FPVUK E-Mail ... Safety Sheet for Drones bought from shops

[FPVSteve]

Ah yes... but sometimes rules are there to be broken :P

[BigT]

Actually the correct phrase as I learnt it years ago is "ignorance of the law or statute cannot be the basis for a legal defence against prosecution". Goes back to Magna Carta. In other words you cannot claim that you did not know the posted speed limit was 30 mph or armed robbery is an offence.

The definition of LOS distance is the that of the spotter not the pilot. It's how far the spotter can see the plane with his naked eye including sight correction optics. It's not the pilots vision. This is why a buddylead was needed in the early days with the spotter being "pilot in command".

The recent prosecutions by the CAA used that test exactly.


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[g4wft]

This talk of rules and laws is interesting to me, as a long time RC pilot (LOS) but relatively new to FPV.  I'm frankly amazed that people regularly post videos on YouTube, sometimes linked to from this forum, which demonstrate themselves clearly breaking the law regarding keeping an FPV craft in sight.  The one that springs to mind is the recent video taken above the clouds.  How did you keep the craft in sight on that occasion - flying it from a hot-air balloon were you?!!  If I intended to break the law I think I'd do it fairly low-profile and not broadcast it to the world!

Tim.

[Heliotrope]

This talk of rules and laws is interesting to me, as a long time RC pilot (LOS) but relatively new to FPV.  I'm frankly amazed that people regularly post videos on YouTube, sometimes linked to from this forum, which demonstrate themselves clearly breaking the law regarding keeping an FPV craft in sight.  The one that springs to mind is the recent video taken above the clouds.  How did you keep the craft in sight on that occasion - flying it from a hot-air balloon were you?!!  If I intended to break the law I think I'd do it fairly low-profile and not broadcast it to the world!

Tim.

Totally agree, but vanity is a force too powerful for some to resist ;D

[Coyote]

Don`t worry about it.................... All the force fed rule and regulation replies swamping all the threads scared nearly all of them away from this forum. That`s why the posts have dwindled to next to nothing and all the banter has gone.

It didn`t stop any of them, they just post every where else instead.

[skyscraper]

Don`t worry about it.................... All the force fed rule and regulation replies swamping all the threads scared nearly all of them away from this forum. That`s why the posts have dwindled to next to nothing and all the banter has gone.

It didn`t stop any of them, they just post every where else instead.

I'm sad you feel that way..
I prefer the forum without the nutters myself, not sure why they still feel the need to post their "heroic exploits" on here.. not getting enough attention elsewhere?   :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Anyway I appreciate the mods dont feel the same way.. Maybe its time I was on my way too  :(

regards
Andy

[electrotor]

Don`t worry about it.................... All the force fed rule and regulation replies swamping all the threads scared nearly all of them away from this forum. That`s why the posts have dwindled to next to nothing and all the banter has gone.

It didn`t stop any of them, they just post every where else instead.

I too am sad you feel that way.
I wasn't going to post any personal opinions (just straight factual info) on this thread for fear of provoking a negative response but I feel a measured opinion coming on.
I cannot agree that either the rule and regulation replies were force fed or that they swamped all the threads. Yes there were some very heated exchanges and I personally have been in the thick of it several times. Many of the times I responded was to question obviously wreckless flying (divebombing people, car chasing on public roads, flying above clouds, etc.) and to discourage others from emulating this. The reason for doing this was not wanting to see the hobby hammered by the authorities because of the actions of an irresponsible few. There was both support and resistance from both sides of the arguments. I stopped doing this after the attacks became personal and some members of the forum received warnings. Since then I only post responses on where the appropriate regulations can be found if the question is asked about the rules. The individual flyer is responsible for adhering to these regulations or not.
I also cannot agree that the posts have dwindled to next to nothing. Are we looking at the same forum? Fewer questionable videos and banter surrounding them but still plenty of posts as far as I can see.

[g4wft]

Sorry, didn't mean to inflame any previous arguments on here!  I'm fairly new to FPV, so I'm not qualified to do other than offer my opinion.  My point was just that I'm staggered that people are willing to post public video evidence of themselves breaking the law.  Whether you agree with that law or not is another matter.  It seems to me it's a bit like posting video of yourself driving at 60mph in a 30mph limit zone - why would you do it?!!

The bit I don't like is if reckless or illegal flying comes to the notice of authority and results in tightening of the laws or banning of FPV altogether.  Hopefully it won't happen, but why tempt fate?

Tim.

