Took drone footage of a castle in Cumbria at the request of the owner of the castle and the surrounding land. Confronted by a tenant who lived in a rented property on the land, who said he refused permission to photograph him or his house. I politely explained that it was dangerous for me to engage with him whilst flying and I would explain fully once I had landed. He wasn't happy with that and continued his rant, while I explained (whilsy flying) I was licenced, within CAA rules, had the landowner's permission and didn't need his . He then threatened to call the police, and I explained that if he did he would be wasting everyone's time as no offence had been committed. I then asked him to take up his issue with the landowner, who was also his landlord. He didn't. 😄
On another occasion I had a commission to fly near a military firing range on a live firing day which showed up on Drone Assist. I called the base, explained what I was doing, exactly where and at what height, and he said they had no problem with that and thanks for letting us know. He did finish the conversation by saying if I was too close they might use the drone as target practice, but I'd like to think he was joking!
Perfect advice for those of us with a conscience and a consideration for others. Drones would be permitted to fly in many more places than they are now if all drones were flown with this approach. Thanks. 👍
Agreed, in fact their are lots of drone videos on here from a certain TH-camr, (no names) which, whilst being mildly entertaining, are not helping remove the paranoia the authorities and public seem to have towards drones.
2 yrs into owning a mini 2, I feel comfortable flying it, can actully make it go where I want it to go and no longer feel uncomfortable by peoples misconceptions that you want to spy on them. For me it's ALL about scenery and sunsets!
Ian please don’t let this go to your head but you really are the best most level headed drone guy in the world and even though I’m very experienced myself with drones I still found this interesting and agree 100% with you
I do fly drones, and have done for a few years now, even before the C.A.A. regulations / rules came into effect. I must admit, my experiences with members of public whilst flying have in the main been very positive. Generally, most people I have encountered have been interested in the drone, and often have questions as to how they could fly one. My other hobby, which is ham radio, and I’ve been U.K. licensed for over forty years, tells a different story. I have been told I shouldn’t be in certain places, and was once reported to police for being a spy, whilst out operating my portable station. After being surrounded by several police officers, and a fairly detailed explanation about I was doing, they saw the funny side of it, and left me in peace. The moral of this story is, it doesn’t really matter what you do as a legitimate hobby, at some point you will have an encounter, good or bad at some point with a member(s) of public.
Thanks for another good video. Almost the opposite here - I more than often get folk coming up to me interested in what I’m doing ! Touch wood - never had an issue flying. With different separation distances here - 50m people - if folk are within that distance - I usually get them ‘involved’
Hey dude just found your channel and the wife and I have been binge watching. Absolutely stunning videos, especially the Iceland ones.. what a beautiful country.. I’d love to come back over to Merry Ole England at some point too!! Cheers from Upstate New York 🎉
Great video thank you Ian! Nice to see you have a respectful, mature attitude when flying your drone, unfortunately I have seen so many youtubers (auditors etc) that go out actively looking for trouble and confrontation. These idiots give the drone community a bad name!
hi i was flying on my local beach in somerset i spotted the coast guard with there hovercraft i asked if i could film them yea was the reply and send us a copy they were well happy and bonus i can film them when praticing but not on a rescue
@IaninLondon I agree with you here, especially with the sentiments of flying considerately, sensibly and away from people. But I would correct you on the fact that landowners don’t own the airspace, they do and will have some control over it. This was very unlikely to be an issue with the older laws and regs, but with the loosening of the regulations for the sub 250g the old mantra of “no one owns the airspace” is not just incorrect but actively counter-productive.
Really useful tutorial as usual Ian. Very helpful and a great reminder of some ‘do’s and don’ts’… Keep it up. Always look forward to whatever you post.
I've had a couple of negative encounters with people. The other day I had someone yelling at me, telling me to eff off etc. I pointed out to him that I was fully registered, had passed the required exams, was flying a sub 250 (standard when I'm anywhere near people etc) and had every right to fly in that location. He told me that I wasn't allowed to fly over land and that he was going to call the police. I offered him the use of my phone to make the call and told him I'd stick around to watch them deal with him when they found their time was being wasted. He declined. Job done.
Great video and explanation Ian. It is very good to know your rules and regulations and to keep your calm and explain well. That also calms down the person that approaches you.
It is very good advice to fly when there are very few people around, and of course during the golden hour, the light is much better. I'm gradually beginning to realise it's better to stick by the rules, but fly, knowing that you might have to apologise if somebody misunderstands the situation rather than ask permission beforehand because invariably the person you ask will not know the rules and will then be on the safe side and just say no. The crucial issue for me is where you take off from not necessarily what you fly over and cut. As you say, people don't own the airspace above their property.
Great video Ian and definitely one to recommend to others (as always). BTW … didn’t know about the public bye-pass near Stonehenge so will have to try there. Interesting too, to see the ‘Stonehenge’ tunnel has been approved.
Hey Glyn. I think it's going through another 'assessment' phase... Wouldn't hold your breath! But yep, when you park up, you can walk down to where the byway crosses the old road they use for buses from the visitor centre and have a walk along the side track, very close to the stones, for free.... :)
Pretty sure that bumpy little byway used to be the main road that in the 60s and 70s you just pulled up on the edge of to visit the stones, then there was a big car park and a tunnel under the road to the visitor centre, before the road was closed and parking etc moved a mile away. When my niece worked there just before COVID looking out for drones and shutting them down seemed to be a significant staff job!
