Hopefully not anyone off here.....

I'd like to know where the sighting was and who reported it as this is to me two crucial missing elements to the story

That said anyone who is so stupid as to do this, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent on the law and also face a heavy financial penalty along with a lifetime ban from operating any remotely operated aircraft
 
Seems a bit silly to send a helicopter to look for it too.
 
TCR4x4 said:
Seems a bit silly to send a helicopter to look for it too.
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Exactly, personally of anything I'd send out the ARV and shoot the damn thing down if it really was in a dangerous position... :P :lol: :D
 
Retards with toys.
Scary.
 
I live relatively near the airport and have legally flown a quadcopter under 400 feet at a legal distance from the airport. There's been a couple of times when that particular police helicopter has been over the village at significantly lower than the 400 foot minimum... I think they also like to play with their toys!
 
Thee were reports last week of a drone flying 25 feet from a para glider and following him to film, reported as a near miss.
 
Somehow I expect the police helicopter would be in contact with ATC and have permission to fly at whatever altitude ATC tells them. Some numbnut with a drone out of a model shop is not going to be in constant radio contact with ATC
 
MWHCVT said:
I'd like to know where the sighting was and who reported it as this is to me two crucial missing elements to the story

That said anyone who is so stupid as to do this, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent on the law and also face a heavy financial penalty along with a lifetime ban from operating any remotely operated aircraft
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According to the BBC "flight crews on two separate planes reported seeing the drone in the airspace.".
 
frank said:
Somehow I expect the police helicopter would be in contact with ATC and have permission to fly at whatever altitude ATC tells them. Some numbnut with a drone out of a model shop is not going to be in constant radio contact with ATC
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Nope. The police can't fly a helicopter at below 400 ft AFAIK
 
landwomble said:
Nope. The police can't fly a helicopter at below 400 ft AFAIK
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They most definately can, they have specific exemption and its 500 ft (person / structure) and 1000ft (height over congested settlement) in the UK for civil flights.
 
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Surely it'll be kids! No one else could possibly be stupid enough to fly a drone in a flight path?
 
DorsetDude said:
You jest. Grown adults have been arrested before now for shining lasers into cockpits of planes.
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This ^^^

hell kids are less likely to do it as most kids seem to have a greater grasp on what is right and wrong when it comes to this kind of thing up to a certain age
 
Ricardodaforce said:
According to the BBC "flight crews on two separate planes reported seeing the drone in the airspace.".
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Well that clears that up then...whom ever did it is a comeplete plank
 
I live not far from Manchester Airport and they do come in very low over the Countryside to land, but you'd have to be an extreme knob to put a drone up in front of a landing or taking off aircraft, though no doubt the footage will be put up on you tube and the police will find the culprit that way!
 
Would be nice if the RAF were scrambled to shoot it down and also take out th idiot flying it at the same time :D
 
Dave Semmens said:
It will only take a few incidents before some knee-jerk reaction from the powers that be either try to ban them or bring in an unworkable licensing system.

Dave.
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Flying radio controlled models used to require a license to use the radio, though that hasn't been the case for a long time now. No reason that couldn't be re-implemented as a requirement of sale of new equipment. It would fix people buying second hand stuff, but might help a little.
 
Dave Semmens said:
It will only take a few incidents before some knee-jerk reaction from the powers that be either try to ban them or bring in an unworkable licensing system.

Dave.
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Having them all registered was proposed in the Lords a few weeks back. Don't know how that would have prevented this event though.
 
Dave Semmens said:
It will only take a few incidents before some knee-jerk reaction from the powers that be either try to ban them or bring in an unworkable licensing system.

Dave.
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It's precisely the expected knee jerking that's stopped me buying one. IMO there are too many of the things out in the world to make registration workable so it'll be easier to simply ban them. Very unfortunate for the sensible majority who have invested large amounts of money and time in the things and the relevant qualifications - hopefully it won't come to a ban but I fear it might if more incidents like the one in the OP occur. Maybe a few high profile prosecutions IF people get caught being planks would help?
 
DorsetDude said:
How do they land then?
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They park them at 400 feet and climb down on a rope ladder.

A couple of years ago I was looking out of my bedroom window when I saw an air ambulance helicopter right outside. It managed to land in the middle of the road with only a few feet of clearance either side for the rotor blades. Most impressive!


Steve.
 
Nod said:
It's precisely the expected knee jerking that's stopped me buying one. IMO there are too many of the things out in the world to make registration workable so it'll be easier to simply ban them. Very unfortunate for the sensible majority who have invested large amounts of money and time in the things and the relevant qualifications - hopefully it won't come to a ban but I fear it might if more incidents like the one in the OP occur. Maybe a few high profile prosecutions IF people get caught being planks would help?
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Nod - My other hobby is shooting air rifles (Field Target) and there are idiots out there that have slowly made the government introduce law after law that impacts legitimate users but does nothing to stop the idiots.

The laws are there to prosecute the offenders (armed trespass etc. but never used - just a slap on the wrist)

I would expect nothing less from them on any other niche pastime / hobby.

Dave.
 
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