UK MOD restricts use of Drones on UK establishments

[George Templeman]

Just an update, completed the RAF Feltwell survey mapping project, without issue. However, this was a USAF controlled site. I have had formal confirmation that all Commercial UAV operations have been banned by the MOD, but maybe just UK controlled sites. I have had my survey images security cleared, so will post an image shortly.

 

[licensed pilot]

Congrats. Common sense prevailed...

 

[George Templeman]

The MOD ban still stands for all UK sites. The site at Feltwell is Controlled by USAF. It’s not in a no fly zone and the guys at the facility were supportive of the UAV and fairly high ranking, so with the risk assessment and flight plan in place and a notification to ATC at both Lakenheath and Mildenhall (Just outside their MATZ) approval was given. It was an interesting one, as inside the site, no mobile devices are allowed, so flew the mission from outside the security fence, with a security escort overseeing my actions. They vetted the images and video and released all of them. The Survey with the UAV of the whole site took 17mins (Plus set up time, placing the Aeropoints, safety checks etc, on site half a day) if done by traditional GPS rover survey, would have taken at least 2 days on site, with 2 security escorts provided by the client. So it was the ideal solution as it provided minimum time on site and saved the client the cost of Providing security escorts for 2 days from following traditional surveyors around the site. Lots of benefits to the client and the end we have hi-res total reality capture of the site, geo-located to OSGB, with DTM, Orthomosaic and Pointcloud. Shame when I present to client at the site, I have to take paper copies, as they won’t allow my Laptop in the faculty to demonstrate the hi-res data I have invited them to our office to show it all off.