Is there a safe way of doing this flight ?

[AeroJ]

I've been at this flying lark for about 6 years in total, and in pretty much all that time I keep driving past Ashford Hangars, which are these amazing tree-covered hills / valleys that would look suitably awesome from above. I have flown from the top of the hill before, with much older / inferior UAVs and had some decent results, but never quite including the area I really want to fly. This valley is accessible only from a single viewpoint platform directly off the main road that winds up the hill, as shown below...


Here's the map reference in case anyone wants to see in more detail...
You'd think it would be better to do this from the green fields that surround the valley, but they are just totally inaccessible to me, being at the top of steeply wooded banks with no parking anywhere near them !

But there is that viewing platform near the top that tempts me every time I go past...
Now, that is the only road that goes up this hill and traffic density on it varies; at 7 am there might be 1 car every 5 minutes, whereas in the middle of the day there might be 10 a minute.

If I take a spotter with me, to explain / deal with anyone else that stops in the layby while I am flying, launching or returning, and ONLY go in a straight line out / back in direct VLoS, then return at 15V so that I have plenty of time to hover 30 m away from the road until it is empty of cars at which point I would hand-catch, or land in the layby, which is about 5 m at its widest point, do you think this flight is OK to make ? Ordinarily I would never launch from right next to anything but the most isolated of roads, but can I make the odd exception in circumstances like these ? Or is simply not worth the small additional risk ?

What do you think ? Thanks.

 

[PatR]

The one thing you can depend on is for a vehicle to appear at the worst possible time. I’ve done shoots smack down the middle of small downtown streets at times there’s normally never any traffic present for 30 minutes at a time. That always changes the second the aircraft leaves the ground...

Use a lot of care and be prepared for any and everything. Leave lots of battery reserves for dealing with the unexpected. The use of a spotter will be essential to your situational awareness.

 

[FlushVision]

I've been at this flying lark for about 6 years in total, and in pretty much all that time I keep driving past Ashford Hangars, which are these amazing tree-covered hills / valleys that would look suitably awesome from above. I have flown from the top of the hill before, with much older / inferior UAVs and had some decent results, but never quite including the area I really want to fly. This valley is accessible only from a single viewpoint platform directly off the main road that winds up the hill, as shown below...

View attachment 10744 View attachment 10745
Here's the map reference in case anyone wants to see in more detail...
You'd think it would be better to do this from the green fields that surround the valley, but they are just totally inaccessible to me, being at the top of steeply wooded banks with no parking anywhere near them !

But there is that viewing platform near the top that tempts me every time I go past...
Now, that is the only road that goes up this hill and traffic density on it varies; at 7 am there might be 1 car every 5 minutes, whereas in the middle of the day there might be 10 a minute.

If I take a spotter with me, to explain / deal with anyone else that stops in the layby while I am flying, launching or returning, and ONLY go in a straight line out / back in direct VLoS, then return at 15V so that I have plenty of time to hover 30 m away from the road until it is empty of cars at which point I would hand-catch, or land in the layby, which is about 5 m at its widest point, do you think this flight is OK to make ? Ordinarily I would never launch from right next to anything but the most isolated of roads, but can I make the odd exception in circumstances like these ? Or is simply not worth the small additional risk ?

What do you think ? Thanks.

Yes. Doable. I've often taken off from laybys at the side of infrequently used roads where it's been my only place to operate from. But, like PatR says, it is often the case that as soon as you shove that left stick forward you can guarantee that a car will come along, so be prepared to stand your aircraft off away from the road immediately after take off. However, be aware that in the U.K. the 50M rule (30M during take off and landing) for keeping away from vehicles doesn't mean you can't fly over them...because you can. Just so long as you stay 50M away from them in a sort of a dome. Of course, it is better to avoid flying over cars or people whenever possible but it's handy to know if you have no alternative.

 

[AeroJ]

Thanks for the input guys. If I do it I'll let you know how it goes !

 

[cbphoto2006]

Yes. Doable. I've often taken off from laybys at the side of infrequently used roads where it's been my only place to operate from. But, like PatR says, it is often the case that as soon as you shove that left stick forward you can guarantee that a car will come along, so be prepared to stand your aircraft off away from the road immediately after take off. However, be aware that in the U.K. the 50M rule (30M during take off and landing) for keeping away from vehicles doesn't mean you can't fly over them...because you can. Just so long as you stay 50M away from them in a sort of a dome. Of course, it is better to avoid flying over cars or people whenever possible but it's handy to know if you have no alternative.

I was just wondering at the 30m and 50m distances, as they only apply to those with a CAA PfCO otherwise it is 150m of those out of your direct control?

 

[AeroJ]

I was just wondering at the 30m and 50m distances, as they only apply to those with a CAA PfCO otherwise it is 150m of those out of your direct control?

No, fairly sure that's not correct. The 150m thing is for crowds and congested / built up areas. Structures, people and properties (in which I am including vehicles) is 50m (30m during landing) even for hobby pilots, as shown on this UK government 'dronesafe' website aimed entirely at them...

 

[PatR]

The rules recently changed for U.K. operators with much of what used to be applicable to commercial operators now applicable to everyone.

 

[FlushVision]

The 150M rule applies to the recreational flyer in relation to a 'Congested' area...50m for a PfCO holder. A Congested area would be an area that is expected to be frequented by large groups of people, car parks with more than just a few vehicles, urban areas, areas consisting of more than just a few dwellings. An isolated infrequently used road would not be seen as a congested area, but an A road or motorway would. So, for an infrequently used road the 50m rule (30m during take off & landing) seen as a sort of a dome would apply to any cars that happen to come along.

Yes, some rules did recently change in the U.K. but the 150m rule for congested areas was, I believe, not one of them. The rules change at the end of last month was to restrict the hobby flyer to 400ft in line with commercial operators (previously the 400ft was just an advisory) and to restrict the use of drones near to airports. Further changes to the Air Navigation Order will be forthcoming.