Drone pilot sentenced after flying near historic RAF plane at Buxton Carnival
The 49-year-old endangered the safety of the historic Second World War Hurricane aircraft during a fly-past.
A drone pilot has been handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to endangering the safety of an historic Second World War Hurricane aircraft during a fly-past over a packed local carnival.
It was one of the most serious drone incidents seen in the UK.
The incident happened on Saturday 9 July 2022 during a fly-past by the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane aircraft over the Buxton Carnival in Derbyshire.
Thousands of carnival attendees watched the flypast and were unaware of the near miss as the drone came within a few feet of the rare and historic aircraft.
The flight was protected by a short-term airspace restriction which banned all other flying in the area, including drones.
In the UK drone users have to follow aviation safety rules set by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
In 2022, data from the UK Airprox Board reveals there were 56 incidents where a pilot reported a drone coming too close to their aircraft. That’s more than one a week. However, this number has dropped significantly from its peak of 125 a year in 2018.
In recent months, the Police, the Home Office and the CAA have been cracking down on illegal and unsafe drone operators.
With nearly 300,000 people registered as drone flyers in the UK their use continues to grow both for recreational and commercial purposes. The rules are in place to make sure that drones can safely integrate with other areas of aviation.
Virtually all drone users have to register with the Civil Aviation Authority and take an online flyer test. This helps them to understand the safety requirements and includes information about checking the airspace where they want to fly.
Mark Bagguley of Chatsworth Road, Fairfield was given a 6 months suspended sentence, ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and fined £3000 at Derby Crown Court.