Flying in country parks (Derbyshire UK)

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I may have done a silly thing, Although I haven't actually got my Phantom yet I did reach out via email to someone at Derby council to find out their rules on flying in the various country parks in Derbyshire.

Just received an email back to say due to certain by-laws no r/c flying is allowed in any on their Country parks. Very short and to the point.
Now as I have seen other videos of people flying in these parks I would have gone and flown there and could of pleaded my ignorance but now I have stitched myself up by doing the right thing it seems lol.

Not sure whether to try to ask permission for any other places I have planned or just fly safely hoping there are no hidden rules that I may break ?

One of the parks is Elvaston country park and many many years ago they held the national competition for radio controlled models there in 1964 which is a pity if they no longer allow flying (random Google search brought it up).
 
In my recent encounter in a country park in Hampshire, I was told lots of different reasons why I couldn't fly there in an attempt to scare me into not coming back (though the only one that actually mattered was that it was privately owned and land therefore I didn't have permission to take off there) - did they quote a specific byelaw? A quick Google shows nothing about Derbyshire byelaws. There isn't much they can do about you flying over their land, though (as far as I know), so you could ask a neighbouring farmer if he'll let you take off from his/her land then fly it over to the park?

Please don't take what I say as fact - I'm no legal expert but this is what I've gathered from hours of trawling the web. Basically, it comes down to this: if we all followed the regulations to the T, the only place we'd be allowed to fly is at model flying clubs. I don't know about you, but that sounds like it'd get old pretty quick, especially when you buy a Phantom for the photographic capabilities, not just its flying capabilities.
 
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I did a long Google and scanned through the DCC website looking for rules or by-laws to no avail Trumple, In fact i couldn't find any rules at all regarding park usage apart from the statement "available for all users".
I think the problem of quads is the different use between photographers and flyers, As a former flyer of R/C planes many years ago I can understand parks etc not wanting people "flying" but with a Quadcopter with VTO being used for photography I believe is a different beast altogether. Returning time after time to the same place gets boring for anyone whether a flyer or photographer however and most of the attraction of FPV is the "view" part of it and the different perspective it offers.
Country parks by definition tend to be low population areas with wide open spaces available, Ideal for the hobby in my eyes.
 
I live in the Swansea area and fly at my local park... yet to have any issues.
I've contacted the Swansea Parks dept... the website says nothing about radio controlled anything... also there are no list of bylaws either.
I've asked then for a list of bylaws and any information relating to RC model aircraft usage, no reply as yet, although they have "read" my mail.
 
AFAIK, Bye laws need to be posted at the park entrance. If not, then they cannot be applied.

That being said, if there are other people there, if could be classified as recreation space and considered as "Congested" This would make it a no fly zone.

For the sake of clarity, I would email the council back and ask for the specific bye law which prohibits flying. Some councils have a "No IC powered" aircraft rule and permit electric powered craft while others have weight limits.

So long as you keep 50M away from other people, I can't see you having a big problem. You are not causing a nuisance and your flight will be considered to be safe.
 
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