Had an incident like yourself where I was in a remote location (countryside, church car park (empty)), away from people, abiding by the CAA rules and was flying my DJI Mini 3 Pro over woods, farmland to get the beautiful views. Lady came running up to me shouting that I wasn't allowed to fly my drone over her land (it was about 70m up so unsure how she heard it!) and that she had cows that were startled. Very aggressive. I kept my calm and stated that I was capturing the wonderful countryside, no intention to scare cattle or look into houses etc etc. She said flying over her land was illegal. I did once start to get into the "I am legal in what I was doing" conversation, but remained calm (the best way to deal with angry people). She said, no, she was a pilot and she knew the rules etc etc. I ended up just smiling and nodding instead of getting into a confrontation, even though I was legally correct. This spooked me for a few weeks and didn't fly for a while as I hate confrontation. She was very angry. Great video Ian - it is quite scary when people do approach you but the pre-flight planning I do now makes sure that I avoid any type of confrontation. Cheers buddy
Yes, it really is a pain when something stupid like that happens. And you can't help but play it over in your head again. But you played that one out correctly, and you can't always win every situation. Nothing bad happened, you didn't crash your drone, so you had the chance to say what you wanted but you also live to fly again another day 🤠🤠
Fantastic video, I've previously confronted the NT and in a nutshell their attitude is "forget the Drone code/CAA, we don't allow Drones" unaware they don't own the airspace
Great information as always, clear and concise, no faff. And it was great to see Drone Scene recommended, which I certainly do prefer to Drone Assist for the reasons mentioned. Keep up good work pal 👍
I had my drone flying over Stonehenge last Summer, Ian... I was stood on the free footpath and flying on the opposite side of the henge at around 05:00hrs when the guards came to the fence and told me that was their airspace and I needed to bring my drone back to the field I was stood in. I was already doing that anyway as I had the sunrise shots I wanted, but afterwards my friends told me the same as you have regarding the airspace not being theirs. I'll know if I return again. Thanks for the video, it just backed other people's advice up.. 👍 Phil
I think they have changed their tune now; this year I watched on as someone was flying from the side path near the stones (on the public path, not inside the enclosure) and the guards just asked him not to fly too close to the stones...... Every time I've visited, I see at least one person flying at some point.
@@IaninLondon that's good to hear.. It was the only way I was going to get the stones and the sunrise together as there's no footpath on the 'good' side..lol 👍
Great advice as ever Ian thank you. I always try to fly when no one is arround as I prefer empty shots with no people, but as you say from high up people are only dots if you are high you are a lot quiter as well. I love the different prespective an aerial shot gives you so usualy just go up take a few photo then come back so as to not disturbe other peopls enjoyment. 👍👍
Great video 👍 I recently flew over Menwith Hill (aka RAF Menwith Hill) which is surprisingly unrestricted airspace. I was flew from the road, but right in front of a camera. Don’t know if it helped, but I had also listed “249g drone flight” on Drone Assist, two days earlier. Even though I was right in front of a camera, they left me alone, obviously knowing that I was allowed to fly there (think I also saw a “no drones” sign but they still let me) However, I also flew a second time from the other side of the base but this time someone reported seeing a drone. A few mins after landing a car pulled up asking if I’d seen anyone flying a drone. I told them it was me & they asked if they could take a look at the footage. Long story short, they said there was nothing you can’t see on Google earth & I was free to go. I was so relieved! They did mention that they had the power to seize it if needs be. I’m so glad they didn’t. th-cam.com/users/shortsJe-uIn9eXeE?feature=share Cheers, Steve
@@IaninLondon It took them a while.. one of them went thro the videos on the controller while the other tried to get hold of someone more senior. They were eventually told over the radio/phone that the footage was ok. They told me they wanted to make sure I hadn’t been zooming in, to secure areas etc. I was just so relieved. I asked if I could use the footage & they said “yes, we can’t stop you” I won’t be going there again though! 😀
@IaninLondon I've discussed the confiscation issue with a police officer. They do not have the power to confiscate anything from a member of the public. Im not sure whether that's the case with the military police but I doubt they are able to do so. Different rules/laws might apply within the base perimeter but who'd be daft enough to try that?
Brilliant video. Thank you. I'm due to visit Stonehenge soon, so thank you for the advices as well. I'm now considering renting a motorhome and park there for a night or two, although, being that you guys drive on the wrong side of the road, I still need to think about it.. 😉
Great vid Ian, I was confronted at Bloody Bridge in N.Ireland, I took off from the main road but was standing while flying off the coast in a NT car park, a angry guy approached me as I landed my M3 saying I had "flown over his house and nearly cut his head off" his house backs onto the coast, I explained I was nowhere near him and I was legal to fly but he was adamant I was in the wrong and he told me he was off to get his shotgun, I laughed it off but did move on sharpish, that's the worst I've had it's mostly been positive encounters.
Yeah, once in Gozo I had a very simple "you fly over my house, bang bang" from a grizzled farmer. Decided not to try and educate him on that day........🤠
Absolutely. You do need to register, which is cheap and easy, just search register drone UK and you'll be guided through it. But the Mini 3 Pro gives you the most freedom to fly 👍🏻
always love your informed videos Ian you are talking about safety and distraction but one of the downsides of the mini 3 pro after buying it is the lack of voice warnings it gave a hubsan mini pro it it gives you voice warning when your battery is betting low and will automatically return to home im really surprised it does not have this feature it takes the worry away when videoing and the prospect of losing your drone your thoughts
Hey Ian, I was also there with my Mini 3 in June(from Australia). I wish I had seen this before though. My only opportunity was when I was in Bath so took the hour drive and saw the freeway all coned off and the side roads all wired off, so had to park about 1km up the road. Did a similar thing, checked it was ok to fly there, saw they closed at 5pm so went after, chose a sunny day around 7pm for the long shadows. Got some cracker shots with no one in the pics apart from a security guard who I only saw in the pics after(easily removed in post)
And the security guards are well used to drones and as long as you don't get too close, they ignore them. If everything was coned off, it may have been a few days near the solstice around the 21st, when they stop people heading up the byway side road. :)
"My own personal view that a family that has young kids makes way, way more noise and is far more annoying." As someone who's property borders on an elementary school playground full of shrieking rug rats I can say you couldn't be more right with that opinion.
I was flying my mini 3 pro videoing a local demonstration on a main road, in a FRZ. I was approched by a police officer informing me that I am within a FRZ and I need permission from the ATC. I said I know and I have permission which I showed him, he said he had a mini 2 himself, then he just told me to carry on and fly safe.
Great advice Ian Been flying on holiday a little this year ( mini 3 pro, A2 c of c, registered etc). A neighbour, also a drone flyer mentioned I should also be registered with EASA when flying abroad, which I duly did. As a hobbyist should I get 3rd party insurance Regards Bryan
Ian thanks so much for your great explanation, actually all your Info‘s are very helpful. As to be honest I have also been in many tourist attractions (monuments eg. Old Man of Storr in Scotland) etc and there were signs forbidding flying with drones. I suppose we should respect those signs (which I did) but other pilots didn’t. So my question is if the Drone Flying Apps allow you to fly even though there are signs forbidding you to do so, what would you recommend?
I take the view that someone, somewhere doesn't like drones, but if it's a desolate area, where people will not be affected in any way, and the sign has no actual validity (ie you can easily take off from adjacent land), then I will fly.
