Drone use or misuse?

[Mog]

There has been a fair few less deer than I would expect this season on one of the fields at a permission I have which borders a large wooded area which is shot by another stalker. He has approached the land owner of my permission a couple of times to shoot or retrieve deer and always been turned down ( retrieval of deer has been turned down as the land owner believes the bloke will start shooting over the boundary).
Whilst having a pint in my local the other day I was chatting to a lad who during the conversation said he'd been out stalking with said stalker and him not knowing I shot the neighbouring land told me how the stalker used a drone to herd the deer back in to his permission.
1, Is this legal
2, Is this ethical
3, Do I tell my land owner (he'd be ****ed)
4, Name and shame (if it's considered poor practice)
5, Let a few locals know

 

[Miki]

6, Shoot the drone down (12G #6 shot)
7, Video it and call the police (If you fly your drone low over someone's land without their permission, you could be liable in trespass, even if you do not personally go onto the land.)

 

[Dave Lakes]

6, Shoot the drone down (12G #6 shot)
7, Video it and call the police (If you fly your drone low over someone's land without their permission, you could be liable in trespass, even if you do not personally go onto the land.)

That’s unfortunately not true. And don’t shoot it down, that’s highly illegal.

 

[Apthorpe]

Find out who the adjoining landowner is an let it be known to him (perhaps anonymously or indirectly) that this individual is actively driving more deer onto his land and taking the p155 over his neighbour's land. He is unlikely to be impressed.
Most landowners are going to take a very dim view of activity which annoys their neighbour and which is the opposite of the activity for which he was given access.

 

[dobber]

I would likely let that stalker know what you know, and suggest this practice cease "if in fact its happening"
If it continues, then all of the above, I can't see how that would be "fair chase"

 

[finnbear270]

10 things you need to know about flying drones​

1. drones can and do present a very real hazard to manned aircraft, pilots (including military pilots) have reported over 50 near misses with drones last year alone
2. drones (including model aircraft) are subject to the law through the Air Navigation Order
3. it is your responsibility to fly safely and within the law – if you don’t (and individuals have been) you could be prosecuted.
4. never fly a drone near an airport/airfield or close to aircraft. It is a criminal offence to endanger the safety of aircraft in flight
5. keep your drone in sight and below 400ft
6. do not fly over congested areas and never fly within 50m of a person, vehicle or building not under your control
7. if you wish to use a drone for commercial purposes (get paid) then you need to have permission from the CAA
8. ensure any images obtained do not break privacy laws
9. if your unit wishes to buy a commercially available drone for Defence activities (photographs, multimedia, and surveys at height) it becomes regulated by the MAA and you must follow their rules
10. finally, Follow the Drone Code, have fun and fly safe.

 

[Jon P]

I was talking to a friend of a friend a few weeks back who has a drone, so I asked him to bring it with him up to the farm on his next visit. All I can say is that it is terrifying how small it was, how good the camera is, you will never know you are being watched,

This drone is approx 12 inches square, goes 110 mph . Can lock onto a vehicle of a person up to about 3 miles away. Can go further if signal allows.

This boy has a licence and has to get permission for air traffic control to fly it, they give him a time slot for specific area.

200 ft above us, I could not hear it. Camera footage was unbelievable of us , He had it follow a bus about 3 miles away for a few mins to show how it can lock onto a target.

Cost him around £1500.

 

[finnbear270]

A small one passes over me on the farm shoot, roughly around 3 in the afternoon, going like a bat out of hell always from & to the same directions.

 

[HonestJohn]

A small one passes over me on the farm shoot, roughly around 3 in the afternoon, going like a bat out of hell always from & to the same directions.

drug delivery? or Mrs. Fieldmouse doing the school run in the 21st century!

 

[HonestJohn]

There has been a fair few less deer than I would expect this season on one of the fields at a permission I have which borders a large wooded area which is shot by another stalker. He has approached the land owner of my permission a couple of times to shoot or retrieve deer and always been turned down ( retrieval of deer has been turned down as the land owner believes the bloke will start shooting over the boundary).
Whilst having a pint in my local the other day I was chatting to a lad who during the conversation said he'd been out stalking with said stalker and him not knowing I shot the neighbouring land told me how the stalker used a drone to herd the deer back in to his permission.
1, Is this legal
2, Is this ethical
3, Do I tell my land owner (he'd be ****ed)
4, Name and shame (if it's considered poor practice)
5, Let a few locals know

1, Is this legal - probably, although one could argue he is distressing wildlife so you could report him for wildlife crimes
2, Is this ethical - no
3, Do I tell my land owner (he'd be ****ed) - yep
4, Name and shame (if it's considered poor practice) - no
5, Let a few locals know - probably wouldn't

 

[Pete1774]

6, Shoot the drone down (12G #6 shot)
7, Video it and call the police (If you fly your drone low over someone's land without their permission, you could be liable in trespass, even if you do not personally go onto the land.)

