Drone flying around Old Buckenham

Safety concerns

Today, Sunday 20 March, the Old Buckenham Airfield has had a report of a drone operating near Fen Street, halfway between the village and Puddledock. This activity is a criminal offence. The person(s) flying it are in breach of the Air Navigation Order and liable to prosecution. Whilst the fines are of the order of £1,000 and confiscation of the drone where a license is required, within the Flight Restriction Zone around an Aerodrome penalties are higher and can include imprisonment. Whoever is flying this device is endangering an aircraft and therefore lives. We do have means to detect and trace the owners and will deploy them, alerting the Police in the process. Matt Wilkins, Aerodrome Manager, is empowered by the CAA to issue permissions for drone operations on a 'one-off or good ‘til cancelled' basis; please email airfield@oldbuck.com. No permission has, or will be issued in the location where reports have been made this afternoon which is recklessly stupid.

An authorised drone owner in Old Buckenham, Steve Milner, has added the following: I would like to add my voice to the situation. Drone flying must always follow the drone code and the operator must pass the CAA test and display the operator number on the craft.  The test is not difficult and is not expensive so there is no excuse for none compliance. Like it or not, flying in the Old Buckenham area is even more restrictive due to the air field activity and quite rightly so. Drones do not carry passengers unlike the flights going to and from the airfield but endangering life by irresponsible drone flying is completely unacceptable.  Matt, manager at the Airfield, has been very accommodating so if you want to fly contact the airfield and ask for permission, giving when and where you want to fly and give your operators' number.  Even if you have permission you must ALWAYS BRING THE DRONE DOWN IF YOU HEAR AN AIRCRAFT. Flying as described will only have one result and that will be a total ban on flying, spoiling the pleasure of responsible flyers in the Old Buckenham.