walkhighlands

This forum is for general discussion about walking and scrambling... If writing a report or sharing your experiences from a route, please use the other boards.

Drones

Re: Drones

Postby china88 » Tue Jul 03, 2018 6:40 pm

Best drone footage of Kervaig Bay imho

china88
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 52
Joined: Aug 30, 2017

Re: Drones

Postby rabthecairnterrier » Thu Jul 05, 2018 10:34 am

Seems to me that the popularity of drones is down to the contemporary narcissistic obsession (cf selfie sticks, smart phone videoing etc) with recording absolutely everything that one does all the time, to no good purpose. I mean, Mrs Rab has a friend who sends her a photo of her dinner plate very time she goes out for a meal (i.e. several times a week). Who cares? How many times is drone footage of the owner and his mate on the Aonach Eagach or wherever actually going to be watched, either by the owner or - worse - any other poor sod he latches onto to bore rigid with his glorified holiday snaps ( which is essentially what they are)? How about forgetting the tech and just enjoying the experience of being there?
rabthecairnterrier
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 356
Munros:282   Corbetts:180
Fionas:129   Donalds:33
Sub 2000:86   Hewitts:110
Wainwrights:56   Islands:41
Joined: Aug 4, 2009
Location: N. Highlands

Re: Drones

Postby Alteknacker » Thu Jul 05, 2018 11:25 am

rabthecairnterrier wrote:....How about forgetting the tech and just enjoying the experience of being there?


This used to be my view also. But then I found that the memories of 2 of the most wonderful mountain experiences of my life (Mullardoch and Cuillin Ridge) were extremely sketchy and faded all too rapidly; and I bitterly regretted not taking a few pics.

That's the main reason I now do so, and also write up reports.

Also, some drone footage is pretty fine - I'm thinking of Wilkie Murray's stuff ("Steaming Boots") - definitely more than holiday snap quality...
User avatar
Alteknacker
Scrambler
 
Posts: 3473
Munros:176   Corbetts:33
Fionas:1   
Hewitts:264
Wainwrights:118   
Joined: May 25, 2013
Location: Effete South (of WIgan, anyway)

Re: Drones

Postby Jamesbr » Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:39 am

Although I can understand the frustration of individuals who don't follow the codes for flying drones.
I use a drone, but follow the laws, and codes related to drone flight, there are many restrictions related to flying over crowded places etc, and obviously there are also issues surrounding points of interest.
I am disabled and can't walk up mountains, can't climb to see amazing sights, so in these circumstances a drone would be the only option I have for seeing some spectacular sights.
It is with regret there have been many times I have wanted to view something special, but because of laws and regulations, and restrictions I can't fly.
At this point if the crowds had gone and perhaps there was only a couple of people about I would love to be able to launch my drone and see the attraction, if I then have to keep an eye out for people lobbing stones at my drone I would be then further restricted.
I would only be looking at the scenery, I don't care if there is someone in the shot, I could just blur out their faces, this would be my only way of seeing some of Scotland best views, in fact the world's best views.
So think again before you use criminal damage to protect your vanity, and think about why the person is using a drone, if I'm not buzzing you, but simply flying over you to view something beyond you, then leave it be, I wil only record once I have reached my target, if there is no obstacles, or height restrictions then I will fly high, but within the law.
Please think carefully, some of us are genuine, and use them for a reason.
That said it would bug me if someone was following me, and stayed too close, at that time you can report the use to the authorities.
I must also add I amm a registered, and licensed drone pilot, although the drone I use is below 250g, and is not covered by the laws, I chose to be cautious, so again please think is it invading my privacy, or simple flying over, also some hand gestures will activate certain modes on some drones, including follow me, and several other actions, including making it fly round you creating a video.
Jamesbr
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Jul 25, 2020

Re: Drones

Postby denfinella » Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:43 pm

Some of the footage captured by drones is undeniably beautiful. Neither do I have a problem with the "narcissism" point made earlier - it's not so different to writing a report on Walkhighlands.

However, I find the noise they make really quite annoying when in a place which would otherwise be quiet, such as at the summit of a hill. And they can spoil the view if they're buzzing around for extended periods. Obviously the further away they are, the less annoying it is. Taking a picture or video on a handheld camera or mobile phone is much less intrusive - it's silent (or should be!) and the camera stays with the person who's taking the footage.

In a busy place like a city or busy tourist attraction they are less annoying, though there may be more safety issues regarding proximity to other people.

If you are using a drone when there's no-one else around, by all means go for it. But if there are other people around, I suspect a large proportion of them will find what you are doing annoying, intrusive and perhaps even a bit rude. It's partly for these reasons that I don't want to buy a drone myself, which might otherwise be tempting. I'm not going to throw stones at a drone though, apart from (perhaps) in the very unlikely scenario that I'm risking serious injury from one.

