Tim Kearsley Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 I wonder if anyone living in the East of England was watching the ITV local news programme just now? They featured a piece on the new drone legislation and the reporter said that the regs only apply to drones "over 250 kg"!!! Now that sounds like a mighty big drone to me! I do wish these journalists would check their facts..... Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingman Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 He probably read his script, saw 250g, and thought nahh that can't be right and 'corrected' it to-air Then he came off-air and his director said "you got that wrong - its 250g" and the guy said "don't be daft why would they want to register toys weighing less that a pound!" Edited By Wingman on 02/01/2020 18:43:21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kearsley Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share Posted January 2, 2020 You could well be right Wingman, but it doesn't take much thought to realise that a drone weighing a quarter of a ton isn't the sort of thing Joe Public is going to be flying! Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Fisher Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Compared with a reference I came across about some drones used in 1944, 250 kg ones are lightweights. The Aphrodite project converted "war weary" B-17s into radio controlled flying bombs. The planes were stripped of armament and most other equipment packed with 9100 kg of high explosive and fitted with special radio equipment. They were taken off manually and after gaining altitude were set on course for V-weapon emplacements in northern France. After setting fuses the pilots baled out and control was left to a "mother" aircraft to guide the drone to its target. Sadly they did little damage to the intended target but one crashed in Suffolk. The explosion was heard 30 miles away and left a crater 30 m (100ft) across and severed the trunks of fully grown oak trees within 60 m (200ft) of its edge. I got this from an old copy of Wings - a weekly publication which was labelled as the Encyclopaedia of Aviation. Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kearsley Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share Posted January 2, 2020 Fascinating Malcolm, simply fascinating! Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kearsley Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share Posted January 2, 2020 There's a decent Wikipedia page on the Aphrodite project here. Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Wood 4 Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Yes I watched the ITV Meridian reporter say you had to have proof of purchase to fly your drone!!! I would have thought it would be better researched? But their still on holiday this week 😀 Regards Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 I think 250kg is quite reasonable. The Queen Bee RC 1:1 scale came out at 828Kg, now I really think you should have proof of purchase and your CAA number attached ! **LINK** PS I know someone who has one although he prefers to be in it when flying Edited By Chris Walby on 02/01/2020 21:04:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Further on the Aphrodite project, it cost the life of one of the Kennedy brothers: **LINK** Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 The media knows as much about drones, as I know about the inside of a Black Hole... A heavy drone... Edited By Paul Marsh on 02/01/2020 21:41:52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderstreak.keith Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 steve wright on radio2 did exactly the same thing, 250kg i emailed the show and it was corrected about 1hr later typical BBC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Journos are all arts educated and therefore no nothing about science or engineering and the correct units the physical world in measured in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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