Sir – Further to your article about the banning of drones from flying over the Malvern Hills, I am a CAA-certified UAV pilot.
I have full public liability insurance, too. All of which costs a great deal of time and money. And that is without the cost of the aircraft itself.
The Conservators, instead of investigating the reality of matters, and taking a considered approach by meeting with relevant people to obtain informed advice, are instead jerking their knees.
If we are flying in a remote location that is not bothering anyone, I cannot possibly see what the objection could be.
I was searching the other day for somewhere to fly in light of the Conservators’ reaction. The sum total number of places available to freely practice flying in the Malvern area amounted to… nought. Without an agreement with a local farmer, which a couple of people are lucky enough to have, everything, including public land, is off limits.
The Conservators, instead of creating a blanket ban, should engage with the flying community to find a solution.
As professionals, we can ask for permission, but for informal flights, or those that require photography as and when the light is suitable, that is impractical.
Surely, the Conservators could take the attitude of enabling people to fly with a code of responsible access?
The solution to this is education and progressive thinking. Not taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut by banning everything.
Simon Wyndham
Malvern
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