Great sound advice Ian. The only other thing I would add is caution and consideration when flying around animals and livestock. I once upset a flock of sheep and caused them bolt off in frenzy despite my altitude. The other caution is those dogs who like to chase drones. All part of my pre flight risk assessment now - we live and learn 👍
Ah, I've mentioned dogs many times as most regular viewers have seen Ted, my Westie, go crazy over my drones.... How high were you above the sheep out of interest?
Had the same response as you from a woman next to the Solway Firth, she came marching out of her garden and confronted me as I was landing the drone. I explained the rules and offered to show her the footage. She stormed back off chunnering under her breathe. Touch wood that is the only occasion so far.
Hi Ian watched this yesterday and many thanks for posting. I am intending to fly aong Hadrians Wall which is on land mostly run by English Heritage. Can I ask does this mean, while they may complain, they cannot prevent me flying as long as I fly responsibly (which I always do) and to the CAA rules? Many thanks Jon
My advice is to find somewhere where they won't even see you :) If you are controlling the drone on their land, then you must land if asked. If you're on public land, like a quiet lane, then you're fine.
@@IaninLondon Amazon have them. It looks amazing but I have so many I think I will wait for the Mini 4 but who knows. Get your review out fast. I trust you :)
Hi Ian, could you fly a Mavic 3 or Air 3 in this area (or similar type place, so a monument or sculpture like the Angel of the North), assuming you have one of the A2 CoC things or the requisite membership to FPVuk and the extra rights you can get to fly larger drone in recreational areas? Or is this not that type of designation? Reading the rules with all the ways round bits of them and ongoing changes of direction like the C1 drone classification u-turn, can make getting a clear understanding before buying "the right drone" is tricky. Currently trying to work out if I should go for Mavic 3 Classic/Mini 3 Pro/Air 3.... but don't want to cock up on the airspace usage.
Over 250 grams , even with the A2CofC means a 50 metre distance from uninvolved people. Mini 3 Pro is only drone that will get you that freedom. Even using Article 16 flying rights from FPVUK means 30 metres for >250 gm models, although that can be a bubble, not horizontal....
@IaninLondon Aye the 30m bubble bit of it kind of makes things a bit more manageable with the zoom in the air 3. I'm really after waypoints and the cross control stuff which I think will be very useful. Pain that you cannot use them in proximity to buildings though. I don't really want to have 2 of these things. Particularly when the controls are not compatible for air3 and mini Pro.
Hi Ian I’m am from Australia and coming to Ireland and England shortly. I have a DJI Mini 4 Pro can you advise me on what licences and certifications I will need to fly in these countries. Thanks
How does this work for flying in London itself? I might be coming down in a few months for an England match. So drone night shots of tower bridge etc would be amazing. Can you fly a mini 3 Pro in London or how do you go about obtaining permission to do so? Altitude Angel would suggest all of London is a no fly zone 😬
Most of London has a strict no-fly zone. But funnily enough, the boundary of that on the eastern side is Tower Bridge itself. So you can go to the east of tower bridge and take off quite legally. All main central parks are strictly forbidden and you will get heavily fined 👍🏻
@@IaninLondon that’ll make sense as to why most of the drone pics I see are from that side! Thanks for the tip. Keep up the great work. Love your videos!
Great video Ian. Another point I would make is having respect for businesses. Most of us will have seen one of these 'Audit' videos, these are individuals or sometimes groups film staff with their phones and GoPros, they work on the pretext of exercising their right to film, something they have dubbed PINAC (Photography Is Not A Crime) Sadly, once they get a reaction from staff, they pull out their joker card, by proceeding to inform the business they intend to fly a drone, which as you would expect, given most none drone enthusiasts don't know the rules, this exasperates the situation. The staff are only concerned about the security and understandably, don't wish to have their business put in the bublic domain. Unfortunately, auditing has become a new craze, they will stoop to any level to create content, drones are now very much part of the auditing world. It seems to me they show total disregard to people and their business, exactly the opposite of what you have told us on your video. They have no respect for real drone enthusiasts and the potential changes the CAA could make because of their actions. So having respect for people's property and business is very important. It not a rule, but respect is something any reasonable person should adopt. Thanks for the video 😊👍
I have Drone Assist. Not aware of 'Drone Scene' and nor is The Apple Store apparently. Not available on iOS as you have listed it in the video Ian. Great video though - thank you!
Genuine question, if the CAA govern the air space. How can national trust ban flights if you're stood on a public highway? I don't see how they can enforce that?
They can’t. They can stop you taking off and landing on their property, but if you take off from public land, they cannot stop you overflying their land.
Hi Ian need to ask a question are all RC controllers unique to each drone as in it won't clash with the next-door neighbor of the same drone and same controllers and flying together many thanks Donald
12 Sept and there is still a blanket ban on the whole area around Stonehenge; Temp flying restriction and Danger area Larkhill. Is ti the case that all flights from land under the control of English Heritage is banned? But if you can take off from a public footpath near can you fly over sites of English Heritage ?
Excellent advice Ian - probably the best advice I have heard regarding where you can and cannot fly. The confrontation example was excellent :). Love the examples of No Cycling and National Trust etc. Drone Wanker LOL :)
A few weeks ago I was trying get some video of a local unused windmill at sunset. Admittedly it was a bit close to someone's house but I obviously wasn't filming their house. The owner marches out asking to see my license to which I tell him I don't need one (DJI Mini 2). He then starts claiming to be an aviation lawyer and he "knows" that I shouldn't be within 500ft of his house. I tried to tell him that's not true (with my drone). He then makes a show of "calling the police" to which I just laugh and tell him they're not going to come out to this are they. And besides, I'm not doing anything illegal. He then starts saying the land is private so I tell him they don't own the air space and I'm not on the land, I'm outside the gates on a public path. At the end of the day to avoid more confrontation I said fair enough, it is a bit close to his house so I'll respect that and come down. I do wish I'd stood my ground though as I was in the right.
What I can never understand is when there is signage stating no drones as is quite common here in NEW ZEALAND and I would like to take a photograph from a slightly higher position (5-10 mtrs.) to get a different perspective for that image, how can that possibly endanger low flying aircraft that might be in the area doing pleasure flights!
