So, you've got a drone, you've got a license, you've booked a gig so what do you need to do now? In this blog, we look at the five most important drone safety considerations you need to have before you think about flying a drone for work. Everyone thinks production location planning is an easy task. You find somewhere perfect and you just send the drone up and go for it, right? Maybe in an ideal world - but this isn’t the case when it comes to flying drones commercially for production. It’s especially true when it comes to selecting a location where a drone can legally fly.

If you are planning to use a drone in your production to get some outstanding shots of the location, or just to add a unique perspective to your footage, here are some crucial things you need to consider before you take to the skies.

Safety first is a good phrase to live by when out on a production. Yes, getting an epic shot or piece of footage is crucial but not if it means sacrificing your drone safety! Let's be clear, drones in the wrong hands are dangerous - but, big BUT right there, drones can be safe and awesome when you have a smart drone operator.

It may seem like a bore or a touch pedantic but an expert drone operator will consider all these things before they set their drone soaring. If you have a drone safety savvy operator you will not only get amazing shots but you won't have to risk your neck for them either.

 

drone photography

Image by LA Media 

You Must Respect the Drone Danielson!

Take the wise words of Mr. Miyagi to heart! A typical misconception about drones is that they can go anywhere, right? True, to an extent, yes they can physically go most places, drones are very versatile and nimble but unless you want to find yourself in hot water with the law, here are key considerations for drone safety every production manager should consider before the day of the shoot. Just because you can fly it doesn't mean you should!

Cowboy drone operators will risk it, but if the CAA is notified you could find yourself under investigation for reckless flying or worse charged by the police for endangering the public. Drones are a serious piece of machinery, just because some can be bought cheaply as toys you shouldn't lower your guard when operating one as they can do damage.

Do you have production control over the required drone flying area?

The law is quite specific about this and covers people, property, and roads. If you have full control of these elements then you should be good to go flying. Make sure that you get a completed risk assessment form from the drone pilot in advance of your flying date. If you do not have full control then you will need a control method statement from the drone company. All drone flights should be operated within areas that are under the control of the production or which have been made safe using the practices suggested in the control methods statement.

 

drone photography of rail bridge: Drone safety tip, ensure you have correct permissions

Image by LA Media 

Buyer Beware: Is it legal and am I liable?

The drone company should advise you regarding the legal requirements of any flying you intend to undertake and investigate the nature of the airspace you are intending to fly. The drone company should make all relevant contact with CAA, NATS, and any air traffic control (military and civilian) that may be operating in the area you intend to fly and keep you informed regarding any issues.

IMPORTANT: One-man operations will often ask for production assistance when implementing control measures in a flying zone. Be aware that compliance with this request can create an insurance liability to the production.

Cleared for landing?

Does your location have safe landing and take-off areas for the drone operators to use? More importantly, is there an area that can be considered an emergency fly away zone should it be required? The drone company will advise you as to the suitability of any areas you might suggest for these purposes.

 

drone photography of Orkney

Image by LA Media 

Best laid plans

Where possible, and affordable, it is advised to take the drone operators out on a location recce with the production Director, DOP, production manager, and health and safety adviser.

Houston, we don’t have a problem!

It is critical when flying the drone that any pilot has ‘Line Of Sight’. They must see the drone clearly at all times when flying, no excuses! So, when considering locations it is important to anticipate any possible obstructions to the pilot's “Line Of Sight’. Obstructions can be as simple as trees, other buildings, a change in the ground levels when flying low and, most commonly, distance from the pilot.

This may seem obvious but it is worth saying, Drones become very small as they fly away from the pilot and even, therefore, become riskier when, and if, the drone disappears into the background they are flying against. Crossing in front of bright sunlight for example will be very challenging for most pilots.

 

drone photography of Edinburgh castle

Image by LA Media

 

Although this may seem a little scary, if you are working with a good and reputable drone operator they will help you through this experience and make it as straightforward as possible. If you keep these 5 key drone safety considerations in mind when picking your location you will avoid some of these easily made mistakes.

