Flying near a wind farm? (UK)

[thefrisbee995]

So I have a question - they've just finished building an off-shore wind farm. Provided I keep line of sight, is there any law against flying near to record the change of scenery? I'm talking about staying about 100ft away.

 

[Duchunter]

As long as it doesn't come up as a nfz you should be fine. I dont know UK drone law but most drone laws are written to protect people and property. There are no people and your drone is in no way going to hurt a massive wind turbine. It would be like swatting a fly and those things usually move pretty slow. I've seen some great windfarm videos
Ken Heron posted some windfarm vids but that was in the states.

 

[Meta4]

It would be like swatting a fly and those things usually move pretty slow.

They may appear to be turning slowly but the tip speed of most is between 150-200 mph.
Technical Specs of Common Wind Turbine Models [AWEO.org]

 

[Duchunter]

200mph, I don't think so. Not these anyway. **** he flew through the blades in motion.

 

[Richard R]

Yep!! check out this info on the Oak Ridge Moraine Wind Turbine Wind Turbine blade tip speed calculations
Max tip speed of 302 km/hr - about 190 mph!!

 

[macoman]

200mph, I don't think so. Not these anyway. Hell he flew through the blades in motion.

I love his videos, very fun to watch it.

 

[yorlik]

That hi linear speed out at end of blades is why 10's of thousands of eagles and other birds are killed by them each year. One day enough folks will realize the net negative power gain from them to take them down.

 

[thefrisbee995]

As long as it doesn't come up as a nfz you should be fine. I dont know UK drone law but most drone laws are written to protect people and property. There are no people and your drone is in no way going to hurt a massive wind turbine. It would be like swatting a fly and those things usually move pretty slow. I've seen some great windfarm videos
Ken Heron posted some windfarm vids but that was in the states.

I think with laws regarding drone flying, what your common sense is telling you is often probably right. Thought I'd check though. Just need to know if they will cause significant interference now..

 

[sar104]

200mph, I don't think so. Not these anyway. Hell he flew through the blades in motion.

Those are Suzlon S88 wind turbines. They are moving fairly slowly in that video, with a rotational period of around 30 seconds. The blades are 44 m long, so that means that the tips are moving at around 9 m/s, or 20 mph. However, at full speed they spin with a rotational period of 3 seconds, meaning that the tips are moving at 92 m/s, or 206 mph.

 

[Numone]

That hi linear speed out at end of blades is why 10's of thousands of eagles and other birds are killed by them each year. One day enough folks will realize the net negative power gain from them to take them down.

Tens of thousands? Really? So the ground beneath these generators are littered with bird carcasses, yes? Where did you get that figure? In any event, you're not worried by the millions of humans and other species affected by fossil or wood fuel burning? Nor how we're going to dispose of the thousands of tonnes of high-grade and millions more tonnes of lower grade nuclear waste over the next 50 years, as all the current generation of nuclear power stations need to be decommissioned? No, you're concerned about a a few thousand bird strikes globally by a carbon neutral generator? Ye Gods.....

 

[yorlik]

Tens of thousands? Really? So the ground beneath these generators are littered with bird carcasses, yes? Where did you get that figure? In any event, you're not worried by the millions of humans and other species affected by fossil or wood fuel burning? Nor how we're going to dispose of the thousands of tonnes of high-grade and millions more tonnes of lower grade nuclear waste over the next 50 years, as all the current generation of nuclear power stations need to be decommissioned? No, you're concerned about a a few thousand bird strikes globally by a carbon neutral generator? Ye Gods.....

Yes, ground is covered with carcasses. You ever go walk under them?

 

[sar104]

Yes, ground is covered with carcasses. You ever go walk under them?

That's not consistent with the published studies on bird fatalities from wind turbines, which mostly rely on carcass counting. Have you actually seen that?

 

[Meta4]

Yes, ground is covered with carcasses. You ever go walk under them?

None that I've been to had any dead birds visible.
There are plenty of scientific reports showing very low numbers, nothing like you are talking about.

 

[Drusha]

And I thought the post was about uk laws and permissions ? Not about how badly were screwing with our planet , out of interest is your drone charged by Solar ?

 

[ifly2high]

That hi linear speed out at end of blades is why 10's of thousands of eagles and other birds are killed by them each year. One day enough folks will realize the net negative power gain from them to take them down.

Hahaah![emoji6]

 

[Numone]

And I thought the post was about uk laws and permissions ? Not about how badly were screwing with our planet , out of interest is your drone charged by Solar ?

Yes, I have a solar array, with Tesla Powerwall battery storage. Next question?

And no its probably not illegal, except most wind farms are based on private land and the generator owner leases the land from the owner. If you want to go ahead that's fine, but don't hit one of the carbon blades - your Phantom will be destroyed.

 

[yorlik]

None that I've been to had any dead birds visible.
There are plenty of scientific reports showing very low numbers, nothing like you are talking about.

None? Where have you been? Sorry for my misinformation though; I said 10,s of thousands. I was talking abouto USA only: it is actually 100's of thousands. And for those wanting to make my count worldwide, it is actually MILLIONS.

.2sec google search result:

Will Wind Turbines Ever Be Safe For Birds?

Windfarms kill 10-20 times more than previously thought | Save the Eagles International

Perhaps you would do better googling for videos of all the hit birds? There are plenty. Might change your mind.

 

[sar104]

None? Where have you been? Sorry for my misinformation though; I said 10,s of thousands. I was talking abouto USA only: it is actually 100's of thousands. And for those wanting to make my count worldwide, it is actually MILLIONS.

.2sec google search result:

Will Wind Turbines Ever Be Safe For Birds?

Windfarms kill 10-20 times more than previously thought | Save the Eagles International

Perhaps you would do better googling for videos of all the hit birds? There are plenty. Might change your mind.

The first of your links, to an actual peer reviewed study, puts the upper end of the estimated number of bird deaths due to turbine collisions at around 500,000 per year in the US, with around 50,000 turbines in operation. That would be 10 per turbine per year. Let's round that up to one per month. That is not consistent with your comment of the ground being littered with carcasses - hence my question, again - have you actually seen that?

And while those deaths are certainly very regrettable, it may be worth putting them into some kind of perspective:

2014 bird death estimates

 

[Lurch953]

In answer to your original question, within 50 meters of any vessel or structure not in your control. So if you don't own it don't go with 50m is the rule Summary of UK legal requirements

 

[Numone]

In answer to your original question, within 50 meters of any vessel or structure not in your control. So if you don't own it don't go with 50m is the rule Summary of UK legal requirements

I think you mean "so if you don't own it, don't go less than 50m".