None whatsosever.... The beauty of NZ is that very often, there are deserted parking areas just down the road you can get your shot from :) Lived in Chch for 3 years many moons ago :)
When you say England do you actually mean the UK? I live in Scotland, and thought I could fly anywhere, subject to CAA restrictions as long as I didn't take off from the private property (a castle for instance)
I had someone angrily finger wagging tell me to delete my footage and I refused. I told them if I delete it and you then call the police I have no proof that I’m not in the wrong. I had been their first was flying off on my own safely filming a pylon for smooth filming practice. she was claiming it’s illegal to record someone’s audio, like i was spying on them. I informed her my drone doesn’t record audio. The thing is if she’d come over, been polite and asked how long until I left I would have been much more receptive but that attitude meant I wasn’t leaving first. For the most part people are awesome and just ask questions. I’ve even let strangers fly my drone. Seniors actually are the most interested in it but never want to try it.
@@PeteCattell It comes doing photography around bridges back in the day. Police will never ask you to delete it as well, typically I’ll show them what I’m doing (not required) and then talk to them for a while finishing up what I’m doing and move on.
I fly over Canadian historic sites, I launch and land outside the property lines so it's all legal. I had my first incident with disgruntled people last week; fortunately I'm 6 ft and 185 lbs so threats of physicality don't intimidate me, the clown backed off after he realized I was not going to stop or back down and that his threats only made me laugh at him.
Excellent as usual Ian. Good advice indeed, but ones knowledge of the rules and law doesn't seem to stop some uninformed Police from making up their own rules, as we have seen on other videos on here. Keep up the good work.
I was happily flying my mini 3 drone on a pier in south shields the other day , when out of the busy body a lady collecting rubbish was saying I was spoiling her day and had no right to fly there! So I looked at my options and If I could get away with it, and threw her over the pier lol (well that's what was in my head anyway lol ). In reality I stated I had every right and had a CAA license and qualified pilot! She scuttled off and everyone she met pointed at me and obviously was hoping someone would join her cause, which of course no one did! So if you see a little old lady floating about in the sea with a coke can in her backside, please ignore and her and it wasn't me me ! I wiped the footage ! 🤣
Usually I get the people coming close to me to know about the tech, and that is the best encounter you can get. Even though they steal time and battery. Even had a random guy try my googles and then I took it for a spin with the guy standing there dizzy as fuck from the spinning I did 😂😂 After that he did a thumbs up and walked away 😂
I hate to think of hearing drone deliveries flying everywhere at least the hobby isn't EVERYWHERE like most people think. FPV the stone hinge and power loop it
Whilst using a sub 250g drone to document a new build house we were building a neighbour who rents a property went and I use the term lightly “nuts” Tried the here’s the pictures and it doesn’t show your property, here’s my licence and insurance but absolutely no calming down . The individual isn’t moved by anything I do or say . Whilst I appreciate your video there are cases where reasoning doesn’t work . Oh and yes this has destroyed the picture record of our new build
I had a Karen like the one you mentioned, she actually called the Police while alongside me hurling abuse, they told her they were too busy to attend and to make sure she did not disturb the pilot while flying because that was a criminal offence, she rolled back in doors with her tail between her legs and I never heard from anybody again, but don’t fly at the spot anymore as I found a better one half a mile down the road.
SSSI is becoming an issue for drone flyers. In my area of Somerset there is so much SSSI, including the coast, and these areas have now been added to drone angel.
Being SSSI isn't necessarily a valid reason not to fly IMHO, but it does mean there are other considerations, like staying even higher to ensure you don't affect animals or birds in any way...
Have you had issues when flying? How did you handle it and how did it go? Dronescene is not an app, but a website at dronescene.co.uk/
Took drone footage of a castle in Cumbria at the request of the owner of the castle and the surrounding land. Confronted by a tenant who lived in a rented property on the land, who said he refused permission to photograph him or his house. I politely explained that it was dangerous for me to engage with him whilst flying and I would explain fully once I had landed. He wasn't happy with that and continued his rant, while I explained (whilsy flying) I was licenced, within CAA rules, had the landowner's permission and didn't need his . He then threatened to call the police, and I explained that if he did he would be wasting everyone's time as no offence had been committed. I then asked him to take up his issue with the landowner, who was also his landlord. He didn't. 😄
On another occasion I had a commission to fly near a military firing range on a live firing day which showed up on Drone Assist. I called the base, explained what I was doing, exactly where and at what height, and he said they had no problem with that and thanks for letting us know. He did finish the conversation by saying if I was too close they might use the drone as target practice, but I'd like to think he was joking!
finally someone building confidence and explaining clear a plain where to fly safe! Thanks Ian!
Perfect advice for those of us with a conscience and a consideration for others.
Drones would be permitted to fly in many more places than they are now if all drones were flown with this approach.
Thanks. 👍
Agreed, in fact their are lots of drone videos on here from a certain TH-camr, (no names) which, whilst being mildly entertaining, are not helping remove the paranoia the authorities and public seem to have towards drones.
Most I see are flown with care and consideration
2 yrs into owning a mini 2, I feel comfortable flying it, can actully make it go where I want it to go and no longer feel uncomfortable by peoples misconceptions that you want to spy on them. For me it's ALL about scenery and sunsets!
Ian please don’t let this go to your head but you really are the best most level headed drone guy in the world and even though I’m very experienced myself with drones I still found this interesting and agree 100% with you
Cheers! I try and keep it all real.... :)
Another great video, Ian! And thanks for the Drone Scene recommendation 😊
Brilliant thanks Ian, excellent advice & information! Great stuff!
Stickle Tarn , Lake District, Great Langdale valley,N.T. don't own the land but they manage it, there's land near the tarn to fly from.
I do fly drones, and have done for a few years now, even before the C.A.A. regulations / rules came into effect. I must admit, my experiences with members of public whilst flying have in the main been very positive. Generally, most people I have encountered have been interested in the drone, and often have questions as to how they could fly one. My other hobby, which is ham radio, and I’ve been U.K. licensed for over forty years, tells a different story. I have been told I shouldn’t be in certain places, and was once reported to police for being a spy, whilst out operating my portable station. After being surrounded by several police officers, and a fairly detailed explanation about I was doing, they saw the funny side of it, and left me in peace. The moral of this story is, it doesn’t really matter what you do as a legitimate hobby, at some point you will have an encounter, good or bad at some point with a member(s) of public.