Check out the rest of our website to see some of the drone projects we've worked on and if you have any questions e-mail us at louise@lamedia.co.uk or just give us a call on 0131 622 0220.

If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook, and Instagram for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Wishing you happy and safe flying!

 

 

 

 

As we stride into the New Year we here at LA Media feel buoyed up by the Government’s release of a new consultation document on the Benefits of Drones to the UK. How can the drone market Benefit the UK? Well, PwC has estimated that the emerging global aerial market for business services using drones is over £102 billion, which is why the UK Government is keen to grab a slice of that pie.

The Teal Group’s 2015 market study estimates the global aerial drone market over the coming decade will grow from £3.22 billion to £11.27 billion by 2025, totaling £74.85 billion in the next ten years – pretty exciting stuff!

On 21 December 2016, the Department of Transport within the UK Government released a consultation document titled “Unlocking the UK’s High Tech Economy: Consultation on the safe use of drones in the UK”. Essentially, they are seeking opinions on how to harness the positive benefits of drones for the public and commercial services. In this blog, we will review some of the key points they tackle and share our two cents on the issue.

The UK Government wishes to identify a safe path to ensure that the UK captures a large share of this global drone market. They note that the UK already has a significant share of the registered drone operators in the EU and globally, and that the UK’s proportionate risk-based regulations are already viewed favourably by industry worldwide.

The UK Government believes that the new drone business will bring lots of other benefits too. The drone market will contribute to taxes to the public purse, boost local economies, stimulate job growth and lure more investors to the UK. The ultimate goal is to make Britain the global go-to place for new technologies such as drones.

For the full document please visit their website. We have picked out some of the points discussed in the document which we feel able to comment on after nearly four years of commercial drone flying within the UK.

Why we are so happy!

As drone code-abiding citizens here at LA Media, we were really pleased to see the government take this step. Firstly, because it acknowledges what we’ve been saying for years - that the drone market has a huge potential for growth and could be quite the money maker for the UK. It is a sector that could keep on expanding while other sectors are still reverberating from Brexit.

Secondly, we are thrilled to see they are tackling the issue of drone safety as this will help shape up some of the cowboy drone operators out there. There needs to be a much clearer guide for drone operators, particularly domestic users.

As Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for Aviation at the Department for Transport 2016 states in the consultation document: “The vast majority of drone users are law-abiding and have good intentions…it is likely that some are not aware of the rules."

Thirdly, we are happy that the government isn’t putting out a dictate. With this document, they are seeking consultation from the public/drone community to ensure that legislation is approached sensibly. But it is an important step as drones are developing so fast, it’s hard to keep up with them.

Each month a new drone appears on the market and it feels like every day people are finding new and innovative ways to use them.

Key Points Addressed

To provide greater drone safety assurance to the public

Address the increasing demand for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flying in the commercial sector

To increase engagement with future drone pilots

To increase Dronecode awareness at the point of sale

To facilitate a supportive innovative environment for drone projects

Improve the application of geo-fencing as a safety net

Increase the use of the NATS free drone safety app ‘Drone assist’

Update drone guidance rules

To implement a drone traffic management system to improve security and safety

Introduce a mandatory drone registration scheme (possible drone registration cost)

To find a solution so as to create more drone testing zones

What we think needs further consideration

Better Drone insurance

The government has addressed drone operators' concerns with regards to insurance but we feel they need to take a more flexible and comprehensive look at drone insurance. As drone enthusiasts will know not all drones are made equal.

While some are tiny sparrow-sized things that won’t cause any damage there are the heavy-lift rigs which are essentially huge sky predators. The government needs to decide what size of drone merits what type of insurance.

