Registration of flying sites with NATS/ATC

[David Hall 9]

Now that our model aeroplanes are "drones"....

I also have an interest in multirotor flying and recently bought an inexpensive camera drone. Whilst researching where I can do some aerial photography, I downloaded the app "Drone Assist" in order to be better informed about airspace restrictions.

I believe that this app is an official means of planning flights, it being used to determine where might be safe to fly, where might need extra permissions and where no flights can take place. It also has the facility to register my planned flight location (dated and timed etc) that (I believe) becomes available to all that use the app or by other means for "full-sized" aircraft. I have booked a couple of flights successfully..

Now, given that we tend to fly in one place, I was surprised to see that none of my model club flying sites is noted in the app. This was particularly notable at a recent thermal soaring comp which is sometimes overflown by light aircraft.. They would have no idea that we were operating there.

Will this become a requirement and should we be registering our sites as permanent events (for whatever days and times flying is allowed at our sites)?

 

 

Edited By David Hall 9 on 04/08/2019 10:36:51

Edited By David Hall 9 on 04/08/2019 10:38:05

Edited By David Hall 9 on 04/08/2019 10:49:20

[Former Member]

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[Former Member]

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[Mike Blandford]

Not that being listed stops overflying by light aircraft. I fly at one of the listed sites and we had a full size fly over quite low last Friday. I could almost read the registration. I wasn't flying at that time, but I did have my Cularis at over 700 feet during a couple of flights, I reckon the light aircraft was lower than that!

Mike

[Former Member]

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[wingcoax]

The worst "near miss" i have seen was many years ago at Primrose Valley during "modelling week". when two Tornados came over, one below a vintage model at height. The ATC had been notified by the organisers who again contacted the PTB who said there had been a breakdown in communications.

[John Bisset]

It does seem reasonable to me that if the CAA and DfT are going to insist on this registration and 'competency' testing folly, we should in turn insist that they recognise where we fly in order that restrictions may be applied to protect our operations.

Aside from the media hype & hysteria about the danger of drones vs fullsize aircarft - still a debatable area - the other purpose in all this is to make it easier for the supposed future drone delivery services etc to be licensed and authorised. This is seen by some as a potential money maker for government, wrongly in my view. Hence they want us corralled and in a position where we can easily taken account of, or deterred completely. If we are registered at cost to ourselves we should therefore ensure that our sites are noted and hence can be avoided by delivery drones,w which will be GPS controlled.

This is something which light aircraft and gliding sites will need to ensure as well. Few are airfields with control zones. I strongly suspect that the DfT will only view licensed airfield official ATZs as relevant. May need to get these things registered ASAP!

[Simon Chaddock]

And if all sites have to be registered I doubt it will be free!

Simply banning hobby model flying is not politically easy but minmising the impact by making it 'expensive' on the grounds of safety is!

[John Bisset]

Ah - a very good point Simon., Our 'Lords & Masters' would be delighted to find another way to tax us and restrict our freedoms!

That said, all the light aircraft airfields and glider sites are already listed and shown on CAA charts, so there can't be any significant additional costs to justify in simply requiring any drone restriction systems to include these areas. That would be a safety benefit.

You'd think anyone wishing to run a commercial drone delivery service would want to know about our sites as well, so their expensive beasties could avoid them. Hmm - too simple !