Thanks for another good video. Almost the opposite here - I more than often get folk coming up to me interested in what I’m doing ! Touch wood - never had an issue flying. With different separation distances here - 50m people - if folk are within that distance - I usually get them ‘involved’
Very handy to know. I've just arrived from Australia to the UK for a short time and still discovering places to fly
Hey dude just found your channel and the wife and I have been binge watching. Absolutely stunning videos, especially the Iceland ones.. what a beautiful country.. I’d love to come back over to Merry Ole England at some point too!! Cheers from Upstate New York 🎉
Thanks for the good words!! Had great fun in Iceland! 🤠👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great content canal and river trust are up there with national trust and English heritage too
Brilliant information as always👍
Thanks Ian, I totally agree with your comments!
Great video thank you Ian! Nice to see you have a respectful, mature attitude when flying your drone, unfortunately I have seen so many youtubers (auditors etc) that go out actively looking for trouble and confrontation. These idiots give the drone community a bad name!
The so-called drone auditors are nothing more than Saturday night yobs looking for a fight. They're absolute donkeys in my opinion....
@@IaninLondon yeah I 💯 agree!
hi i was flying on my local beach in somerset i spotted the coast guard with there hovercraft i asked if i could film them yea was the reply and send us a copy they were well happy and bonus i can film them when praticing but not on a rescue
@IaninLondon I agree with you here, especially with the sentiments of flying considerately, sensibly and away from people. But I would correct you on the fact that landowners don’t own the airspace, they do and will have some control over it. This was very unlikely to be an issue with the older laws and regs, but with the loosening of the regulations for the sub 250g the old mantra of “no one owns the airspace” is not just incorrect but actively counter-productive.
great video, very useful, well put together!
Really useful tutorial as usual Ian. Very helpful and a great reminder of some ‘do’s and don’ts’… Keep it up. Always look forward to whatever you post.
Thanks Tim 👍🏻
Your Brilliant Ian, thank you, great info.
I fly far away from subject, all thks to the the fcc hack to avoid the public 😂
Some more good information video Ian.
Thanks Lyn 👍
Another amazing video. I saved your video to my list just in case I face a confrontation with someone 😅
Excellent advice and tips as usual Ian. 👍🏼
Thanks 👍
I've had a couple of negative encounters with people. The other day I had someone yelling at me, telling me to eff off etc. I pointed out to him that I was fully registered, had passed the required exams, was flying a sub 250 (standard when I'm anywhere near people etc) and had every right to fly in that location. He told me that I wasn't allowed to fly over land and that he was going to call the police. I offered him the use of my phone to make the call and told him I'd stick around to watch them deal with him when they found their time was being wasted. He declined. Job done.
Great video and explanation Ian. It is very good to know your rules and regulations and to keep your calm and explain well. That also calms down the person that approaches you.
Very true 👍🏻
It is very good advice to fly when there are very few people around, and of course during the golden hour, the light is much better. I'm gradually beginning to realise it's better to stick by the rules, but fly, knowing that you might have to apologise if somebody misunderstands the situation rather than ask permission beforehand because invariably the person you ask will not know the rules and will then be on the safe side and just say no. The crucial issue for me is where you take off from not necessarily what you fly over and cut. As you say, people don't own the airspace above their property.
Great video Ian, I haven’t flown at Stonehenge yet but it is definitely on my to do list
Another brilliant video which is Direct and enjoyable Ian thank you ,have a great weekend ,safe flying
Thanks, you too!
Great video Ian and definitely one to recommend to others (as always).
BTW … didn’t know about the public bye-pass near Stonehenge so will have to try there. Interesting too, to see the ‘Stonehenge’ tunnel has been approved.
Hey Glyn. I think it's going through another 'assessment' phase... Wouldn't hold your breath! But yep, when you park up, you can walk down to where the byway crosses the old road they use for buses from the visitor centre and have a walk along the side track, very close to the stones, for free.... :)
Pretty sure that bumpy little byway used to be the main road that in the 60s and 70s you just pulled up on the edge of to visit the stones, then there was a big car park and a tunnel under the road to the visitor centre, before the road was closed and parking etc moved a mile away. When my niece worked there just before COVID looking out for drones and shutting them down seemed to be a significant staff job!
Actually I know the road you're referring to; it's the bus route from the visitor center now!
Thank you for this amazing advice.
Nice and precise. Thank you Ian. 👍
Had an incident like yourself where I was in a remote location (countryside, church car park (empty)), away from people, abiding by the CAA rules and was flying my DJI Mini 3 Pro over woods, farmland to get the beautiful views.
Lady came running up to me shouting that I wasn't allowed to fly my drone over her land (it was about 70m up so unsure how she heard it!) and that she had cows that were startled. Very aggressive.
I kept my calm and stated that I was capturing the wonderful countryside, no intention to scare cattle or look into houses etc etc.
She said flying over her land was illegal. I did once start to get into the "I am legal in what I was doing" conversation, but remained calm (the best way to deal with angry people).
She said, no, she was a pilot and she knew the rules etc etc.
I ended up just smiling and nodding instead of getting into a confrontation, even though I was legally correct.
This spooked me for a few weeks and didn't fly for a while as I hate confrontation. She was very angry.
Great video Ian - it is quite scary when people do approach you but the pre-flight planning I do now makes sure that I avoid any type of confrontation.
Cheers buddy
Yes, it really is a pain when something stupid like that happens. And you can't help but play it over in your head again. But you played that one out correctly, and you can't always win every situation. Nothing bad happened, you didn't crash your drone, so you had the chance to say what you wanted but you also live to fly again another day 🤠🤠
@IaninLondon thanks for your support Ian
Fantastic video, I've previously confronted the NT and in a nutshell their attitude is "forget the Drone code/CAA, we don't allow Drones" unaware they don't own the airspace
As long as you're not on their land, there is truly nothing they can do! :)
Excellent perfectly explained 👍
Just seen your footage about stone henge info have do you have ref point on were you flew from keep up good work
thanks Ian, great info mate
Great information as always, clear and concise, no faff. And it was great to see Drone Scene recommended, which I certainly do prefer to Drone Assist for the reasons mentioned. Keep up good work pal 👍
I had my drone flying over Stonehenge last Summer, Ian...
I was stood on the free footpath and flying on the opposite side of the henge at around 05:00hrs when the guards came to the fence and told me that was their airspace and I needed to bring my drone back to the field I was stood in. I was already doing that anyway as I had the sunrise shots I wanted, but afterwards my friends told me the same as you have regarding the airspace not being theirs. I'll know if I return again.
