fly boy3 Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 In today'sSun. North Somerset council is considering banning drones in public places. BMFA's Manny Williamson has made a statement condeming the move. Cheers Edited By fly boy3 on 22/08/2016 18:57:10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Top draw journalism from the Sun ! If true do they mean drones or quad copters? Or both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly boy3 Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 Hi Cymaz, I agree regarding this so called paper. It only uses the words drone, beaches and parks, and £100 fines. Hope the BMFA can sort this one out soon. Cheers ps above the article is a small picture of a quad, with the words "under threat : drone" Edited By fly boy3 on 22/08/2016 19:24:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I think there needs to be clarity regarding quads (flown line of sight) and drones (flown FPV/Pre programmed). Also, a better bet would be to educate those causing annoyance/flying dangerously. If they aren't interested get the police involved. Its pretty simple really as those people flying legally and safely should not be prevented from doing so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I'm not going to add to the Sun's readership figures, so here's a link to the story in the Plymouth Herald - which I suspect is likely to be rather more based on fact than anything the Sun is ever likely to produce... Here's the bit where Manny is quoted; BMFA development officer Manny Williamson said: "Our view is that the current legislation is entirely fit for purpose. "Essentially I see this as a knee-jerk reaction to address a problem that doesn't exist. "If people are flying in accordance with the current legislation then they don't present a risk anyway. If people abide by this there is no problem whatsoever. "If somebody is breaking the law or not flying in accordance with guidelines then we are in favour of enforcement. "But a blanket ban we are not in favour of." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Methinks a local authority has just seen a way to add to their coffers...... That's what happens when central government delegates statutory powers and dispensing 'justice' to tin-pot dictators on local councils. You've seen it with parking etc.... Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Posted by Steve J on 22/08/2016 21:19:30: Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with unmanned aircraft being manned from busy beaches They already are - the ANO would cover that, I reckon. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Agreed, Pete. And that's pretty-much what Manny was saying too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Bit of editing required there lads...we don't want unmanned Drones manned on busy beaches do we This post will self destruct after edit ...please John....aka Ethan Hawke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 PSPOs are not just a potential threat to aeromodelling in public places; they can be used to criminalise pretty much any activity in your local area. That's right - your local busybody councillors can now take offence at pretty much anything they fancy (recent examples include sleeping in a public place, gathering in groups of 3 or more, use of foul and abusive language and the awe inspiringly broad "causing annoyance" and put in place a PSPO that allows on the spot fines of £100 to be levied. Don't pay and there is the chance of court appearances and a £1000 sanction. It's frankly outrageous, but most people have never heard of a PSPO and are completely unaware of the change in the law in 2014 that brought them into being. Worst is that it's the most vulnerable such as rough sleepers who seem to be being targeted. Sadly I suspect take some of these ridiculous pseudo laws to come into being and their embarrassing consequences be reported in the press before PSPOs are looked at again; let's hope they have not been used extensively against modelling activities by then. Edited By MattyB on 23/08/2016 01:28:12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G. Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 On a slightly different tack, I saw on the news last night that police had intercepted two quads attempting to fly drugs and mobile phones into a prison somewhere around the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Posted by Jon Harper - Laser Engines on 22/08/2016 19:24:49: I think there needs to be clarity regarding quads (flown line of sight) and drones (flown FPV/Pre programmed). This is where confusion lies with this stuff. A drone is any radio controlled aircraft. We all fly them in this hobby, although the popularity of the term "drone" is now used exclusively to describe multi rotor machines. Most fixed wing and multi rotor aircraft can be flown FPV / pre-programmed, if you have the right kit. Who now says the word drone only refers to FPV or pre-programmed? Edited By John F on 23/08/2016 08:11:26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Posted by John F on 23/08/2016 08:10:31: Posted by Jon Harper - Laser Engines on 22/08/2016 19:24:49: I think there needs to be clarity regarding quads (flown line of sight) and drones (flown FPV/Pre programmed). This is where confusion lies with this stuff. A drone is any radio controlled aircraft. We all fly them in this hobby, although the popularity of the term "drone" is now used exclusively to describe multi rotor machines. Most fixed wing and multi rotor aircraft can be flown FPV / pre-programmed, if you have the right kit. Who now says the word drone only refers to FPV or pre-programmed? Edited By John F on 23/08/2016 08:11:26 Personally I would rather that the authorities and media continue to consider the term 'drone' as referring to MR rather than model aircraft or 'toy aeroplanes' as they would know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Yeah! Let's single out and isolate those nasty MR people. Good idea, that will protect modelling won't it....BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GONZO Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I thought that the area between high water and low water on a beach was nothing to do with the local council as its crown property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 don't you think that the thread title is causing all MR/drone lads to run outside with their swords and shields and defend what they do...the title should maybe changed to "bad news for all model flyers" ....PS..i buy the Sun most days.... ..... ken Anderson...ne...1 flying dept. Edited By ken anderson. on 23/08/2016 09:29:30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eifion Herbert Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 According to the ANO if it's not a balloon or a kite, and it's under 20kg it's a "small unmanned aircraft", regardless of if it's got wings and a spinny thing up front, a big spinny thing on top or four small spinny things on the corners. This is a bit of a mismatch to how the terms are commonly used, by modellers, the press and general public. For the layman, the terms "drone" and "model plane" conjures up two different images. I did notice a new sign had appeared at White Horse Hill the last time I was there, informing people that the flying of drones was prohibited, even though flying any kind of powered model there has been prohibited for years, with signage to that effect. Clearly, the council thought that clarification or reinforcing that rule was needed. Perhaps a multirotor pilot turns up with his new DJI, sees a sign saying "flying powered model aircraft prohibited" and doesn't consider their drone to be a model aircraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Posted by ken anderson. on 23/08/2016 09:27:42: don't you think that the thread title is causing all MR/drone lads to run outside with their swords and shields and defend what they do...the title should maybe changed to "bad news for all model flyers" The council seems to have targeted multi rotors directly with this proposition. **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I have no issues with MR. BUT if the hobby in general is to survive and the majority of participants who fly fixed wing at ever decreasing established clubs are to continue then I'm happy for the media to remain non the wiser, as its the media who ultimately influence law makers and wider society Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Posted by John F on 23/08/2016 11:39:56: Posted by ken anderson. on 23/08/2016 09:27:42: don't you think that the thread title is causing all MR/drone lads to run outside with their swords and shields and defend what they do...the title should maybe changed to "bad news for all model flyers" The council seems to have targeted multi rotors directly with this proposition. **LINK** Good luck enforcing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 The police haven't stopped people using mobile phones whilst driving so this is a non--starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David perry 1 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Quad copter pilots don't help themselves. My son flies them, as does his mate Luke Bannister (yes him), and as a group of other qc pilots yet all too often they themselves refer to them as drones. We modellers learnt many many years ago that our models are models, not "toys". Description matters. I have really banged it into my son that he flies quads or rotor craft, not drones. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eflightray Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Posted by GONZO on 23/08/2016 08:47:48: I thought that the area between high water and low water on a beach was nothing to do with the local council as its crown property. It would imagine many beaches have 'No dogs allowed on the beach' bans during the summer months, they certainly do here in South Wales. Wasn't the original 'ban drones' argument based on them carrying cameras and invading peoples privacy. I believe much of the early videoing was also done with fixed wing models. A lot of outdoor TV news and documentaries now appears to be shot using multi-rotors. Is it more the 'shape' of the device that offends, even from fellow modelers ?. Ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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