UKC

Am I the only one to be more than a little annoyed when, having slogged to the top of the perfect summit, some tw*ts turn up with a suitcase and start whizzing a drone around the hill filming everything and destroying the silence?

It's going to get worse before it gets better:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9rDo1QxI260&t=2s

Well, I must admit they can really annoy me, but they are incredibly useful for guidebook Topo shots and some of the videos taken by Bald Eagle are well worth watching. 

i take your point. Once upon a time I would probably have agreed with you but I have been so very impressed by some of the drone video footage I have seen this past couple of years to reconsider my stance. in that arena they are priceless.

As for noise, some humans seem to have voices which carry a lot further than necessary when out on the hill ( a bit different from on the crag where instructions/messages need to be loud and clear)

And i must confess, being a bit of an anorak, if I was standing on top of Gable and a Spitfire flew over at 100 feet, I wouldn't mind the noise one bit.

Remember the paraffin budgie hanging around while I was getting mauled by Amen Corner.  Did not mind at all.

No, you're not the only one.

I do go to mountains for the peace, though i tend to stay away from popular peaks, still lots to choose from to enjoy the solitude.

I am also getting more used to the noise when out around the Peak District, now i know what it is 

Have watched some interesting climbing videos recently which used drone footage, Dave Macleod and Pete Whittaker spring to mind.

The ratio of "drone flights that give interesting footage" to "boys playing with toys" is pitifully low.  Mostly it's middle aged grumpy blokes looking at the beautiful scenery via their 4" mobile phone footage and "marvelling" at the 4k picture.

For the amount of times I see them,it doesn't bother me. Certainly a lot more noise from motorbikes or planes flying over. 

Every now and then you see some truly stunning photos taken by a drone. 

My missus put a sign at rackwick bay saying if anyone got any photos of my husband climbing old man of hoy please can you email to her email address. Anyway she got sent an email with some drone footage showing us giving two fingers to the drone that had been buzzing around and pissing us off!

There are particular hotspots in the Peak.  Bamford seems especially popular for some reason, which is the more irritating since it's so much quieter and less frequented than the other gritstone edges.  I've had several otherwise beautiful summer evenings there interrupted by intrusive drone activity.

their arrival makes me think of homicide!

I'm an anorak and like seeing planes but they are transient. The problem with drones is they sit there and whine (I just sit and wine...). We even get them over my house in kernow in the summer, which isn't legal.

The other side of it is sometimes these folk are making movies etc and making money out of it - what gives them the right to annoy other people in pursuit of profit? (Probably not that many making money to be fair and professional film makers, I would imagine, operate within the rules)[And lets face it, there's a whole political party annoying other people in pursuit of profit which is a more pressing problem].

I guess I'm just a grumpy git but I'd rather just hear sheep bleating or cries of 'below' etc.

It's a question of respect, whether we are talking drones or other activities.

I own a drone and take it along with other photography equipment to remote places. If I wish to make a flight I go somewhere where I know I will be on my own, mid-week, and usually start the walk before sunrise. If I do end up sharing a remote place with someone I either leave the drone in the bag or ask polite permission for a quick fly-by. Most of the time people are quite keen to chat about the drone, and sometimes even ask to be in the video and give me their email for receiving a copy. It's all common sense really. 

I am lucky enough to be able to avoid the busy times but when I do end up at a busy spot, I find that the odd drone tends to be the least noisy element of the scene. 

Thank you. I suspect you are not the type of drone user I have encountered! Sadly, respect for each other seems to be lacking in many walks of life these days so my rant is probably just a reflection of modern life.

Undoubtedly some stunning footage can be created with drones - I had no idea Lower Sharpnose looked like it did from the sea until I saw the excellent video posted on here. The same people being irritating with drones would probably ride an electric scooter to the top of Skiddaw if they could, with the same result...

That would make a huge difference.  As you say, it's a question of respect.  The combination of having both your peace and your privacy disturbed without any explanation or permission, or even any idea who is responsible, can be extremely irritating. 

A little bit of courtesy goes a long way and I'm not surprised that people generally react positively when you speak to them.  It's a shame that what you regard as common sense isn't more widespread.  

I like drones and some of the footage is stunning. in fact the homepage of my website is a drone video (doesn't work on mobile) www.veloventoux.com

I have no problem with people filming climbing if it's obvious that's what they're doing at the crag. Even better if they chat with you and explain what they're doing. even betterer if they film you and give you some footage.

However, walking back to the car from climbing at Clapis in the Dentelles last week I suddenly realised that we were being followed by a drone. It was weird. It was above the trees and close to me, when I walked it moved and when I stopped it stopped. I couldn't see it because of the trees and bushes but it was obviously very close. Went on for about 5 minutes. If I had have seen it I would have been testing my stone throwing on it.

