Lost drone (christmas present)

**ak56** · 06-Jan-15, 19:34

Looking for a kind hearted soul.....my son has lost his drone while flying in Viewfirth Park, Thurso, he thinks it came down in the Duncan St. area, possibly further afield, just starting to get dark so not sure where it came down. If anyone should come across it in a garden, behind a shed etc. would they be so kind as to contact Morgan on 01847 892292, or hand in to the police station? He`s gutted as this was a Christmas present.....

Thank you very much.

**Kevin Milkins** · 06-Jan-15, 21:11

I hope he finds it okay, what type is it?

**unicorn** · 06-Jan-15, 21:29

Shared on facebook

***Martin*** · 06-Jan-15, 21:29

It may be an idea to make up a little card giving the info you've already posted and pop it through the letter boxes of the houses along Duncan Street (and possibly the first couple in Castlegreen Road) or get him to knock the doors?

It must be a fairly good drone to travel that sort of distance from the remote? Chances are there'll be some damage to fix!

Hope he gets it back. My kids got me a Husban q4 for Christmas last year and it's great!

**unicorn** · 06-Jan-15, 22:23

I have pmd you hopefully with the whereabouts

**Gronnuck** · 06-Jan-15, 22:31

I hope your son gets his drone back and it didn’t damage anyone or anything when it came down. Should your son’s drone injure someone you could be liable. It’s worth noting that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires that drones should not be flown within 150 metres of built-up areas or within 50 metres of any building. There are lots of wide open spaces around Caithness without flying around a park in the middle of the town.

**ak56** · 06-Jan-15, 22:32

Thanks for all replies, it has been recovered and I have a very happy 14 year old again (he`s a very lucky boy!) The range is very good however it just went too high and a gust of wind took it, slight bit of damage but he can`t stop smiling.
Thanks again for all help. Very grateful mum and son (after spending an hour in the dark after tea in wellies with torches, frozen to the bone!)

**sids** · 06-Jan-15, 23:11

Originally Posted by Gronnuck

I hope your son gets his drone back and it didn’t damage anyone or anything when it came down. Should your son’s drone injure someone you could be liable. It’s worth noting that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires that drones should not be flown within 150 metres of built-up areas or within 50 metres of any building. There are lots of wide open spaces around Caithness without flying around a park in the middle of the town.

There's always one!

**ywindythesecond** · 07-Jan-15, 00:22

Originally Posted by Gronnuck

I hope your son gets his drone back and it didn’t damage anyone or anything when it came down. Should your son’s drone injure someone you could be liable. It’s worth noting that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires that drones should not be flown within 150 metres of built-up areas or within 50 metres of any building. There are lots of wide open spaces around Caithness without flying around a park in the middle of the town.

Gronnuck, this reply is actually to Sids
Sids
What Gronnuck says is good advice. Not a spoilsport, just a reminder how to use a drone responsibly within the law.

**sids** · 07-Jan-15, 07:42

Originally Posted by ywindythesecond

Gronnuck, this reply is actually to Sids
Sids
What Gronnuck says is good advice. Not a spoilsport, just a reminder how to use a drone responsibly within the law.

You guys are squares!

**nicnak** · 07-Jan-15, 13:06

sorry I have to agree with Gronnuck on here , these things can be a torment as well as a pleasure, have to say if one came flying over my garden i would do my best to knock it out of the air, sorry but invasion of privacy and all that! take em into a field to fly it away from people in the future .

**Gronnuck** · 07-Jan-15, 14:03

Originally Posted by sids

You guys are squares!

Yes sids I’m a square.

I’m pleased the young lad got his drone back. With the excitement of the festive season and the need to try out the new gizmo it is easy to overlook some of the pitfalls. Many of us have been there and worn the ‘T’ shirt whether it’s a new Carlton racing bike, a new pair of Fagan ice skates or a new Penny skateboard.

I have no wish to rain on anyone’s parade just urge caution. My best wishes to the lad and his family.