Thanks for the video, it just backed other people's advice up.. 👍
Phil
I think they have changed their tune now; this year I watched on as someone was flying from the side path near the stones (on the public path, not inside the enclosure) and the guards just asked him not to fly too close to the stones...... Every time I've visited, I see at least one person flying at some point.
@@IaninLondon that's good to hear.. It was the only way I was going to get the stones and the sunrise together as there's no footpath on the 'good' side..lol
👍
Great advice as ever Ian thank you. I always try to fly when no one is arround as I prefer empty shots with no people, but as you say from high up people are only dots if you are high you are a lot quiter as well. I love the different prespective an aerial shot gives you so usualy just go up take a few photo then come back so as to not disturbe other peopls enjoyment. 👍👍
Thanks Karen. Good words! :)
Liked your shirt. Greetings from the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee (hour east of Nashville)
Nice! :)
You have Great Videos and Advice Ian 🙂Watching from New Brunswick Canada🙂
Cheers Ay! ❤️🤠🇨🇦
Great video 👍
I recently flew over Menwith Hill (aka RAF Menwith Hill) which is surprisingly unrestricted airspace. I was flew from the road, but right in front of a camera. Don’t know if it helped, but I had also listed “249g drone flight” on Drone Assist, two days earlier. Even though I was right in front of a camera, they left me alone, obviously knowing that I was allowed to fly there (think I also saw a “no drones” sign but they still let me)
However, I also flew a second time from the other side of the base but this time someone reported seeing a drone. A few mins after landing a car pulled up asking if I’d seen anyone flying a drone. I told them it was me & they asked if they could take a look at the footage. Long story short, they said there was nothing you can’t see on Google earth & I was free to go. I was so relieved! They did mention that they had the power to seize it if needs be. I’m so glad they didn’t.
th-cam.com/users/shortsJe-uIn9eXeE?feature=share
Cheers,
Steve
That's a little dodgy I think.... Who are they to decide what you can and can't keep?
@@IaninLondon It took them a while.. one of them went thro the videos on the controller while the other tried to get hold of someone more senior. They were eventually told over the radio/phone that the footage was ok. They told me they wanted to make sure I hadn’t been zooming in, to secure areas etc. I was just so relieved. I asked if I could use the footage & they said “yes, we can’t stop you” I won’t be going there again though! 😀
@IaninLondon I've discussed the confiscation issue with a police officer. They do not have the power to confiscate anything from a member of the public. Im not sure whether that's the case with the military police but I doubt they are able to do so. Different rules/laws might apply within the base perimeter but who'd be daft enough to try that?
Is there any way that one can move the height and distance info or the active tracking menu on the screen so they don’t overlap?
Great Vid Ian! Explaining some of the myths and doubts we all get when it comes to flying. Good to see another of your vids!🙂
Thanks 🤠👍🏻👍🏻
Great Advise 👍
Brilliant video. Thank you. I'm due to visit Stonehenge soon, so thank you for the advices as well. I'm now considering renting a motorhome and park there for a night or two, although, being that you guys drive on the wrong side of the road, I still need to think about it.. 😉
Just follow what other vehicles do 😉
I wear a Hi-Viz with Drone Pilot printed on the back; this makes the curious aware that my flight is organised and official
Great video ian and great advice keep up the great work 👍 🙂
Great vid Ian, I was confronted at Bloody Bridge in N.Ireland, I took off from the main road but was standing while flying off the coast in a NT car park, a angry guy approached me as I landed my M3 saying I had "flown over his house and nearly cut his head off" his house backs onto the coast, I explained I was nowhere near him and I was legal to fly but he was adamant I was in the wrong and he told me he was off to get his shotgun, I laughed it off but did move on sharpish, that's the worst I've had it's mostly been positive encounters.
Yeah, once in Gozo I had a very simple "you fly over my house, bang bang" from a grizzled farmer. Decided not to try and educate him on that day........🤠
I live in Canada and would love to fly in the UK, would it possible for me to fly my mini 3 pro?
Absolutely. You do need to register, which is cheap and easy, just search register drone UK and you'll be guided through it. But the Mini 3 Pro gives you the most freedom to fly 👍🏻
@@IaninLondon that’s great news!!! Thank you.
Well done Ian! ;-) T
Ian, is there a way I can speak to you privately please? thanks
ian@ianinlondon.com
Great video
always love your informed videos Ian you are talking about safety and distraction but one of the downsides of the mini 3 pro after buying it
is the lack of voice warnings it gave a hubsan mini pro it it gives you voice warning when your battery is betting low and will automatically return to home im really surprised it does not have this feature it takes the worry away when videoing and the prospect of losing your drone your thoughts
When you get to low battery, it will automatically initiate a RTH, and when things get critical, you get some loud beeping and voice messages 👍🏻
Hi Ian, i am in Western Australia, I cannot find Drone Scene for iPhone, can you point me in the right direction please
Sure; it's actually just a website so you'd bookmark it on your phone. It's designed to resize perfectly for phones. dronescene.co.uk/
Thanks Ian
Hey Ian, I was also there with my Mini 3 in June(from Australia). I wish I had seen this before though. My only opportunity was when I was in Bath so took the hour drive and saw the freeway all coned off and the side roads all wired off, so had to park about 1km up the road. Did a similar thing, checked it was ok to fly there, saw they closed at 5pm so went after, chose a sunny day around 7pm for the long shadows. Got some cracker shots with no one in the pics apart from a security guard who I only saw in the pics after(easily removed in post)
And the security guards are well used to drones and as long as you don't get too close, they ignore them. If everything was coned off, it may have been a few days near the solstice around the 21st, when they stop people heading up the byway side road. :)
"My own personal view that a family that has young kids makes way, way more noise and is far more annoying."
As someone who's property borders on an elementary school playground full of shrieking rug rats I can say you couldn't be more right with that opinion.
I’d rather be flying my ‘buzzy’ drone than have to put up with my shrieking kids so I totally agree with you.
I was flying my mini 3 pro videoing a local demonstration on a main road, in a FRZ. I was approched by a police officer informing me that I am within a FRZ and I need permission from the ATC. I said I know and I have permission which I showed him, he said he had a mini 2 himself, then he just told me to carry on and fly safe.
Hello Ian...... Good Advice.....When will you be pulling your Air 3 out of the Cupboard to do that review 😁😁😁😁
Great advice Ian
Been flying on holiday a little this year ( mini 3 pro, A2 c of c, registered etc).
A neighbour, also a drone flyer mentioned I should also be registered with EASA when flying abroad, which I duly did.