E

I have one, and just try to abide by the "Don't be a dick" rule. I don't fly one in the Peak or anywhere else where I've been asked not to (aside from above my house), and used properly they can provide some really stunning photography from POVs that are otherwise just not possible to achieve.

That said, I grimace whenever the thing starts up - I wish the noise could be made a touch less irritating.

Not any more. I couldn't understand last summer why Bamford seemed so bizarrely busy with people who didn't appear to be normal outdoor goers and a lot of whom seemed to be Chinese students. So I asked some of them. It turns out that the view of you sitting Gun Rock and the view of you standing above Gargoyle Buttress appear as top photo locations on Instagram amongst others. 

I fear it is likely to cause problems soon as well since the paths are becoming very wide and eroded.

Alan

As a seasoned drone flyer, I too get annoyed at people flying drones simply for the sake of flying drones, especially in crowded and picturesque places. This is not good practice.

For me, good practice is:

- avoid flying when it is busy
- if there are people, talk to them first
- don't linger longer than necessary
- fly the drone away if waiting for a shot due to clouds or climber position until ready
- practice flying away from busy and popular places (Stoney quarries are good)

Whenever I talk to people they are almost always friendly. Of course, I have the "I am producing a new Rockfax" card to play which is usually quite effective, but even if you don't have that, just saying what you are doing and how long it will last is usually well-received.

Alan

One of these might be useful... 

https://www.skylock1.com/anti-drone-jammers/anti-drone-knights-dome/ 

Last spring I was coming down from Styhead Tarn towards Seathwaite and we saw a Hurricane and a Mustang flying low overhead going up towards Gable, it was rather impressive.

Yawn

Rubbers, chocks, friends, chalk, mountain bikes, mobile phones, GPS, drones. 

Just the latest in a series of developments which initially cause a furore and then settled down. 

I bet that you always pick up after you dog as well, and that your kid is never mis-behaved.

Depends on the size of the drone and the distance from you/your house - sub 250g drone >50m  high can legally fly over your home. They can even film/photograph this BUT the latter can be argued to breach privacy rules i.e. they couldn't hover and watch you, but if they're filming whilst flying over your garden, it's probably permitted.

Exactly the same as someone could walk past your house filming on a camera or phone, but if they photograph inside your house, or specifically film you - that's an invasion of privacy.

Professionals need a separate licence and insurance and must follow stricter rules (tied to the licence type). No idea if this is checked when people commission commercial videos however

This isn't to say that "because it's legal - don't complain", but just putting it into context

I've got a Mini 2, which I don't fly as much as I want to, but it's pretty quiet. At 60m or higher, you'd really struggle to hear it unless it's going fast or descending. 

Equally I've found them annoying at Hen Cloud when there was 3 swarming around (and breaching the drone rules...)

I've got very mixed feelings, I find them really annoying when I'm out and about and they're whining away.

But I don't get to beautiful places as often as I'd like and at times like now, when I'm stuck at home unwell, I'm a fan of a handful of Youtubers who use some drone footage of their hiking and camping trips (along with the gear nerd stuff which I also enjoy). I will say there is rarely anyone else in their drone shots so it seems they're pretty considerate, I think they often get the footage very early in the day, what with the fact that they're usually camping.

Somewhat torn. I do find a drone a little annoying when enjoying a nice spot, but ultimately a lot less annoying than say, a group with particularly loud voices talking inane drivel, which I encounter a lot more than drones.

Also, I'm quite tempted to get one myself as I enjoy being alone on mountains and climbs and getting some footage/pictures would be nice sometimes!

Well, I don't have a dog, but I have to admit that my kids are much harder to control than the drone

 The smutty side of me finds that quite funny. 

I think rubbers have been an unqualified historical success.....

There's a report in today's paper about a dog being rescued from wetlands in Hampshire by a drone dangling a sausage. One for the pro column ( unless you're anti- dog as well as anti- drone)

What it needs it the modern day equivalent of an electronic kit I had when a boy called the Denshi Block. It was lego-like electrical components and could jam anything - radios blew up, the telly gave up and planes fell out of the sky.  

I was at a fire once, a gas line under the road was on fire. A drone I suspect from the press was hovering over. A cop was there on traffic duty. I said are you going to do anything about that? He said you are the one with the f*cking big hose ,go on. 

I'd have been in trouble with the station manager if I had 

I do have a directed energy beam which is strapped to a prismatic monocular allowing fairly fine direction to over 100 metres

A drone  over the pitch stopped the Premier League fixture Brentford vs Wolves today. At the ref's request, the Players left the pitch for around 15mins. The fans amused themselves by chanting "Who's the w*nker with the drone?" It buzzed off eventually and the players came out again with there being 19 minutes of time added on to the first half. Bizarre...

Please tell me it actually sends out a blue drone killing death ray like the photo.

With a name like Thunderbird what have you got to moan about?

In space, nobody can hear you....