (for instance a farmer) can give permission as many of our farms are council or church owned. However if caught they say they will "instruct you to stop immediately". which does sound a rather empty penalty !
I guess we were expecting this kind of petty response. Interesting days ahead.

It is possible to query the actions of the landowner with the CAA

 
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Curious as to whether anything more had come from the issue of a local council banning overflight. A quick read of the recent EASA regs looked like a good deal more common sense was applied than what our FAA is proposing. I don't know if Brexit has an affect on EASA or if the CAA has its own, but the quote by PJS1962 suggests regulation above the surface is not within local jurisdiction similar to here in the U.S.. Local governments are allowed to restrict taking off and landing from within their boundaries just as it is with national parks/forests and state parks/forests in Florida. However, it does not prohibit overflight although minimum altitudes can be specified over certain areas outside of NFZs.
 
No reply from the Council so I've sent a mail to my District Councillor today. I believe Uk will adopt the new EASA regs as we have only started to leave the EU.
 
No reply from the Council so I've sent a mail to my District Councillor today. I believe Uk will adopt the new EASA regs as we have only started to leave the EU.

Looks like we'll be leaving EASA at the end of the year after all. Get set for even MORE regulation changes :rolleyes:

 
Looks like we'll be leaving EASA at the end of the year after all. Get set for even MORE regulation changes :rolleyes:

More work for CAA!
I got a link for the land owned by EDDC.

If you zoom in on the Axe estuary they seem to think their land extends into the sea including the intertidal zone which is, I believe, Crown Estate land and not under their control.
 
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