Shooting down a drone for any reason will at least result in prosecutions for criminal damage and possession of a firearm with intent to cause damage to property which will most likely result in the termination of the shooter's SGC/FAC. If the drone is legally registered and flown then the Civil Aviation Authority my take an interest in the shooter because a drone is an aircraft and is treated the same as any other aircraft for legal purposes.

 

[paulbshooting]

Must be desperate for deer to resort to that hassle with a drone. Sounds like a shooter not a stalker. I would be inclined to have a chat direct with him whilst staying reasonable and not risking your FAC! No sure of legalities of shooting down drones and other suggestions. Again think about your FAC. Make your landowner aware of what's going on too. Sounds like they know the person hence denying recovery access

 

[Night òwl]

6, Shoot the drone down (12G #6 shot)
7, Video it and call the police (If you fly your drone low over someone's land without their permission, you could be liable in trespass, even if you do not personally go onto the land.)

Totally incorrect

 

[finnbear270]

Finally, authorities urge drone pilots to respect the privacy of others and be mindful not to endanger people or animals during drone operation. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

 

[Dave_45]

Feed a story out about the drone spooking cattle and causing some kind of upset.

 

[VSS]

I'd mention it to your landowner first.

 

[Malxwal]

Avoid any direct conflict or confrontation with the offending a*rse. Definitely speak to your landowner and ask him to approach your neighbouring landowner. Of course, it may be that your landowner is happy to have less deer by whatever means.

 

[Miki]

Totally incorrect

That’s unfortunately not true. And don’t shoot it down, that’s highly illegal.

I beg to differ that a low flying drone is not tresspassing, if it's below 50M high (ie within the lower stratum) .... Do let these guys know ,,,, Prettys

And these guys ... https://mlaerialphotography.co.uk/landowners-rights-relation-drones/

Under English law a landowner owns the airspace above his land (unless it has been expressly excluded from the lease or transfer to him) and it is therefore trespass if a developer or its contractor allows a tower crane jib to swing across land owned by other parties. An adjoining owner can obtain an injunction to prevent such trespass without needing to show that any damage has occurred. An ‘Oversail’ licence is required and a fee must be negotiated in which the landowner can effective ask whatever they like.
Not yet tested in law the same will apply to the operation of a drone. You must have permission of the landowner to overfly their land because drone operations take place in that area below that the level at which ordinary flight takes place. This area of airspace owned by the landowner!
Ah, but my permission from the CAA says I can fly up to 50 meters from a structure so surely if I keep that distance away I am ok. Well no, all the CAA are doing is saying what you can do from the CAA point of view. It is down to you the Drone Pilot to secure the permissions to overfly land that you have not had permission to take off from.

Yes you are right of course, you can't shoot a drone down (legally), stupid of me to suggest that really.

Drones are being used to herd animals (cattle and sheep) in agricultral businesses but I'm suprised that you think it's ok to herd animals on someone elses property ....... if deer are on your property the I believe that you are the 'qualified' owner of them.
A wild deer becomes the property of the landowner when “reduced into possession” i.e. killed or captured, thus a culled deer is the property of the owner of the land on which it dies.

 

[Dave Lakes]

I beg to differ that a low flying drone is not tresspassing, if it's below 50M high (ie within the lower stratum) .... Do let these guys know ,,,, Prettys

Yes you are right of course, you can't shoot a drone down (legally), stupid of me to suggest that really.
Drones are being used to herd animals (cattle and sheep) in agricultral businesses but you can't herd animals on someone elses property by any means.

Its not, as odd as it sounds. You actually are required to stay below 120m unless you have a special licence. The 50m rule is to stay away from people and buildings. Other than that, you must retain sight and control of the drone, and respect general privacy laws, but generally you can fly over other peoples land to your hearts content.

How this all relates to essentially harassing deer, I don’t know.

 

[Miki]

Its not, as odd as it sounds. You actually are required to stay below 120m unless you have a special licence. The 50m rule is to stay away from people and buildings. Other than that, you must retain sight and control of the drone, and respect general privacy laws, but generally you can fly over other peoples land to your hearts content.

No you can't.
From the CAA's perspective the 'not over 120m and above 50m when over people and buildings' rule applies ... however "Under English (and Scottish I believe) law a landowner owns the airspace above his land (unless it has been expressly excluded from the lease or transfer to him) and it is therefore trespass if a developer or its contractor allows a tower crane jib to swing across land owned by other parties. An adjoining owner can obtain an injunction to prevent such trespass without needing to show that any damage has occurred.
An ‘Oversail’ licence is required and a fee must be negotiated in which the landowner can effective ask whatever they like.

Not yet tested in law the same will apply to the operation of a drone. You must have permission of the landowner to overfly their land because drone operations take place in that area below that the level at which ordinary flight takes place. This area of airspace owned by the landowner!"