**locini** · 07-Jan-15, 17:51

Originally Posted by Gronnuck

I hope your son gets his drone back and it didn’t damage anyone or anything when it came down. Should your son’s drone injure someone you could be liable. It’s worth noting that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires that drones should not be flown within 150 metres of built-up areas or within 50 metres of any building. There are lots of wide open spaces around Caithness without flying around a park in the middle of the town.

Gronnuck
Under cap 393 instruction 166 Small Unmanned Aircraft and 167 Small Unmanned Survalience Aircraft it actually depends whether you have a recording facility or not. As the rules are different for each craft.

If you do have recording onboard (Even if not using it at the time) then actually 150m of a congested area or 1000+person open air assembly and 50m of any person, building or vehicle outwith your control as defined by the CAA publications...

Not a built up area as you stated, built up and congested are completely different.

Im not trying to be funny or argue with you... Or even be pedantic... Just the terminology is completely different and therefore allows quallified operators to fly in these areas, obviously if satisfactoraly risk assessed and controlled pre flight...

I am in the middle of doing my training so far completed theory test just waiting for the weather to improve to do my practicle test... From what ive learned so far I would not have a problem taking off in the area in discussion above if I had satisfied myself with all my pre flight checks, and had adequate control of the area.

Also the above only applies to drones under a 7kg weight limit. If more then the rules/distances change again.

As far as the lad that lost then found his drone

(Glad you got her back - it must be a horrible feeling and thankfully one thats never happended to me) it sounds as if it is a small toy rather than anything that has the potential to harm anyone or thing (It was taken by the wind which says a lot to the size and power it must have) never the less its not nice loosing a loved piece of Tech...

I do agree with almost all of you tho, that for those of us that do partake in the bigger models that do have the potential to cause harm more regulation is deffinately required (look at all the news stories both in UK and abroad regarding drones and near miss with real planes) Its a matter of time before some complete and utter idiot brings down a passanger plane or seriously hurts someone because he or she has absolutely no regard for the safety of others and the law.

There is absolutely nothing currently in place to stop anyone breaking the law and with enough money going out buying a >7kg rig and flying it where he/she wants... Even if it is right next to Heathrow main runway... Yes he/she you would hope get found out and charged but I see the problem as it being let to happen in the first place. IMO is not good enough, and needs to change.

**unicorn** · 07-Jan-15, 18:42

After reading this post and then seeing the post "is this forum dying a death" I am not even surprised. A young lad trying to get back his Christmas present and all this we are perfect and know the rules rubbish in return. Reminds me why I so rarely even look in here any more.

**locini** · 07-Jan-15, 18:59

Originally Posted by unicorn

After reading this post and then seeing the post "is this forum dying a death" I am not even surprised. A young lad trying to get back his Christmas present and all this we are perfect and know the rules rubbish in return. Reminds me why I so rarely even look in here any more.

If that was aimed at me please re-read my post I was actually speaking to another member and addressed my post right to him at the top of my post. I responded to the lad who lost his drone in paragraph 7 and actually defended him and was happy to see he got it back... This forum may be dying but I would say more down to people who take others wrong and type posts like what you have just done.Just saying...

**unicorn** · 07-Jan-15, 19:13

no more the fact that someone just wanted to retrieve a lost object and it turns into a big spiel on the rights and wrongs of flying the thing.

**locini** · 07-Jan-15, 21:01

Baa the OP had already got the drone back so it was just a discussion when I posted,It's a hot topic at the min and in the news. This is the general discussion section or am in in the wrong place 😳

**Wizzbang** · 07-Jan-15, 21:43

Some interesting fact locini.
I had seen these advertised at maplin and wondered about them.
I have also seen some amazing aerial pictures from these machines there was a chap on here that put up his pics on here a while back.
The ones taking photos and video are they recorded on the machine or are the pics transmitted back live to the op?

**neilsermk1** · 07-Jan-15, 22:37

Originally Posted by unicorn

no more the fact that someone just wanted to retrieve a lost object and it turns into a big spiel on the rights and wrongs of flying the thing.

Just as a matter of advice for the future. Put your phone number on the drone to aid recovery if it gets lost again.
We aero-modellers have been doing this for years. You might also get your son to join the local club, it may expand his aero-modelling horizons