Emsworthy Twilight

A lovely day again and I left it until late to go up to Dartmoor for some evening light and maybe a sunset. It was quite crowded up at my private tree. There was a young woman puffing away on cigarettes like they were the last she'd get and a guy with a camera and a dog. I thought of checking their permits but they kept out of my way so I let it go.

I heard a bird clack clack clacking away in the hawthorn tree and looked to see what it was. I was pleased to see it was a Ring Ouzel. I knew they were about on the moor but I've not seen one round here before. This is the one I liked best, it's processed from 3 exposures 1 stop apart. You might notice a few anomalies from the bright light but I've not tried to get rid of them.

The local news today had a story that Dartmoor National Park is baning the use of drones because of  them being flown over livestock and near people.
 
Am I surprised? No, in fact I didn't think I was allowed to fly them on the moor anyway. Those of us who fly their drones responsibly shouldn’t be surprised. The Park authorities have taken the easy way because the easiest way to deal with any new technology that might constitute a nuisance id to ban it.
 
To put this into a different frame, just imagine that dog ownership was a new trend. If a few irresponsible owners let them run free to be a nuisance to park users, if faeces were left where they fell or even worse left in plastic bags by the car park, you wouldn’t be surprised if there was a ban called for. Not all dog owners are irresponsible and it’s the same for those of us that fly drones.
 
Personally, I never fly if there are people about and I certainly never fly over people. I don’t fly near others because I’m aware that the buzzing of my aircraft might constitute a nuisance and I don’t want to spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the wonderful place that Dartmoor is.
 

I also wonder who will be affected by this ban? It probably won't be the irresponsible flyers because they’re unlikely to know or care about it. I'll continue to fly responsibly and stealthily.