Maps for no fly zones

[Christopher Morris 2]

Hi, any recommendations/links for a Google/Bing map of a no-fly zone for the UK. I seem to get some maps that seemed to be OK & others that conflicted.
Mainly looking at the Norfolk area.

[Dickw]

Do you mean the Flight Restriction Zones (FRZ) - if so then Dronesafe is the place to go.

Dick

[Christopher Morris 2]

Hi, i looked at this site & its not very good. IE: just 2 miles from me in Kings Lynn there is a small/tiny landing strip that shows up on some sites but not this one. We have the RAF use the north side of the Wash area in Lincolnshire for low-level bombing runs on a regular basis, not on the map. We also have a lot of national trusts wildlife areas that your not allowed to fly over. Not on this map. It's not easy to see where you can fly legally & not be infringing on areas that are a no go zones. .This is something the BMFA should be telling us on a single map for everyone.

 

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 31/05/2020 11:33:16

[MattyB]

Are you really expecting the BMFA (or anyone else for that matter) to create and keep up to date a map that tracks every local by law, NT sure etc in the U.K. regarding model aircraft flight? Sorry, but that is completely unrealistic. Simply use the Dronesafe site for FRZ information and do your own research around any specific locations you are or certain of.

CAA information on this topic

Edited By MattyB on 31/05/2020 12:50:58

[leccyflyer]

The Dronesafe app is the best place to go for such information, though be aware that some clubs have approached their local airports and have secured dispensation to operate, under conditions, even in areas which the Dronesafe app will show as being in no fly zones.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Christopher Morris 2]

Ah! well done Steve. Way better info & simple to understand than the Drone safe site with good reasons & explanations on why not to fly in certain areas. Have bookmarked this one for the future. Just got to see if i can use it & overlay the National trust map on top for my area. Thanks

[Dickw]

Posted by Steve J on 31/05/2020 13:30:17:

NATS Drone Assist app (aka Altitude Angel GuardianUTM). There is a web interface that shows the same data at dronesafetymap.com

An interesting map, but in my local area I can see several known regular model flying sites within the marked zones, including at least one National Trust site.

Still it does say "may be prohibited" and not "is prohibited", so local research is still needed.

Dick

[leccyflyer]

As you say Dick local research is still needed, not least due to the point that I made earlier about local club's arrangements which might exist with the appropriate authorities.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Christopher Morris 2 on 31/05/2020 11:15:57:

Hi, i looked at this site & its not very good. IE: just 2 miles from me in Kings Lynn there is a small/tiny landing strip that shows up on some sites but not this one. We have the RAF use the north side of the Wash area in Lincolnshire for low-level bombing runs on a regular basis, not on the map. We also have a lot of national trusts wildlife areas that your not allowed to fly over. Not on this map. It's not easy to see where you can fly legally & not be infringing on areas that are a no go zones. .This is something the BMFA should be telling us on a single map for everyone.

 

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 31/05/2020 11:33:16

As others have said, you really can't expect the BMFA to keep track of all this stuff and keep it up to date - it would be a 24/7/365 job. Nor in fact can any other single organisation.

For example, the CAA keep airmen (and presumably air ladies too) informed about 'air' restrictions via NOTAMS. (Notice to Airmen). This used be via airfield teleprinters, now it's on the Web. And they can be long or short term.

The last one was at 19:05 today (20 minutes before I started typing this) and there have been FIFTY FOUR in the last 24 hours. This is 'quiet', what with it being a weekend and coronavirus restricting flying, private and commercial, as well.

And as Leccyflyer mentions, there are 'private arrangementa' with the local air traffic control and other authorities. We have one with Southampton ATC, for our model flying field, giving us an exemption from the 400 ft limit, the small local full-size flying school has an 'overfly' exemption, (but nobody else has, model flyers included), and so on.

Then you add the National Trust, the RSPB, the Forestry Commission - with our site there is a 'ground nesting birds season' no model flying period, farmers, other private landowners big and small, local byelaws, etc etc. etc.

So it's totally impossible for any one organisation to keep track of all this, much of which is constantly changing.

Edited By Richard Clark 2 on 31/05/2020 20:14:38

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Christopher Morris 2 on 31/05/2020 14:11:35:

Ah! well done Steve. Way better info & simple to understand than the Drone safe site with good reasons & explanations on why not to fly in certain areas. Have bookmarked this one for the future. Just got to see if i can use it & overlay the National trust map on top for my area. Thanks

Problem is it's wrong.

There is a whole 225 square miles (the New Forest) that it says is ok. But there is no model flying allowed at all except in one specific area of about 2 square miles. Not at ANY altitude. And there is no "May be prohibited" about it, And that has been true for at least 20 years.