[Coyote]

I'm sad you feel that way..
I prefer the forum without the nutters myself, not sure why they still feel the need to post their "heroic exploits" on here.. not getting enough attention elsewhere?   :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Anyway I appreciate the mods dont feel the same way.. Maybe its time I was on my way too  :(

regards
Andy

It's bit the way I feel Andy, that's what happened. I get told it enough times on Facebook, FPVLab, RCGroups to see that's what has driven a lot of people away. This is not a mod oppionion, it's my own.

[Coyote]

I also cannot agree that the posts have dwindled to next to nothing. Are we looking at the same forum? Fewer questionable videos and banter surrounding them but still plenty of posts as far as I can see.

The stats don't lie. We are into month 9 now and we have only just got to the same new topics as month 6 of last year. 100 members less than the previous year online daily, that's a huge loss.

[electrotor]

Sorry, didn't mean to inflame any previous arguments on here!  I'm fairly new to FPV, so I'm not qualified to do other than offer my opinion.  My point was just that I'm staggered that people are willing to post public video evidence of themselves breaking the law.  Whether you agree with that law or not is another matter.  It seems to me it's a bit like posting video of yourself driving at 60mph in a 30mph limit zone - why would you do it?!!

The bit I don't like is if reckless or illegal flying comes to the notice of authority and results in tightening of the laws or banning of FPV altogether.  Hopefully it won't happen, but why tempt fate?

Tim.

That's OK, you are new here and couldn't have known. I suppose the best advice is to know the regulations and abide by them to the best of your ability and interpretation. As a result of previous spats and in an attempt to prevent all out war, postings concerning what may be regarded as reckless or illegal flying are now rather more subdued. However, often someone new comes along and either doesn't know the regulations or (as in your case) can't understand why people fly the way they do and then post the evidence. The good intention of this thread is to point newbies in the right direction without swamping them in regulation.

To the best of my knowledge none of the videos which have been posted on this forum have resulted in prosecutions directly as a result of being posted here. There have been however two prosecutions this year for model flying.
The first was as a result of an unfortunate fly-away near a nuclear submarine facility by a model which was not being flown FPV at the time. The video was posted here, or at least a link to it but that was only after proceedings had started against the modeller involved. The thread was taken down.
The second was an FPV flight at Alton Towers and again there my have been a link but only to an already uploaded YouTube video.

[Coyote]

I know people want to get the legal side across, that's expected. People will post videos, they do it at their own risk. They also don't care either and will continue to do it regardless of reactions. Yes some conversations got heated, that all stopped, thankfully.  Because of that though so many videos that could have been illegal / might not have been were no longer getting posted because people couldn't be bothered with the chew. Once they stop posting their videos, they stop posting in threads as well. People then get less help and experienced flyers leave.

[electrotor]

I also cannot agree that the posts have dwindled to next to nothing. Are we looking at the same forum? Fewer questionable videos and banter surrounding them but still plenty of posts as far as I can see.

The stats don't lie. We are into month 9 now and we have only just got to the same new topics as month 6 of last year. 100 members less than the previous year online daily, that's a huge loss.

Surely the stats have to be put in perspective.
How many posts up to month 9? If 1000 that is hardly dwindling to nothing.
How many members online daily last year as compared to this year? If it was 101 last year and only 1 this year, yes there is a huge loss. But if 1000 last year and 900 this year, that is only 10% down.
Let us know the actual numbers.

[Coyote]

Hi Eric, I will add more details no problem.

We are 2000 new topics down already this year, we normally post 8000 topics per year. That means so far a 25% drop in new topics alone.

We are 100 online daily members down, normally it is 230 so that's just shy of a 50% drop which means half the regular members have now gone.

I understand all your points of view by the way and find them all valid. I'm just trying to get across that the rule posts have had a detrimental affecton the forum.

To try and see where I am coming from, think about it like this :

A member gets blasted on their videos, they go elsewhere. The flying does not change, the member does not change. The responses had no effect on that person other than making them feel uncomfortable posting here.

The noob member comes on. They ask about a setup using an illegal transmitter. The response is "You can't use that" "You can't fly that far away " etc etc etc Does the member then go out and buy a 25mW transmitter, use a spotter and fly around a field in circles due to the advice ?

No, they log onto FPVLab / RCGroups, they get the answers and fly how they wanted to all along. Advice from here ignored, member no longer uses the forum.

[Coyote]

Do you see what I mean ? People are trying to do the right thing. But it falls on deaf ears, gets completely ignored