OMG. After the ration of crap you gave me about flying where helicopters frequent, as if I would have even known that and here you are saying it's ok to fly with caution. What a selfish idiotic thing. Hypocrite and selfish.
I agree I seem t contradict myself...and maybe yesterday got out of hand.
However, hospital helipads are not in use except in emergencies ..hence the with caution comment. I have a landing strip about 6.5 or more and no problems with no fly. Not until I downloaded Safe to fly, did I discover the green area...which near me...are all hospitals. While casa may or may to distinguish between the two ...safe to fly does!
You were flying in a high security risk area. The bridge is off limits.
CASA states: you may not fly over any populous area such as beaches,other people's backyards,heavily populated parks, or sports ovals where a game is I. Progress. If you are in controlled airspace - which covers most Australian cities...you must not fly higher than 400 feet. You must not fly closer than 30 metres to vehicles, boats, buildings or people.
The Botanical Gardens, is known Also as a park, it's a play area for all age groups and there are often weddings and other parties in progress.
Stand looking at the bridge and Opera House, behind you would be, around 1 km away, the Australian Royal Naval Docks....high security ? A little further on is a seaway landing strip for at least two float planes that take tourists around the bay, as do ...again, at least two Helicopters.
The ferry terminals, Opera House and around the bridge are regarded as high security risks because they are the centre of Sydney's tourist industry.
As mention yesterday, Australia "drone" laws are pretty easy going and rely on common sense.
One idiot crashed his quad into the bridge, result a total ban on flying near under or over it. That's how easy it is to have a restriction implemented... and a lost flying area.
I can be in the city any day if I choose and I could do what you did...if I chose. I have not and do not, simply because I do not want to be the one who creates a flying ban being enforced where now there is a fairly relaxed attitude.
The fact that seven security staff approached you must have raised the thought they were not expecting to confront an over enthusiastic tourist model aircraft flyer.
Huff and puff as much as you want, it's my opinion, that what you did contravenes CASA guidelines. Even if it was not the case, the security guards will have logged a report, because it's aircraft related it will be passed on to CASA and who knows what other departments. Add to that your description indicated your quad was a bit close to the helicopter...so if the pilots also makes a report, I can imagine a total no fly anything done to kites could be slapped on.
Flying with care and common sense, is not blindly reciting CAA, or whatever a countries AirPrint authorities are tagged, it's about not creating a situation and possible ramifications.
Why do you think you were the only person in the gardens with a quad?