I live there so it's the only place I looked. As it's wrong there it is likely wrong in lots of other places.

[Peter Jenkins]

Christopher, there are maps showing danger and prohibited areas that you can get hold of. You do need to pay money for them and they are subject to copyright. That's the reason the BMFA doesn't do what you think they should. These maps are for all avaitors - full size and model. There are also publications available from the CAA - again at a charge.

[leccyflyer]

To be quite honest though, it appears that the OP is a beginner, just starting out in the hobby and realistically, this sort of thing really isn't all that necessary to know, to that degree, at that stage. Neither is a definitive list of which radio frequencies we are able to legally use.

There is enough of a learning curve learning to put an aeroplane together, prepare it for flight and get through the early stages of training, at the club field, rather than worrying about where exactly one might be able to legally fly. Just take the advice of the club, which knows the local situation best.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by leccyflyer on 31/05/2020 21:09:22:

To be quite honest though, it appears that the OP is a beginner, just starting out in the hobby and realistically, this sort of thing really isn't all that necessary to know, to that degree, at that stage. Neither is a definitive list of which radio frequencies we are able to legally use.

There is enough of a learning curve learning to put an aeroplane together, prepare it for flight and get through the early stages of training, at the club field, rather than worrying about where exactly one might be able to legally fly. Just take the advice of the club, which knows the local situation best.

Yes.

A couple of days ago he was worrying about allowed frequencies.

As you say, there is a steep enough learning curve without this, let alone legal radio frequencies. And if (at present) a radio purchased from a legitimate UK model shop, brick or online, (as opposed to some unknown bloke on Ebay and the like) is CE marked it's legally ok and that is all you need to know.

Further, you can't just fly anywhere you fancy just because it isn't marked as 'prohibited' on some map or other.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Christopher Morris 2]

Posted by leccyflyer on 31/05/2020 21:09:22:

To be quite honest though, it appears that the OP is a beginner, just starting out in the hobby and realistically, this sort of thing really isn't all that necessary to know, to that degree, at that stage. Neither is a definitive list of which radio frequencies we are able to legally use.

There is enough of a learning curve learning to put an aeroplane together, prepare it for flight and get through the early stages of training, at the club field, rather than worrying about where exactly one might be able to legally fly. Just take the advice of the club, which knows the local situation best.

Hi, the problem was i spent the winter getting things together & now would of liked to get some lessons. But 6 weeks ago the problems started & my club still says it will be at least another 5 weeks. So a suggestion was made to take my Bixler out that i have as its a very forgiving plane. Someone said there was some areas at my nearby coast that should be good on a carm day. So i thought i would check if the area was ok to fly in. & had a look at dronesafe.uk as this part of the coast it is known as an RAF bombing practice area. The site didn't show a thing. It also didn't show many other local areas of drone restriction.that shows up on other sites.
Must admit, i was put off the site straight away as the 1st paragraph i read had 6 acronyms & as a newbie, i got the UK one & had to look the others up, but had to add radio control to my search or got Under Armour sports clothing company instead of unmanned aircraft.
This was the 1st paragraph. "Great for newbies" Seems like a union rep wrote it, lol

UK FRZ Map

This map enables UA operators to remain clear of the new UA FRZs that are created as part of the latest amendment to the ANO.

[leccyflyer]

Posted by Steve J on 31/05/2020 21:43:56:

Posted by leccyflyer on 31/05/2020 21:09:22:

To be quite honest though, it appears that the OP is a beginner, just starting out in the hobby and realistically, this sort of thing really isn't all that necessary to know, to that degree, at that stage.

I suspect that the CAA would disagree with you.

Where you can fly

A beginner would get all that advice as part of their instruction., There is no requirement from the CAA to consult a non-existent definitive map in order to learn to fly a model aeroplane at a club.

Edited By leccyflyer on 31/05/2020 21:58:52

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[leccyflyer]

Posted by Christopher Morris 2 on 31/05/2020 21:50:20:

Posted by leccyflyer on 31/05/2020 21:09:22:

To be quite honest though, it appears that the OP is a beginner, just starting out in the hobby and realistically, this sort of thing really isn't all that necessary to know, to that degree, at that stage. Neither is a definitive list of which radio frequencies we are able to legally use.

There is enough of a learning curve learning to put an aeroplane together, prepare it for flight and get through the early stages of training, at the club field, rather than worrying about where exactly one might be able to legally fly. Just take the advice of the club, which knows the local situation best.

