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How do you find flying spots in the UK?

Joined
Mar 19, 2016
Messages
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Location
Buckhurst Hill, Essex
Website
airoscope.com
I am really struggling with finding a place to fly my Inspire in Essex around the Loughton area. I am also happy to drive a few miles out in the country side to fly, but where?

We have loads of open green space around the area, but how do you know if you are allowed to fly there?

Epping Forest which is right on my doorstep seemed a good option until I read the bylaws. There are loads of open fields in the area with public walking paths etc and big enough to well out of anyone's way. No issues with staying within the CAA rules. But how do you know who owns the land? Does there have to be signs at the access points?

I would like to know how other people approach this.
 
I fly where it's safe really. If your not staying there all day you should be fine. May not be the right thing to do but life's to short. Anyway how do you know who owns the land, it's not like they have left there contact details! Just be safe and respect who's there all ready. I got some great photos of a castle last week, just stayed back and took off from an empty field, no drama and no one come over. Enjoy your flying and be happy:))
 
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I am really struggling with finding a place to fly my Inspire in Essex around the Loughton area. I am also happy to drive a few miles out in the country side to fly, but where?

We have loads of open green space around the area, but how do you know if you are allowed to fly there?

Epping Forest which is right on my doorstep seemed a good option until I read the bylaws. There are loads of open fields in the area with public walking paths etc and big enough to well out of anyone's way. No issues with staying within the CAA rules. But how do you know who owns the land? Does there have to be signs at the access points?

I would like to know how other people approach this.

I have permission from a local private school to use their sports field which is great as the public don't have access - so I generally have it to myself. In exchange I have offered to shoot aerial photos / video for them when required but I have only done this once in twelve months. I text the head groundsman in advance to check it's okay to pop along and it works very well.

I suggest you make sure you have insurance as that was one thing they did want to check (a must really, wherever you fly). If you are flying as a hobby then consider joining FPV (What is FPV UK? - FPV UK) and for £15.80 pa membership you get £5m public liability cover.

Hope this helps.
 
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Thanks for all the tips!

I have found the Drone Zones app a few days ago and it has great potential. However, there are a few locations pinned on the app that are well within no fly zones. Still found the app very useful and I will be exploring some of the locations next week.

:)
 
Thanks for all the tips!

I have found the Drone Zones app a few days ago and it has great potential. However, there are a few locations pinned on the app that are well within no fly zones. Still found the app very useful and I will be exploring some of the locations next week.

:)
I took a look at Drone Zones - I'm afraid it's pretty useless and in some cases advocates flying in prohibited areas.
The problem is it is not regulated or checked in any way and is simply a collective of people who have gone to Maplin Electronics/Radio Shack/Best Buy and purchased a UAV with no idea of where they can actually legally fly.
Within less than five minutes I had found several sites in the UK on there where users had said things "Great Place to fly in the early mornings" or "Can get busy on weekends but quiet during the week and great views".
Unfortunately what these individuals were clueless about was one was within a National Trust Estate and therefore they shouldn't be there without permission. More disturbingly, another one was actually within an EGD/EGW area where there was military low flying exercises happening on a regular basis!
I wouldn't trust this app as far as I could throw it I'm afraid.
 
Did you also know that if a group of 5 or more or you use the same place to fly from / teach flying you need planning permission if over 28 separate days a year. As you need a change of land use.

So everyone meeting up for a fly on the same spot are probably going to fall foul of that.

And I know this because we had to do it for our BMFA club.

So any radio controlled aircraft (drone) flying spot could fall foul of this if your not careful ;)


I bet most NQEs don't even have planning permission where they test pilots out ;)
 
Are you not allowed to fly over private land? They may own the land, but not the air space. So long as you are 50M above.
 
Are you not allowed to fly over private land? They may own the land, but not the air space. So long as you are 50M above.

Erm read what I typed again lol

You can fly off (take off from) land you own or have permission from land owner

But a group of 5 flyers or commercial operations use the land more than 28 days in a year YOU have to get change of land usage and this means planning permission.
 
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Hu Guys

I know it's limited and is more to help DJI promote more sales, link to their forums but DJI have the DJI+ Discover App which also shows where users are frequently flying. You can open the App select the map and then look for local places people fly.
 
Mark, if you cant fly over private land, not over towns or cities, not over the roads, then the only place you can fly, is over the sea! Most of the UK is privately owned on one way or another.
 
Mark, if you cant fly over private land, not over towns or cities, not over the roads, then the only place you can fly, is over the sea! Most of the UK is privately owned on one way or another.

Okay so you still don't get it do you

This is not about what land you fly over

This is about where you fly from.

Oh love the countryside flying ;)
 
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Hu Guys

I know it's limited and is more to help DJI promote more sales, link to their forums but DJI have the DJI+ Discover App which also shows where users are frequently flying. You can open the App select the map and then look for local places people fly.

I have NO interest in knowing who's nearby and I don't want them to know where I am either ;)
 
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I flew through the whole of the North Yorkshire Dales yesterday. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a dream...and when I awoke my Inspire was still snug in it's case...so I'm still just a virtual flyer. Oh well, one day...one day...

On a more serious note for those young bucks out there who are 'pioneer camera drone flyers' just remember: Don't post all your footage on your Facebook page...the thought police are everywhere. ;-)
 

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