As a hobbyist should I get 3rd party insurance
Regards
Bryan
Yep. I recommend Cyprus as it's €16 for 3 years 😎👍🏻
😁 useful info
Ian thanks so much for your great explanation, actually all your Info‘s are very helpful. As to be honest I have also been in many tourist attractions (monuments eg. Old Man of Storr in Scotland) etc and there were signs forbidding flying with drones. I suppose we should respect those signs (which I did) but other pilots didn’t. So my question is if the Drone Flying Apps allow you to fly even though there are signs forbidding you to do so, what would you recommend?
I take the view that someone, somewhere doesn't like drones, but if it's a desolate area, where people will not be affected in any way, and the sign has no actual validity (ie you can easily take off from adjacent land), then I will fly.
Great sound advice Ian. The only other thing I would add is caution and consideration when flying around animals and livestock. I once upset a flock of sheep and caused them bolt off in frenzy despite my altitude. The other caution is those dogs who like to chase drones. All part of my pre flight risk assessment now - we live and learn 👍
Ah, I've mentioned dogs many times as most regular viewers have seen Ted, my Westie, go crazy over my drones.... How high were you above the sheep out of interest?
Had the same response as you from a woman next to the Solway Firth, she came marching out of her garden and confronted me as I was landing the drone. I explained the rules and offered to show her the footage. She stormed back off chunnering under her breathe. Touch wood that is the only occasion so far.
Hi Ian watched this yesterday and many thanks for posting. I am intending to fly aong Hadrians Wall which is on land mostly run by English Heritage. Can I ask does this mean, while they may complain, they cannot prevent me flying as long as I fly responsibly (which I always do) and to the CAA rules? Many thanks Jon
My advice is to find somewhere where they won't even see you :) If you are controlling the drone on their land, then you must land if asked. If you're on public land, like a quiet lane, then you're fine.
@@IaninLondon Thanks bud
Are you not getting the Air 3 ?
Got it yesterday! So I'll be playing with it over the next few days...
@@IaninLondon Amazon have them. It looks amazing but I have so many I think I will wait for the Mini 4 but who knows. Get your review out fast. I trust you :)
Hi Ian, could you fly a Mavic 3 or Air 3 in this area (or similar type place, so a monument or sculpture like the Angel of the North), assuming you have one of the A2 CoC things or the requisite membership to FPVuk and the extra rights you can get to fly larger drone in recreational areas? Or is this not that type of designation? Reading the rules with all the ways round bits of them and ongoing changes of direction like the C1 drone classification u-turn, can make getting a clear understanding before buying "the right drone" is tricky. Currently trying to work out if I should go for Mavic 3 Classic/Mini 3 Pro/Air 3.... but don't want to cock up on the airspace usage.
Over 250 grams , even with the A2CofC means a 50 metre distance from uninvolved people. Mini 3 Pro is only drone that will get you that freedom. Even using Article 16 flying rights from FPVUK means 30 metres for >250 gm models, although that can be a bubble, not horizontal....
@IaninLondon Aye the 30m bubble bit of it kind of makes things a bit more manageable with the zoom in the air 3. I'm really after waypoints and the cross control stuff which I think will be very useful. Pain that you cannot use them in proximity to buildings though. I don't really want to have 2 of these things. Particularly when the controls are not compatible for air3 and mini Pro.
Hi Ian
I’m am from Australia and coming to Ireland and England shortly. I have a DJI Mini 4 Pro can you advise me on what licences and certifications I will need to fly in these countries. Thanks
Register yourself to get a flyer id and operator id and you're good. 👍🏻👍🏻. th-cam.com/video/00jCZUd-SmM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=nfH0l4yxznZ_SQmd
Thanks Ian👍
How does this work for flying in London itself? I might be coming down in a few months for an England match. So drone night shots of tower bridge etc would be amazing. Can you fly a mini 3 Pro in London or how do you go about obtaining permission to do so? Altitude Angel would suggest all of London is a no fly zone 😬
Most of London has a strict no-fly zone. But funnily enough, the boundary of that on the eastern side is Tower Bridge itself. So you can go to the east of tower bridge and take off quite legally. All main central parks are strictly forbidden and you will get heavily fined 👍🏻
@@IaninLondon that’ll make sense as to why most of the drone pics I see are from that side! Thanks for the tip. Keep up the great work. Love your videos!
Great video Ian.
Another point I would make is having respect for businesses.
Most of us will have seen one of these 'Audit' videos, these are individuals or sometimes groups film staff with their phones and GoPros, they work on the pretext of exercising their right to film, something they have dubbed PINAC (Photography Is Not A Crime) Sadly, once they get a reaction from staff, they pull out their joker card, by proceeding to inform the business they intend to fly a drone, which as you would expect, given most none drone enthusiasts don't know the rules, this exasperates the situation. The staff are only concerned about the security and understandably, don't wish to have their business put in the bublic domain.
Unfortunately, auditing has become a new craze, they will stoop to any level to create content, drones are now very much part of the auditing world. It seems to me they show total disregard to people and their business, exactly the opposite of what you have told us on your video. They have no respect for real drone enthusiasts and the potential changes the CAA could make because of their actions.
So having respect for people's property and business is very important. It not a rule, but respect is something any reasonable person should adopt.
Thanks for the video 😊👍
Very true. I have zero respect for these "auditors" as all they're doing is looking for trouble and clicks....
I have Drone Assist. Not aware of 'Drone Scene' and nor is The Apple Store apparently. Not available on iOS as you have listed it in the video Ian. Great video though - thank you!
Drone Scene is a website: Dronescene.co.uk
Genuine question, if the CAA govern the air space. How can national trust ban flights if you're stood on a public highway? I don't see how they can enforce that?
They can’t. They can stop you taking off and landing on their property, but if you take off from public land, they cannot stop you overflying their land.
As said, they can't. Hence the point of this video! :)
Hi Ian need to ask a question are all RC controllers unique to each drone as in it won't clash with the next-door neighbor of the same drone and same controllers and flying together many thanks Donald
Yes; no problems of signal clash...
How can I fly in London? If I’ve requested a permit from drone assist and it’s accepted. Will the no fly zone automatically be removed?
12 Sept and there is still a blanket ban on the whole area around Stonehenge;
Temp flying restriction and Danger area Larkhill.
Is ti the case that all flights from land under the control of English Heritage is banned? But if you can take off from a public footpath near can you fly over sites of English Heritage ?