Another issue that must be addressed with regards to drone insurance is liability: namely how to assess if it is drone failure or pilot error. For example, if you had a flyaway and the drone was not recovered (it may have plunged into the North Sea) how will you figure out where liability and responsibility lie? Even if you do get the tatters of your rig back it can still be a real challenge to figure out exactly what went wrong.

Drones are becoming increasingly fail and idiot-proof, but, mechanics can - and will - fail at some point.

Drone registration & electronic identification

 A big thing that they have adequately addressed is the issue of drone registration. For larger drones - more than 250 grams - all drones may need to be registered. We applaud this move because it will encourage hobbyists to be more careful!

Safer drone flying will help improve the current public perception of drones and keep everybody safe; like having trackable license plates on your car, the police will be able to scan your drone from the ground and find out who exactly flew dangerously near an airport.

Drone photography by LA Media

Image by LA Media  'Drone photography in Scotland' 

 

However, we feel that this doesn’t solve the problem of many bespoke self-built drones. Like Bruce Wayne ordering all the batmobile parts from different countries, a skilled drone builder can make his /her drones untraceable by ordering from various international distributors. We think that it would make more sense for drones to carry an identifier that is specific to the operator/ pilot rather than the drone.  This way builders can chop and change as much as they like without having to register each new thing they might build whilst still retaining traceability.

Get involved in the great drone debate

The Public dialogue on drone use in the UK was used to inform the government’s consultation proposal. The closing date for this consultation closes on 15 March 2017. So if you have a bee in your bonnet or think there is something they haven’t addressed about the drone market make sure you respond.

This is your chance to make an impact on the way the UK develops its drone market. You can respond by writing to the address given below:

[email protected]

OR

Write to Drones Regulation and Policy Lead

Drones consultation

IASE 1/26, Aviation Directorate

Department for Transport

Great Minster House

33 Horseferry Road

London SW1P 4DR

 

We hope you’ve found this blog helpful! Let us know what you think in the comments, tell us if we’ve missed something out. If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on: TwitterFacebook, and Instagram for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220

The Netflix series, formerly known as Scrotal Recall, now known as Lovesick is a British sitcom created by BAFTA-nominated writer, Tom Edge. Starring Johnny FlynnAntonia Thomas, and Daniel Ings, the show is a fun romantic comedy that follows the exploits of the main character Dylan.

Lovesick Season 2 Drone Filming in Scotland by LA MEDIA

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming Over Loch Lomond' 

 

The series, which was set in Glasgow,  follows Dylan on his mission to contact his former romantic partners to inform them he has chlamydia. So as you can imagine it has a fantastic amount of hilariously awkward cringe-worthy material. Originally broadcast on Channel 4, Lovesick was quickly picked up by Netflix and made available to US and Canadian audiences.

Lovesick Season 2 Drone Filming by LA MEDIA in Scotland

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming Over Loch Lomond' 

 

Due to its success across the pond, the show was commissioned by Netflix for another cracking season comprised of eight episodes. This is where we step in, LA Media was asked to film the drone footage for season 2! We filmed a lot of scenes at Loch Lomond in the summer of 2016 using our DJI Inspire with the Zenmuse X5R. Filming near Loch Lomond was a real pleasure as it is one of the most beautiful woodland areas in Scotland.

Lovesick Season 2 Drone Filming by LA MEDIA in Scotland

Image by LA Media 'Drone Filming Over Loch Lomond' 

 

With majestic lochs, epic lowland landscapes, and plenty of mountains there was no shortage of stunning backgrounds. We got lots of vibrant shots, which you can now view on Netflix or you can see on our Facebook and Instagram. The images on this blog show you just how beautiful a location it was and amazingly, for Scotland, how good the weather was. We enjoyed plenty of bright sunshine and clear skies! Perfect conditions for our drone team to work their magic.

 

If you enjoyed this blog don’t forget to follow us on: Twitter, for your daily dose of media & drone chat!

Visit our website lamedia.co.uk and if you have any questions, e-mail us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0131 622 0220