News
Civil Aviation Authority launches #ShotOnMyDrone competition
THE UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a new photography campaign and competition – #ShotOnMyDrone – to both highlight the amazing images that drones can produce and educate people around using drones safely and responsibly while exploring the UK’s beautiful towns, cities, and countryside.
The competition will run until 31 January 2022 and provides a platform for UK drone users to display their skills. From a safety perspective it is designed to raise awareness of the rules and permissions required to fly a drone and that these vary from the countryside to built-up areas.
Wherever in the UK the participants choose to take their potentially winning competition shot, all entrants to #ShotOnMyDrone must comply with the CAA’s Drone and Model Aircraft Code. This law and advice covers everything users need to know on how to make their flight safe and legal, including how to register as a drone operator and get a UK drone Flyer ID. The competition categories include; urban night, urban day and countryside, for which drone users must have varying levels of approval to enter, with tighter restrictions around flying in built up areas.
First prize in the competition is a DJI Mavic Air drone. Other prizes included special backpacks designed to carry drones from Thinktank and Torvol. The winners in each category will have their images placed on display at the prestigious London headquarters of the UK Royal Aeronautical Society. A selection of the images will also be featured in the Society’s Aerospace magazine.
Drone use continues to grow, with over 300,000 registered drone and model aircraft users in the UK. New research by the CAA of UK adults revealed that 20% of drone users and half of the general public are unaware that CAA approval is needed to fly a drone in a town or city in most cases.
The survey also showed that two-thirds of drone users would be looking take their ideal drone photo in the countryside, followed in popularity by city centres and then towns and cities. Of those who would prefer to take their photo in the countryside, almost a third (31%) would choose to take the shot over hills or mountains. Over a quarter (28%) would prefer the coast, while one-fifth (19%) would do so at a lake or river. As many as 12% would use the drone to take a photo of a historic building/monument, with 10% opting to photograph a forest or woods.
Drone users can enter the competition at caa-dronecomp.uk. The site will also host entries as they come in to enable anyone to see the images submitted. The highly anticipated competition will be judged by a panel of experts including CAA Chair and keen photographer Sir Stephen Hillier; Anna Henly an award-winning professional photographer; drone pilot and photography tutor; CAA drone inspector and BAFTA award winner John Livesey; and Tim Robinson, from the Royal Aeronautical Society.
A separate award will be given by UK air traffic control provider NATS which will be polling all its colleagues to decide their favourite image.
Jonathan Nicholson, Assistant Director of Communications at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The launch of #ShotOnMyDrone aims to showcase some of the stunning images that UK drone users take while also reminding everyone that whether they’re flying in a town, city, or the countryside, they must comply with our Dronecode and stay safe when flying a drone.”
#ShotOnMyDrone follows the success of CAA’s 400ft Britain drone photography competition in 2017 which received over 1,200 individual submissions from across the UK including James Farley’s winning image of the lighthouse at Point of Ayr in North Wales, captured below 400ft (120m) – the Dronecode limit at which drones can be flown in the UK.
The competitions form part of a wider initiative looking at establishing a safe and responsible attitude toward drone flying to protect the safety of the wider aviation industry and the future success of drones.
To enter the competition, simply visit the competition website caa-dronecomp.uk. Entries close on January 31 2022. The competition terms and conditions can be read here.
For more information on drone safety and the laws covering drone flying please go to www.caa.co.uk/drones
Crime
Police appeal for information after several tractors stolen
POLICE officers in Pembrokeshire investigating a theft from several tractors, which happened overnight between April 17-18, 2024.
The tractors had been in a field near to Loch Turfin, Haverfordwest.
Included in the stolen items were vehicle keys, tools and waterproof clothing.
A spokesperson said “Police are now appealing for anyone with information that could help them with their investigation to contact PC 772 Boyt either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 101.
“Quote reference: 24*355571”
Community
Pembrokeshire firefighters help deliver fire engines to Ukraine
FIRE services from across the United Kingdom have rallied together to donate vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, amidst ongoing conflicts that have seen local fire stations and firefighters come under direct attack.
The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) was at the forefront of this international goodwill effort, donating three fire appliances and dispatching nine of their personnel to ensure safe delivery.
The initiative, coordinated by Fire Aid UK, involved a total of 11 UK fire services. Over a grueling 5.5-day journey that spanned several countries—starting from Kent Fire and Rescue Service and moving through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and into Poland—33 fire appliances were transported to a location just 20 miles from the Ukraine border. They left Kent on April 23.
This convoy, laden with not just fire engines but also 3000 items of critical firefighting gear including cutting equipment, fire hoses, first aid kits, and generators, was a sight of resilience and humanitarian commitment. Watch Manager Rob MakePeace, a Business Fire Safety Officer, and Watch Manager Keith Jenkins, who is retired but still oversees part-time personnel at Haverfordwest, played pivotal roles in the operation from Pembrokeshire.
Speaking on the experience, Keith Jenkins expressed the profound impact of the mission, “It was a fantastic experience to be involved in. The convoy itself was an amazing sight, but the people we met, places we stayed and the reason we were delivering the appliances was something we will remember for a long time.”
The donation comes at a critical time for Ukraine, where daily attacks have not only jeopardized the lives of local firefighters but have also devastated much of the essential infrastructure needed to fight fires effectively. The additional appliances and equipment from the UK are expected to significantly bolster the capabilities of the Ukrainian fire departments, providing them with the necessary tools to save lives and protect property under dire circumstances.
This act of generosity and the strenuous efforts by the UK firefighters underscore a deep commitment to aiding those in peril, transcending borders and showcasing the best of international cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
News
Protest outside Stephen Crabb’s office over Rwanda deportations
SUPPORTERS of West Wales Stand Up to Racism group will attend a protest outside the office of Stephen Crabb MP in Market Street at 6pm on Tuesday evening (May 7).
The protest is to highlight the inhumane scheme to send refugees to Rwanda.
Since the Rwanda Bill was finally passed last week, refugees have already been identified, detained and are being prepared to be flown to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed there.
Rushi Sunak has said “To detain people while we prepare to remove them, we’ve increased detention spaces to 2,200.
“To quickly process claims, we’ve got 200 trained, dedicated caseworkers ready and waiting. To deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively, the judiciary has made available 25 courtrooms and identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days.”
The protestors are asking: why is all this money being spent when these vulnerable people could have their asylum claims dealt with in the UK?
If the Prime Minister hoped his Rwanda plan would help get more votes for the Conservative Party in the recent elections, it would appear he was mistaken.
A new report from the Refugee Council warns that the UK Government’s flagship Illegal Migration Act and Rwanda Plan will lead to another catastrophic “system meltdown”, trapping over 100,000 people in permanent limbo while costing taxpayers billions.
West Wales Stand Up to Racism has campaigned against the Government’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda from the time this scheme was first suggested.
Supporters have previously met with Simon Hart MP and attempted to deliver a giant postcard to his office.
The group has taken part in the online Hands in Protest project organised by Artisan Avenue, Tenby which allowed everyone to express on line how they felt about Rwanda by submitting drawings of their own hands. The collective Hands In Protest gives a powerful message that the Rwanda plan should be stopped.
The organisers said: “Supporters will be once more taking the giant postcard on Tuesday, to protest about the Rwanda scheme. We will have small post cards for supporters to write messages to Stephen Crabb, telling him how strongly we feel about this.
“All over the UK, anti-racists are picketing Home Office buildings to show their opposition to the Rwanda scheme and are trying to prevent arrests and giving support to the refugees being arrested and detained.
“West Wales Stand Up to Racism supporters want to make their voices heard too.”
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