As commercial operators we are under more pressure to stay within the rules than hobbyists. After all, we can have our permissions taken off us.
But where do you guys practice between jobs? I used to have access to a field from a farmer through a friend who rented some office space on a farm. But I have since had a falling out with said friend and I haven't been able to use the land since. I have found one local person, but they want me to phone them before I go onto the field, and they want to supervise me there when I go. Not always convenient, but kind of them to offer at least.
Keeping the number of hours and currency up is difficult. Well, impossible, unless lots of aerial work forthcoming (which at the moment it isn't). We don't have a right of responsible access in England like in Scotland (although seemingly the Forestry Commission up there seem to have take it upon themselves to ban drones now, and want to charge £250 per day for any type of commercial filming, even if you are doing a mate a favour and doing the work for free or for showreel purposes. Good job they don't own the major glens and mountains then!) so finding anywhere to fly is impossible.
Much of the land of England and Wales is a patchwork of private fields and grazing land that we do not have access to without knowing the landowner. We are not permitted to fly, even if there is a footpath through the land. Even on open land, such as the Malvern Hills where I live has now had a blanket drone ban placed on them by the Conservators, despite 'normal' model aircraft being permitted in certain places.
Literally, I am sat here surrounded by fields and countryside, but can't fly from any of it, and only one land owner has been kind enough to offer permission to do so, with lots of limitations.
So, how does everyone here tackle this seemingly impossible obstacle and get their practice in?
But where do you guys practice between jobs? I used to have access to a field from a farmer through a friend who rented some office space on a farm. But I have since had a falling out with said friend and I haven't been able to use the land since. I have found one local person, but they want me to phone them before I go onto the field, and they want to supervise me there when I go. Not always convenient, but kind of them to offer at least.
Keeping the number of hours and currency up is difficult. Well, impossible, unless lots of aerial work forthcoming (which at the moment it isn't). We don't have a right of responsible access in England like in Scotland (although seemingly the Forestry Commission up there seem to have take it upon themselves to ban drones now, and want to charge £250 per day for any type of commercial filming, even if you are doing a mate a favour and doing the work for free or for showreel purposes. Good job they don't own the major glens and mountains then!) so finding anywhere to fly is impossible.
Much of the land of England and Wales is a patchwork of private fields and grazing land that we do not have access to without knowing the landowner. We are not permitted to fly, even if there is a footpath through the land. Even on open land, such as the Malvern Hills where I live has now had a blanket drone ban placed on them by the Conservators, despite 'normal' model aircraft being permitted in certain places.
Literally, I am sat here surrounded by fields and countryside, but can't fly from any of it, and only one land owner has been kind enough to offer permission to do so, with lots of limitations.
So, how does everyone here tackle this seemingly impossible obstacle and get their practice in?