Hello, my name is Ben Lovegrove and in this video I'm going to present my suggestions
for things to consider if you intend to use your drone to film and photograph crop circles.
If you're unfamiliar with the subject of crop circles then allow me to give you a very brief
introduction.
Crop circles are patterns that appear or are created in crop fields.
The term "crop circle" was coined when most of those that appeared were circles of flattened
corn, wheat, barley, or some other crop.
As the years passed these circles developed into complex geometric patterns and pictograms.
Crop circles have appeared for tens and perhaps hundreds of years all over the world but it
was the proliferation and variety in those that appeared in Southern England during recent
decades that has created a huge upsurge of interest in this phenomenon.
A crop circle industry has been generated.
They have sparked the interest of amateur and professional researchers, the media, and
the Ministry of Defence.
Books, films, and lecture tours are available for anyone wanting to know more.
I have included some links to useful websites in the description area below this video.
Who is creating them?
Well, you tell me.
Personally, I don't buy the story that they are all made by hoaxers and artists.
There is more to this than that.
There is ample scientific evidence that suggests other forces are at work.
Let's just say non human intelligences may be involved.
But enough of that for now.
Here are my suggestions for how to use a drone to capture images and film.
First of all we have to adhere to The Law and make safety our top priority.
You can't fly over the land without the land owner's permission and you can't fly higher
than 400 feet.
So your first task is to obtain permission to fly over the field.
This may involve a certain amount of detective work either online or in the vicinity of the
crop circle.
Ask in the nearest shop or pub, or stop and ask anyone who looks like they live and work
in the area.
It shouldn't be too difficult to find out who the farmer is as he or she will probably
already be alerted by the buzz of activity that the crop circle generates.
The land owner may also make themselves known as they might spot the opportunity to make
some money charging curious visitors a small fee for entering the field.
If you can't obtain permission from the land owner of the field in which the formation
appears you might be able to take shots from an area nearby for which you have obtained
permission.
Once you have the required permission and you've carried out all other legal and situational
awareness checks you may begin you pre flight checks.
It's highly advisable to work with a spotter.
The drone pilot can concentrate on safe operation of the aircraft and operating the camera.
The spotter can keep scanning the skies in all directions for any other aircraft, manned
or unmanned.
The spotter can also keep a lookout for wildlife e.g. hovering birds, and answer any questions
posed by curious onlookers.
Another thing to be aware of is the fact that some recording and other electrical equipment
has malfunctioned when close to or within a crop circle.
You should include this fact in your risk assessment before flight.
If your drone shows any sign of abnormal flight then land it immediately.
Keep in mind that you might not be the only drone pilot operating in the area.
Other pilots, with or without permission, may also be flying drones in the same airspace.
Be vigilant for other aircraft of all types.
Your legal limit is 400 feet but the lower limit for manned aircraft is 500 feet.
That's a narrow margin of separation into which either of you might stray.
It's also worth mentioning that military helicopters do occasionally appear to inspect crop circles.
Sometimes they fly at tree top level.
If you see any approaching the area then land your drone immediately.
Assuming you can fly safely with no other aircraft about it's time to capture some footage.
When you start recording, try to capture shots that reveal the crop circle i.e. fly backwards
over it to that it appears from the bottom of the footage.
Fly all the way around with the camera fixed on the centre so that the formation is captured
from all angles.
And of course, take some shots, both stills and video, from directly above.
Consider the advantages of filming and photographing the crop formation during the Golden Hours
i.e. the hour after dawn and the hour before sunset.
These times are so called because the light is often at its most atmospheric.
They are also times at which there is more chance of still air and light winds.
With thorough preparation and a bit of luck you could end up with some images and film
to which you retain the copyright.
High quality photos and footage can be a source of income to drone pilots, assuming you have
your PfCO from the CAA
or the equivalent certificate from the FAA.
Now, a few words about manned aircraft.
Most of the aerial images of crop circles you seen online, particularly those from the
1980s, 1990s, and later, were taken using helicopters, light aircraft, and microlights.
There are of course several advantages to using this method and it is often still the
best option in some cases.
Some of the pictograms are so large that the aerial shots need to be taken from higher
than the legal limit of a drone i.e. 400 feet.
Also, you don't need to ask for the land owner's permission to fly over their land.
If a crop circle is spotted then there is a good chance that you and your pilot can
be circling over the area within a matter of a few hours.
Of course that all depends on airspace restrictions and weather conditions.
To see an example of what you can capture using a drone over an interesting site in
the early morning, take a look at my video "Knowlton Church and Ceremonial Earthworks".
That's all for now.
I hope you found something useful in this video.
Please give it a like, leave a comment, and subscribe to my channel for more like this.
If you have filmed or photographed crop circles please share the links to your work in the
comments below.