The Harrogate Race for Life took place on Sunday, 16 July 2017 in the grounds of Ripley Castle, near to Harrogate.
During the event, a man decided to fly a drone, breaking Civil Aviation Rules (CAA). He was requested to land the drone and was then spoken to by the Police Officer at the event. He was believed to have become argumentative at the time and was not aware of the law around flying drones.
Inspector Martyn Metcalfe of North Yorkshire Police said:
I was made aware of the incident by one of my officers. If the individual had not take the drone down, it was our intention pursue the matter further. That would have involved taking the drone from him and the potential of further action against him.
Although there is not a compulsory requirement to be licensed to fly a drone, the Civil Aviation Authority has the following rules:
- Keep your drone within your line of sight and at a maximum height of 400ft (122m)
- Make sure your drone is within 500m from you horizontally
- Always fly your drone well away from aircraft, helicopters, airports and airfields (there are no fly zones around all airports)
- Must be flown at last 50m away from a person, vehicle, building or structure not owned or controlled by the pilot
- Not be flown within 150m of a congested area or large group of people, such as a sporting event or concert
Failure to comply with the flying code can leave the pilot open to fines of many thousands.
