Taking a picture from a plane

Streed

Hi,
Does anyone know what the situation is with taking a picture from a plane?

While on a flying lesson, my instructor informed me that to take a picture, I need to be a member of some Irish photography group and that the plane needs to be registered to allow occupants to take pictures of the area below.

cheers

Captain Flaps

That doesn't sound likely to me, but I have no experience when it comes to aerial photography. It's possible that for privacy reasons there are strict rules in place, but then you see Google Earth images of people sunbathing in their back gardens...

I'd say it's far more likely that your instructor was enforcing the company policy rather than an actual established law. I could be wrong though.

pixbyjohn

http://www.airtakephotos.ie/index.php?cmsID=1437

According to the Irish Aviation Authority website, any helicopter taking photos in a built-up area must be 300 metres above the building that's being photographed and be within a 600 metre radius. In rural areas, the photos must be taken 150 metres above any person, vehicle or structure, otherwise it becomes an invasion of privacy.
The Hub exhibition centre in Kilkenny chose to use the mast, as it wanted the site to look more intimate and the helicopter shot could not achieve that.
The use of mast-elevated photography is becoming more popular in terms of the technology offered and there are several other companies offering the service. However, there are only three 30 metre-high masts in the country, the rest in operation being only 15 metres in height.

Thoie

pixbyjohn wrote: »

http://www.airtakephotos.ie/index.php?cmsID=1437

taking photos in a built-up area must be 300 metres above the building ... In rural areas, the photos must be taken 150 metres above any person, vehicle or structure, otherwise it becomes an invasion of privacy.

So if I'm out naked in my own field, in a place where no-one else can get to, I can be photographed from 150m, but if I'm in the middle of a town (where lots of people are likely to see me) they have to stay twice as far away? Seems odd.

(And no, I don't own a field)

Masada

Ive taken photo's from comercial planes many a time (you know that stereotypical shot of the wing/engine, above the clouds etc. everyone has one) and without any problems. I know an Air Hostess, I Might ask what their policy for this is situation.,

InTheTrees

The cliffs of moher. After taking off from Shannon.

Streed

Cheers for the info. all sounds a little strange!
Will keep an eye out for some random roaming the green fields of Ireland next time I'm up! :eek:

PaulieC

I had some flight lessons last year and my instructor took the controls while i took some photos, didn't seem to be any restrictions

Barname

Streed wrote: »

Hi,
Does anyone know what the situation is with taking a picture from a plane?

While on a flying lesson, my instructor informed me that to take a picture, I need to be a member of some Irish photography group and that the plane needs to be registered to allow occupants to take pictures of the area below.

cheers

bizzare, they really said that?

time to change your instructor....

InTheTrees

yeah I think the flight instructor was being a little anal.

He probably runs an aerial photography company on the side and doesnt like people using the loophole of renting an aeroplane and instructor to go take pics.

Streed

Flight instrustor was cool about it. He just let me know the situation and then said snap away. He said it was to do with protecting the business of people who specialise in aerial photography, feck that!

Nforce

I too have taken several flying lessons and have never had any problems taking pics/video.

diverdriver

That's an absolute first as far as I know. Never heard of such a thing. Sounds like the guy is talking through his aperture. The only rules as far as I know with be the usual low flying rules. Which are in fact those quoted on the airtake website. Those heights are lifted straight out of the Rules of that Air as they apply to helicopters. This comment from that website is BS

otherwise it becomes an invasion of privacy.

Aerial photography on a commercial basis falls under the aerial work rules, so the aircraft must indeed be registered as having permission to carry out aerial work, as must the operator. The pilot also must be a CPL. This presumbably is what the Instructor was thinkin of.

It does not apply to anyone taking pictures for their own personal use. So he was quite wrong to say that to you.

zulutango

InTheTrees wrote: »

The cliffs of moher. After taking off from Shannon.

I hate to break it to you, but those are not the Cliffs of Moher. That's Kilkee Bay and Georges Head. The Cliffs of Moher would be much further north that the cliffs in the pic.

Nforce

Hmmmm...the plot thickens!!!

Bill G

Thank you to the government for another totally unenforceable and useless law.

InTheTrees

zulutango wrote: »

I hate to break it to you, but those are not the Cliffs of Moher. That's Kilkee Bay and Georges Head. The Cliffs of Moher would be much further north that the cliffs in the pic.

You're absolutly right and that was very sloppy of me to make that mistake, I should have spent some time with google earth checking.

Barname

Nforce wrote: »

Hmmmm...the plot thickens!!!

no confusion there, that specifically refers to Defence Forces installations...

nothing stopping joe public taking an aerial image of his home provided all minimums are observed...

diverdriver

Well apparently you do need permission for ALL aerial photography according to the AIC not just defence installations. I imagine that's what the Instructor was referring to. I'm guessing the flying lesson was with the NFC as they do a lot of aerial photography and they would certainly be in compliance with the law, however outdated that law might be.

But as ever in Ireland, there's the letter of the law and the observance of it. Technically I should hand myself over to the authorities. Not only have I never asked permission to take pictures from the air. I have actual photos of defence installations particularly when I was at the Baldonnel airshows.

There was a logic in the law when it was issued. The Cold War was ongoing and there was the minor issue of a certain Republican organisation who might want to take photos in order to plan raids.

Imagine if the law was enforced to the letter. They would be driven demented in the the Department of Defence with permissions not to mention thousands of prosecutions. The prisons of the country would be filled with pilots, plane spotters and all sorts of other innocents caught taking pictures from inside their Aer Lingus flight.:D

Barname

diverdriver wrote: »

Well apparently you do need permission for ALL aerial photography according to the AIC not just defence installations. I imagine that's what the Instructor was referring to. I'm guessing the flying lesson was with the NFC as they do a lot of aerial photography and they would certainly be in compliance with the law, however outdated that law might be.

But as ever in Ireland, there's the letter of the law and the observance of it. Technically I should hand myself over to the authorities. Not only have I never asked permission to take pictures from the air. I have actual photos of defence installations particularly when I was at the Baldonnel airshows.

There was a logic in the law when it was issued. The Cold War was ongoing and there was the minor issue of a certain Republican organisation who might want to take photos in order to plan raids.

Imagine if the law was enforced to the letter. They would be driven demented in the the Department of Defence with permissions not to mention thousands of prosecutions. The prisons of the country would be filled with pilots, plane spotters and all sorts of other innocents caught taking pictures from inside their Aer Lingus flight.:D

Read it:

.....the following information should be notified to the Department of Defence in advance of ALL intended aerial photographic flights

.....the following information should be notified to the Department of Defence in advance of ALL intended aerial photographic flights

This is your out.