(P.S. this is not a response to any particular poster, but rather to the thread in general)
User avatar
denfinella
Wanderer
 
Posts: 1394
Munros:88   Corbetts:40
Fionas:37   Donalds:24
Sub 2000:72   Hewitts:14
Wainwrights:6   Islands:46
Joined: Mar 19, 2012
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Drones

Postby Spade » Sat Jul 25, 2020 9:27 pm

Last year was in the French Pyrenees and watched a mountain rescue team practice with them. Really impressive if you use them in the correct circumstance. Invaluable usage. Hope our Mountain rescue teams get them also if not already. https://www.snowsafe.co.uk/mountain-rescue-drones/
Spade
 
Posts: 172
Munros:80   Corbetts:5
Joined: Sep 23, 2010
Location: Annecy

Re: Drones

Postby CharlesT » Sat Jul 25, 2020 10:33 pm

rabthecairnterrier wrote:Seems to me that the popularity of drones is down to the contemporary narcissistic obsession (cf selfie sticks, smart phone videoing etc) with recording absolutely everything that one does all the time, to no good purpose. I mean, Mrs Rab has a friend who sends her a photo of her dinner plate very time she goes out for a meal (i.e. several times a week). Who cares? How many times is drone footage of the owner and his mate on the Aonach Eagach or wherever actually going to be watched, either by the owner or - worse - any other poor sod he latches onto to bore rigid with his glorified holiday snaps ( which is essentially what they are)? How about forgetting the tech and just enjoying the experience of being there?

I'll second that. I don't need a video or hundreds of photos to remember a trip or my lunch for that matter. If they're memorable I'll remember them, if not I'll gladly forget them and move on. And if someone chooses to buzz me with a drone I'll be pleased to give them some post-watershed footage.
User avatar
CharlesT
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 4502
Munros:156   Corbetts:2
Hewitts:262
Wainwrights:214   Islands:2
Joined: Dec 22, 2011
Location: West Oxfordshire

Re: Drones

Postby rabthecairnterrier » Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:10 pm

CharlesT wrote:
rabthecairnterrier wrote:Seems to me that the popularity of drones is down to the contemporary narcissistic obsession (cf selfie sticks, smart phone videoing etc) with recording absolutely everything that one does all the time, to no good purpose. I mean, Mrs Rab has a friend who sends her a photo of her dinner plate very time she goes out for a meal (i.e. several times a week). Who cares? How many times is drone footage of the owner and his mate on the Aonach Eagach or wherever actually going to be watched, either by the owner or - worse - any other poor sod he latches onto to bore rigid with his glorified holiday snaps ( which is essentially what they are)? How about forgetting the tech and just enjoying the experience of being there?

I'll second that. I don't need a video or hundreds of photos to remember a trip or my lunch for that matter. If they're memorable I'll remember them, if not I'll gladly forget them and move on. And if someone chooses to buzz me with a drone I'll be pleased to give them some post-watershed footage.

As with so many other things there woulnd't be much of an issue if people would just behave themselves and show a bit of consideration. Unfortunately it only takes one idiot to cause a disproportionate amount of annoyance.
Last year I came across one such flying his new toy just a couple of feet above head height along one of the paths in the Ness Islands in the middle of Inverness, which was not just inconsiderate but bloody dangerous. When challenged, he came out with some guff about being a "professional drone pilot". Disappeared sharpish when told that if he did't retrieve his toy and b****r off home with it I'd phone the police.
rabthecairnterrier
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 356
Munros:282   Corbetts:180
Fionas:129   Donalds:33
Sub 2000:86   Hewitts:110
Wainwrights:56   Islands:41
Joined: Aug 4, 2009
Location: N. Highlands

Re: Drones

Postby Marty_JG » Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:14 pm

rabthecairnterrier wrote:Seems to me that the popularity of drones is down to the contemporary narcissistic obsession (cf selfie sticks, smart phone videoing etc) with recording absolutely everything that one does all the time, to no good purpose. I mean, who cares? How many times is drone footage of the owner and his mate on the Aonach Eagach or wherever actually going to be watched...


You could make this argument about Walk Reports - why not spend the day in-the-moment rather than taking photos every five minutes? Is it a "contemporary narcissistic obsession" to blog about it afterwards in a forum? :lol:

The answer to the question of viewership is, sometimes, quite a bit more than who people read walk reports. Walk reports from 5 years ago are a few thousand reads, more recent ones a few hundred. Compare this to the impressive vlogger "Scotland's Mountains" who got 70k views for his incredible footage of Aonach Eagch Ridge (and that's not even his most-watched video). His recent one was Nevis via the CMD Arête. A bit of selfie explanation, a head-mounted GoPro that makes your legs weak as he glances at his shoes, then - without warning - a wide-angle drone pan of him on the Arête. Absolutely glorious footage.

Walk Reports have utility: motivation, warnings, suggestions. Drone footage and vlogging can do that too. Many of us enjoy television programs about the mountains, some of the vloggers are the equal of any television program (and exceed many of the classic ones thanks to higher definitions, drones, etc.).