Hi, the problem was i spent the winter getting things together & now would of liked to get some lessons. But 6 weeks ago the problems started & my club still says it will be at least another 5 weeks. So a suggestion was made to take my Bixler out that i have as its a very forgiving plane. Someone said there was some areas at my nearby coast that should be good on a carm day. So i thought i would check if the area was ok to fly in. & had a look at dronesafe.uk as this part of the coast it is known as an RAF bombing practice area. The site didn't show a thing. It also didn't show many other local areas of drone restriction.that shows up on other sites.
Must admit, i was put off the site straight away as the 1st paragraph i read had 6 acronyms & as a newbie, i got the UK one & had to look the others up, but had to add radio control to my search or got Under Armour sports clothing company instead of unmanned aircraft.
This was the 1st paragraph. "Great for newbies" Seems like a union rep wrote it, lol

UK FRZ Map

This map enables UA operators to remain clear of the new UA FRZs that are created as part of the latest amendment to the ANO.

Yes, I know what the UK FRZ map is and I know what the Dronesafe site does. If you've consulted that and it shows that the site which you have decided to scope out is in a restricted area it is what it is. I suggest that you speak to your club officials, as they ought to have the most up to date position on suitable local sites, any local agreements that they might have in place with ATC etc.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Steve J on 31/05/2020 21:37:44:

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 31/05/2020 20:52:33:

There is a whole 225 square miles (the New Forest) that it says is ok. But there is no model flying allowed at all except in one specific area of about 2 square miles.

The park authority can say if you can take off or land from their land, I am not aware of a law which gives the park authority control over airspace.

Both the Park Authority and the Forestry Commission simply say "No model flying" without any nerdy details. And there's a bylaw that says the same, The Beaulieu site is a formal 'exemption'.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Christopher Morris

Hi, the problem was i spent the winter getting things together & now would of liked to get some lessons. But 6 weeks ago the problems started & my club still says it will be at least another 5 weeks. So a suggestion was made to take my Bixler out that i have as its a very forgiving plane. Someone said there was some areas at my nearby coast that should be good on a carm day. So i thought i would check if the area was ok to fly in. & had a look at dronesafe.uk as this part of the coast it is known as an RAF bombing practice area. The site didn't show a thing. It also didn't show many other local areas of drone restriction.that shows up on other sites.

Must admit, i was put off the site straight away as the 1st paragraph i read had 6 acronyms & as a newbie, i got the UK one & had to look the others up, but had to add radio control to my search or got Under Armour sports clothing company instead of unmanned aircraft.
This was the 1st paragraph. "Great for newbies" Seems like a union rep wrote it, lol

UK FRZ Map

This map enables UA operators to remain clear of the new UA FRZs that are created as part of the latest amendment to the ANO.

There's FAR more to it than the ANO. You can't just fly anywhere it is not formally prohibited.

On the other hand me and a couple of mates have flown small(ish) slope soarers from a small 'linear' hill on the Hampshire/Wiltshire border for years. Who owns it is not obvious as it's 'downland' with no crops, farm animals, or houses nearby and very few 'passers by' on the almost unused unfenced public footpath, and nobody has ever tried to stop us.

Edited By Richard Clark 2 on 31/05/2020 22:28:55

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[leccyflyer]

Posted by Steve J on 31/05/2020 22:41:04:

Posted by leccyflyer on 31/05/2020 21:57:16:

A beginner would get all that advice as part of their instruction., There is no requirement from the CAA to consult a non-existent definitive map in order to learn to fly a model aeroplane at a club.

Most SUA flyers do not fly in a club environment. I would say that the first thing that a beginner should do is read though the drone code and the drone code is pretty clear that people should check for airspace restrictions before they fly.

This particular beginner -Christopher - posting here in the beginner's forum has explained that he has joined a club in order to learn to fly.. His instructor at the club would explain that, but in any case he's already been pointed at the appropriate places to get the information requested, by several contributors to this thread, along with the additional elements which show that the definitive map which he believes the BMFA should be producing is not a realistic proposition. Nobody is saying that he doesn't need to read the drone code or to abide by the regulations.

[Christopher Morris 2]

It’s funny how all these supposed rules apply to model aircraft yet the RAF from Marham deem it ok to fly below the 400 feet at an extreme speed that will glue you to the spot with the intense noise with about one second of notice. We also get the less noisy Hercules flyover on a regular basis & starts its turn for landing & if it’s banked over far enough you can see the pilots.
The point of the above is my back garden is more than large enough for a runway for RC planes, yet I am supposedly about 2 miles outside an exclusion zone & could possibly fly from home if i had enough experience. Could you imagine the fuss if I hit a F35, or the F35 hit me? Not sure my BMFA insurance would cover this.
Note: Must admit, this was all with Tornados & since they got the new Lightning F35 at 80 million a pop, they quite likely deem it safer to keep them away from the ground as we have not seen these at a low level. “yet”