Drone near misses in Mach Loop (BBC report)

[andygolfer]

RAF have reported near misses with drones in Mach loop, only 2 words I can think of to describe the perpetrators - irresponsible idiots!

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1w7rj70xgo
Andy

[Thunder]

In all fairness not all recreational drone operators are probably aware of the Loop being a low fly area, and depending on what source they use(if any), they don’t always provide the correct nor useful info. Even the NATS website doesn’t have the ‘Loop’ as a restricted area?

Extract from CAA guidance

3. Fly below 120m (400ft)

Flying below the legal height limit of 120m (400ft) will reduce the risk of coming across other aircraft, which normally fly higher than this.

Always look and listen out for other aircraft that may be flying below 120m (400ft), such as air ambulances, police helicopters, and low-flying military aircraft.

If you suddenly become aware of a low flying fast jet, by the time you react and get your drone down, it’s probably a mile past you, Signs should’ve been erected in that area long before now.

[B58Hustler]

The new signs will sort this presumably. At least you'd like to think so.

[Blackcat1]

**** I call them

Oh well the word has been edited it involves a shaking hand gesture

[Gary]

It doesn't appear on Drone Assist as a caution or restriction . So you can see why someone might not be aware



My Air 2s has ADSB built in. The smaller drone like Mini series don't. Or my Mini 2 doesn't not sure about the 3 and 4 etc. Haven’t tried flying in a restricted area, so don’t know what involved other than getting authorisation. Which is effectively putting your details in and agreeing to terms

[Finty]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

[skippyscage]

and of course, like it's already been pointed out, anyone out of the enthusiasts sphere wouldn't even know - hence the need for signs as all the apps don't even map it.

It's all well and good saying people are stupid, but as far as they're aware they're doing nothing wrong -- calling people names makes you a very small person with little info outside your own sphere of "expertise"

[Andyph]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

[roughcutter]

RAF have reported near misses with drones in Mach loop, only 2 words I can think of to describe the perpetrators - irresponsible idiots!

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1w7rj70xgo
Andy

D**k H**d comes to mind

[Bilvo]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

No Andy it isn't, there are very specific low fly areas that you will find on any air navigation chart. The entire UK airspace is not considered a "Low Fly Zone".

[Bilvo]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

There are 18 Specific low fly areas numbered LFA 1 to 19 with number 15 missing. These do not cover the "entire UK".

[falconfighting]

Idiots - just like the red arrows who deployed their smoke en route to Valley 2 minutes before we turned into Cad in our Hawk. Hope they enjoyed their trip.

[Andyph]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

There are 18 Specific low fly areas numbered LFA 1 to 19 with number 15 missing. These do not cover the "entire UK".

You didn't read what i wrote...

I repeat with BOLD

"You do understand ALMOST the whole country is covered by the LFA system???"

Essentially everywhere apart from London and a few big conurbations is covered - oh and the Isle of Man!

[POL]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

There are 18 Specific low fly areas numbered LFA 1 to 19 with number 15 missing. These do not cover the "entire UK".

The AIP of the United Kingdom says differently.

https://www.aurora.nats.co.uk/htmlAIP/P ... 146736.pdf

Outwith the Thames Valley Avoidance Area, every bit of Class G airspace that reaches SFC is part of a Low Flying Area.

This is made more obvious through the Night Low Flying System chart: https://www.aurora.nats.co.uk/htmlAIP/P ... 146732.pdf

[Finty]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

Wrong, try again. It's fairly obvious what I meant and in any case, I don't see any criticism of these idiots from you... don't tell me you're guilty of f*cking around with a drone in the loop?

[NorvilleRogers]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

Wrong, try again. It's fairly obvious what I meant and in any case, I don't see any criticism of these idiots from you... don't tell me you're guilty of f*cking around with a drone in the loop?

Why are they idiots? The average person with or without a drone would not have a clue that the loop existed. They are just flying a drone in a mountain area well away from any airfields, a seemingly great place for aerial photography. Would say the MoD are the idiots for having no warning signs that the area exists.

[JLewis_Aviation]

Forum rules won’t let me say what I think, I’ll be polite and summarise that if you’ve ever flown a drone in an LFA whilst being aware of the fact it’s an LFA, pull your head out your a*se and take a look in the mirror. However I don’t think that will apply to anyone on this forum, I hope.

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

There are 18 Specific low fly areas numbered LFA 1 to 19 with number 15 missing. These do not cover the "entire UK".

LFA15 does exist it is in northern Scotland previously known as LFA14C I believe, the TVAA is the only Area that isn’t an LFA, but it still has a large amount of low flying completed inside it due to the many HLS’s in and around London. To get back to the topic your average Joe isn’t going to know about the Mach loop or LFA7, these signs are a good thing not sure why everyone’s going for drone users that clearly don’t have the perceived knowledge we all have
https://www.aidu.mod.uk/aip/pdf/enr/ENR-6-15.pdf - thought this map might be useful.

[Finty]

I don't quite buy that the argument that people flying drones in the mach loop are unaware of the mach loop's existence. The loop is known about overseas, some videos filmed there have gained millions of views and when they turn up to find a hillside with dozens of people toting cameras then there's no excuse.

[Finty]

You do understand almost the whole country is covered by the LFA system???

Wrong, try again. It's fairly obvious what I meant and in any case, I don't see any criticism of these idiots from you... don't tell me you're guilty of f*cking around with a drone in the loop?

Would say the MoD are the idiots for having no warning signs that the area exists.

Yes, an oversight on their part; this has since been corrected.

[Thunder]

I don't quite buy that the argument that people flying drones in the mach loop are unaware of the mach loop's existence. The loop is known about overseas, some videos filmed there have gained millions of views and when they turn up to find a hillside with dozens of people toting cameras then there's no excuse.

You’re looking at it from an aviation enthusiast or aviation employee side of things. The non enthusiast or aviation non connected person isn’t, how is that so hard to believe?

It’s not marked on most mainstream maps used for drone operations, so how is the general public to know