Nobody wants cameras buzzing around them all day on the mountains, but well-presented great footage does have a place.
User avatar
Marty_JG
Backpacker
 
Posts: 1223
Munros:10   Corbetts:2
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:3   
Islands:3
Joined: Sep 12, 2016
Location: Glasgow

Re: Drones

Postby rabthecairnterrier » Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:32 pm

You could make this argument about Walk Reports - why not spend the day in-the-moment rather than taking photos every five minutes? Is it a "contemporary narcissistic obsession" to blog about it afterwards in a forum?

Not quite the same thing is it? People have a choice as to whether they view anyone else's walk report, blog, vlogg or whatever. Engaging with it is not exactly compulsory. If you are enjoying a ridge walk and someone decides his own experience is incomplete without flying a drone about the place you don't.
rabthecairnterrier
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 356
Munros:282   Corbetts:180
Fionas:129   Donalds:33
Sub 2000:86   Hewitts:110
Wainwrights:56   Islands:41
Joined: Aug 4, 2009
Location: N. Highlands

Re: Drones

Postby MountainTrail » Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:54 pm

Every time I hear or see a drone , I just want to shoot it down
Other people’s movements and actions recorded by a randomer
Must be a law against his kind of stuff ?
MountainTrail
 
Posts: 121
Munros:281   Corbetts:29
Fionas:8   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:12   
Joined: Sep 29, 2014

Re: Drones

Postby Marty_JG » Sun Jul 26, 2020 1:04 am

rabthecairnterrier wrote:Not quite the same thing is it?


There were two elements, one was the narcissism of vlogging itself, the other element is disturbing others. I don't see why one set of social media posts are inherently different to others, and I agree about disturbing others.


MountainTrail wrote:Other people’s movements and actions recorded by a randomer. Must be a law against his kind of stuff ?


The use, yes. The collection, no. We all get captured on on innumerable cameras all the time: state, corporate, private. Car dashcams. House, building, shop CCTV. Even just being part of the "herd" photograph on a summit.
User avatar
Marty_JG
Backpacker
 
Posts: 1223
Munros:10   Corbetts:2
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:3   
Islands:3
Joined: Sep 12, 2016
Location: Glasgow

Re: Drones

Postby SMRussell » Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:41 am

Marty_JG wrote:
rabthecairnterrier wrote:Not quite the same thing is it?


There were two elements, one was the narcissism of vlogging itself, the other element is disturbing others. I don't see why one set of social media posts are inherently different to others, and I agree about disturbing others.


MountainTrail wrote:Other people’s movements and actions recorded by a randomer. Must be a law against his kind of stuff ?


The use, yes. The collection, no. We all get captured on on innumerable cameras all the time: state, corporate, private. Car dashcams. House, building, shop CCTV. Even just being part of the "herd" photograph on a summit.


I recall climbing at Peel Crag in Northumberland - actually in the National Park - a couple of years ago. There were some other climbers around and the path at the top of the crag, which is part of the Hadrian's Wall path, was busy as usual. There was an individual, who was clearly not a park official, just off the main path using a drone. It was horribly noisy and he was flying it around recording walkers on the path and also those of us climbing. I found it very off putting, particularly as I have PTSD and hypervigilance and can find sudden or persistent loud noises incredibly difficult to deal with. Not helpful when leading a route. After we finished a climb my partner asked the person to cease and desist. This was not taken well. We scrambled down to where our gear was. I didn't fancy leading another route with the drone around so we opted to leave.The drone operator decided to fly the drone around us in a harassing manner as we collected our gear and scrambled up onto the path to leave. Not a nice encounter.

The things that struck me were a) that area is incredibly well photographed and filmed already so who would actually benefit from the footage? b) at the time, guidance for the area stated that drones were not allowed c) how unbelievably selfish and unthinking must you be to, without consent, film people trad climbing - an activity that requires focus and comes with obvious dangers, and d) not everyone wants to be filmed by some unknown person for unknown purposes while out for a walk or climb.

I am not against drones in and of themselves but the are noisy and invasive and when I am outside for a hike, climb or bimble that is the kind of thing I want to avoid. I'd also rather not appear on the internet in some stranger's glorified home video.
User avatar
SMRussell
 
Posts: 530
Munros:184   Corbetts:20
Fionas:16   Donalds:34
Sub 2000:21   Hewitts:122
Wainwrights:103   Islands:11
Joined: Aug 8, 2011
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Drones

Postby Marty_JG » Sun Jul 26, 2020 12:30 pm

You encountered someone committing a criminal act.

A photograph and a complaint to the police and CAA is in order.
User avatar
Marty_JG
Backpacker
 
Posts: 1223
Munros:10   Corbetts:2
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:3   
Islands:3
Joined: Sep 12, 2016
Location: Glasgow

Re: Drones

Postby Gimbob » Sun Jul 26, 2020 2:57 pm

I don't mind them but do worry someone will take out a low flying fighter jet one day
Gimbob
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Feb 12, 2020

PreviousNext



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to General discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: timandlinda and 12 guests