Unsure why; I can see they've extended it until the 27 October now.....
@IaninLondon it still seems to be that way now. Disappointing...
Great video by the way
It's hard to keep your cool, when some one has just ruined your shot. Like me, stay cool. These useful tips are always welcome,thank you.
Excellent advice Ian - probably the best advice I have heard regarding where you can and cannot fly.
The confrontation example was excellent :).
Love the examples of No Cycling and National Trust etc.
Drone Wanker LOL :)
Cheers! :)
A few weeks ago I was trying get some video of a local unused windmill at sunset. Admittedly it was a bit close to someone's house but I obviously wasn't filming their house. The owner marches out asking to see my license to which I tell him I don't need one (DJI Mini 2). He then starts claiming to be an aviation lawyer and he "knows" that I shouldn't be within 500ft of his house. I tried to tell him that's not true (with my drone). He then makes a show of "calling the police" to which I just laugh and tell him they're not going to come out to this are they. And besides, I'm not doing anything illegal. He then starts saying the land is private so I tell him they don't own the air space and I'm not on the land, I'm outside the gates on a public path. At the end of the day to avoid more confrontation I said fair enough, it is a bit close to his house so I'll respect that and come down. I do wish I'd stood my ground though as I was in the right.
What I can never understand is when there is signage stating no drones as is quite common here in NEW ZEALAND and I would like to take a photograph from a slightly higher position (5-10 mtrs.) to get a different perspective for that image, how can that possibly endanger low flying aircraft that might be in the area doing pleasure flights!
None whatsosever.... The beauty of NZ is that very often, there are deserted parking areas just down the road you can get your shot from :) Lived in Chch for 3 years many moons ago :)
So I think Ian is saying it's legal to over fly National Trust property, just not to take off or land on NT land.
That's exactly what I'm saying 👍🏻
When you say England do you actually mean the UK? I live in Scotland, and thought I could fly anywhere, subject to CAA restrictions as long as I didn't take off from the private property (a castle for instance)
Scotland has slightly different rules regarding airspace and nuisance, but in general, the same applies. Just stay well over 50 metres high.
I had someone angrily finger wagging tell me to delete my footage and I refused. I told them if I delete it and you then call the police I have no proof that I’m not in the wrong. I had been their first was flying off on my own safely filming a pylon for smooth filming practice. she was claiming it’s illegal to record someone’s audio, like i was spying on them. I informed her my drone doesn’t record audio. The thing is if she’d come over, been polite and asked how long until I left I would have been much more receptive but that attitude meant I wasn’t leaving first.
For the most part people are awesome and just ask questions. I’ve even let strangers fly my drone. Seniors actually are the most interested in it but never want to try it.
That's a really interesting point about the video being evidence of no wrong doing. I'll remember that :)
Yep, in the most, people genuinely are interested and impressed.... Don't let the odd one affect your outlook on everyone 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
@@PeteCattell It comes doing photography around bridges back in the day. Police will never ask you to delete it as well, typically I’ll show them what I’m doing (not required) and then talk to them for a while finishing up what I’m doing and move on.
Is a ‘drone wanker’ a technical term?
Highly technical. Probably a little too tech for the average person 😉👍🏻
I fly over Canadian historic sites, I launch and land outside the property lines so it's all legal. I had my first incident with disgruntled people last week; fortunately I'm 6 ft and 185 lbs so threats of physicality don't intimidate me, the clown backed off after he realized I was not going to stop or back down and that his threats only made me laugh at him.
Avoid is definitely best. How do ppl expect you to fly and chat to them at once.
? Especially if u doing it for a client?
Excellent as usual Ian. Good advice indeed, but ones knowledge of the rules and law doesn't seem to stop some uninformed Police from making up their own rules, as we have seen on other videos on here. Keep up the good work.
I was happily flying my mini 3 drone on a pier in south shields the other day , when out of the busy body a lady collecting rubbish was saying I was spoiling her day and had no right to fly there! So I looked at my options and If I could get away with it, and threw her over the pier lol (well that's what was in my head anyway lol ). In reality I stated I had every right and had a CAA license and qualified pilot! She scuttled off and everyone she met pointed at me and obviously was hoping someone would join her cause, which of course no one did! So if you see a little old lady floating about in the sea with a coke can in her backside, please ignore and her and it wasn't me me ! I wiped the footage ! 🤣
Your secret is safe 😉
Usually I get the people coming close to me to know about the tech, and that is the best encounter you can get. Even though they steal time and battery. Even had a random guy try my googles and then I took it for a spin with the guy standing there dizzy as fuck from the spinning I did 😂😂 After that he did a thumbs up and walked away 😂
I hate to think of hearing drone deliveries flying everywhere at least the hobby isn't EVERYWHERE like most people think. FPV the stone hinge and power loop it
Whilst using a sub 250g drone to document a new build house we were building a neighbour who rents a property went and I use the term lightly “nuts”
Tried the here’s the pictures and it doesn’t show your property, here’s my licence and insurance but absolutely no calming down . The individual isn’t moved by anything I do or say . Whilst I appreciate your video there are cases where reasoning doesn’t work . Oh and yes this has destroyed the picture record of our new build
I would have just asked him to call the police if he wasn't happy.... Sometimes you need to ignore people...
@@IaninLondon think there was a bigger issue for this chap than the drone !
I have to ask, why do you and most people only mention apps for ios when android is more used and better?
Because many people still use i-phones. Bit like imperial versus metric ;)
I had a Karen like the one you mentioned, she actually called the Police while alongside me hurling abuse, they told her they were too busy to attend and to make sure she did not disturb the pilot while flying because that was a criminal offence, she rolled back in doors with her tail between her legs and I never heard from anybody again, but don’t fly at the spot anymore as I found a better one half a mile down the road.
😊😊
The US is mostly the same.
Natiional Trust &English Heritage's rules dont supercede CAA rules, infact they're funded by taxpayers which makes 'their land' publically owned land
SSSI is becoming an issue for drone flyers. In my area of Somerset there is so much SSSI, including the coast, and these areas have now been added to drone angel.
Being SSSI isn't necessarily a valid reason not to fly IMHO, but it does mean there are other considerations, like staying even higher to ensure you don't affect animals or birds in any way...
Same with lots of the Pembrokeshire cost, but sometimes you need to find the restriction doc itself (some data back to 1940s) and operate accordingly.
Cheers Ian for the kind words re Dronescene ;o)
Praise where it's due 👍🏻