It’s International Drone Day today, so forget locking yourself in a darkened cinema or gloomy pub this weekend, grab your drone and head outdoors!
Drone filming and photography are allowing us to gain a new perspective on this stunning country of ours and with many parts of the UK often ranking highly on ‘most beautiful destination’ lists, perhaps it’s time you took your drone on a holiday? Here, we suggest 5 places where you can safely fly and capture some amazing imagery to boot!
IMPORTANT NOTE: SOME OF THESE PLACES DO HAVE NO FLY ZONES IN THE AREA – PLEASE CHECK PERMISSIONS FIRST! http://www.noflydrones.co.uk/ IS A GREAT SOURCE OF WHERE YOU CAN AND CAN’T FLY
Pembrokeshire Coast – Wales
Best for unspoiled coastal imagery
This beautiful, unspoiled expanse of coastline is home to the UK’s only coastal National Park. The coastal path stretches for 186 miles of rugged terrain offering some of the most jaw-dropping views in Wales, if not the world!
Currently, flying a drone on the Pembrokeshire coast is unregulated. With no nearby airports, crowded spaces or even buildings, you will be sure to capture some of your best imagery yet.
In March this year, the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum started to draw up guidelines to advise pilots about the safe and controlled use of drones in the area. This document is still being created however, you can find more information on their website or contact them directly – please check before you fly.
Don’t forget to tweet your images using #bestdronephotosUK
Scottish Highlands
Best for Wildlife & Landscape Imagery
The sparsely populated area at the northern tip of the Scotland is home to some of the most stunning scenery you could imagine. From the highest point in the UK, Ben Nevis, to historic castles and ruins, there are thousands of opportunities for exploration from the air.
The Scottish Highlands are home to the nation’s biggest national park, as well as species of wildlife which aren’t found anywhere else in the country. White-tailed sea eagles, red deer, and bottlenose dolphins call the Highlands home.
You won’t find many crowds, buildings or aircraft in the Highlands but please be kind to the natural inhabitants should you choose to take to the skies. Give any nesting birds or animals rearing young a wide berth so as not to scare the parents and make sure that you leave and location as beautiful as you found it.
Some areas are no fly zones. Please check before you fly!
We can’t wait to see what you see. Tweet your best images #bestdronephotosUK
Cerne Abbot Giant
Great for kids
Thought to date back to the 17th Century, the Cerne Abbot Giant is one of the UK’s most iconic aerial images. His exact origin and age are unclear with rumours and conjecture suggesting it is a depiction of a Saxon deity, a representation of Hercules or simply an attempt at political satire. Either way, it’s a popular tourist attraction and a great location for testing out your drone.
Set in the beautiful Dorset countryside, the Cerne Abbot Giant is over 55 metres tall and around 51 metres across. With no restrictions on flying, outside of the village, you can get some great aerial footage of the giant’s massive….uh…club!
Cerne Abbot is only one of hundreds of beautiful places to take your drone for a holiday. Check out the Dorset Tourist Board site for more rural drone friendly location like the Jurassic Coast.
Tweet your photos of the Cerne Abbot Giant – #bestdronephotosUK
Drone Racing Events
Best for groups
Drone racing is set to become one of the biggest sports in the world. With Red Bull, Sky & ESPN investing heavily, even in the early stages, it’s time to get competitive!
Although drone racing events are limited in the UK at the moment, when you look at the map on FPV Racing World and see the number of interested flyers, you know all you need to know about the future of Drone Racing in the UK.
Find events, updates and other interested flyers
Really want to win? Check out our range of professional DJI drones
The Eden Project
Just a great day out, full stop!
Drone friendly sites are common in the UK but not always obvious. Drones are banned around the Blackpool Tower, most London parks, and even Stonehenge, despite its rural location. It may come as a surprise to learn that one place that is happy for UAV flights is the Eden Project.
The Eden Project has been called the “Greatest British Landmark of the 21st Century” and is home to thousands of different plant species housed in two revolutionary biomes. Covering 2.2 hectares, the park is currently being mapped using UAVs by the University of Birmingham, using both the DJI Matric and Inspire to capture awe-inspiring 360° footage across the whole site. The imagery is then being used to create a 3D model of the complex to allow researchers to analyze the terrain and buildings.
The Eden Project is a great day out for families and close to many other ‘drone friendly’ places in Cornwall, however drone pilots who want to fly in the area have been requested to contact the RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) Operations room prior to flying to prevent incidents with Royal Navy aircraft which are often flying at low-altitude.
You can find out more about flying drones in the Cornwall area on the Cornish Drone facebook page https://www.facebook.com/cornishdrone/
So? What are you waiting for? Get out there and get your drone in the sky this weekend to promote International Drone Day! But don’t forget these simple rules*:
- Get the permission of the landowner to fly and find a safe 30m zone to take off.
- Check for obstructions and download a good app to check no-fly exclusion zones and air traffic no-fly zones. Take a look at http://www.noflydrones.co.uk/
- Get a good GPS signal so your return to home will work and set return to home height to miss all buildings and obstructions.
- Stay away from people! Give a distance of at least 50m in most circumstances but 150m if in a busy area and make sure you get permission from anyone who comes within your camera’s range (!)
- Take another person with you who is instructed to press return to home in case of problems.
- Consider the weather conditions. Beware of gusts of wind.
- Charge batteries fully and check before use.
- Stay calm, plan well and enjoy yourself!
*assuming you are flying
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