Droning

[Clarkester]

Last night (not for the first time) I was awoken at around 00:30 by what at first sounded like a midge or other small high-pitched buzzy insect.

As I lay in bed, vaguely swiping at the possible invader to my boudoir, it dawned on me that it was not actually inside at all, but outside.  As I say, not for the first time, we had an aerial visitor flying about for a prolonged period above the area whee I live (Yazor Road area)

This is the first time I have heard it during the night, but previously I have spent about 20 minutes standing in my back garden watching the drone as it flies around, hovering for a while, then flying off a bit more and repeating.

Has anybody on here noticed anything similar in the area that they live?

I'm not sure what the point could be at that time of night - he typed, desperately trying not to be paranoid...

[herefordman75]

May be worth checking with the police to see if they were in the area last night using their new toy. If not, then it could be someone prospecting for sheds to break into. A member of the public shouldn't be using a drone in a public area without training and proper clearance (lots of regs regarding use of drones) - think it's a minimum safe distance of 50m from people and property. 

[Cloudberry]

Or of course it could be a Council drone? An easier way to survey for bypass routes etc.?

[Ubique]

From the BBC website today ...........

 

The UK government has announced plans to introduce drone registration and safety awareness courses for owners of the small unmanned aircraft.

It will affect anyone who owns a drone which weighs more than 250 grams (8oz).

Drone maker DJI said it was in favour of the measures.

There is no time frame or firm plans as to how the new rules will be enforced and the Department of Transport admitted that "the nuts and bolts still have to be ironed out".

The drone safety awareness test will involve potential flyers having to "prove that they understand UK safety, security and privacy regulations", it said.

The plans also include the extension of geo-fencing, in which no-fly zones are programmed into drones using GPS co-ordinates, around areas such as prisons and airports.

[Steve Major]

It might of been your local neighbourly pervert trying to catch a glimpse of you on your bed lol 

[ragwert]

I must admit that I'm pretty useless when it come to most tech but I had a go with my lads DJI Phantom drone in the Summer

and was surprised at just how easy these things are to fly.After my lad done some sort of weird dance to program the gps between drone and

control the drone when started stays in one position until you use the controls to move it.
The only thing I can see that needs to be done is what Ibique stated, they need geo fencing of all no go areas like airports prisons etc
 

[Denise Lloyd]

BT Openreach are  awaiting a decision from Central Government on the use of drones for the installation of Fastershire.  This will in some part enable Openreach to reach the target set by CG to get Fastershire to all areas by year 20 and something which I missed to hear properly

[DILLIGAF]

Ragwort - surprisingly easy! You can even map a route and set it off on its travels stopping it on route to admire the view. This is where the law comes into play, the caa state that a drone must be in line of sight at all times, however with mapped routes this is not possible.

As a user myself, and with 3 over the proposed 250g limit I will have to take an awareness test. I am already a registered user. However DJI already have geofencing and it is only as good as the user, if you know what to do this can be tinkered with, as well as altitude lock etc!!

I have a different FC which I need to program and upgrade. One early errors or bugs embedded in the code was in the gps coordinates of return to home, this inturn transpired to be the middle of the Pacific or Atlantic!! Not much good to me in sunny southside! This is where user intervention is required to manually fly back to base and why they should all be flown line of sight.

Another is POV flying (goggles on) where you must have a spotter to visualise the vehicle at all times.

But in layman’s terms DJI is the APPLE of drones - plug & play.

 

If one does happen to appear over your land - poke it with a long stick or the like. They don’t fly with a bust prop! 😜

[megilleland]

I must admit that I'm pretty useless when it come to most tech but I had a go with my lads DJI Phantom drone in the Summer

and was surprised at just how easy these things are to fly.After my lad done some sort of weird dance to program the gps between drone and

control the drone when started stays in one position until you use the controls to move it.

 

I have been following this Spanish gentleman, Andrés Basagoitia, who flies a drone specialising in railways and his surrounding countryside matched with orchestral music . I think the quality and production is fantastic and really sells this part of northern Spain,. It would be interesting for some expert to fly a drone along the proposed bypass route before the council knacker this piece of countryside for good.

[DILLIGAF]

No! That is too sensible for our councils. Plus it’ll put a dent in someones backhander.