Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => OT Knowledge => Topic started by: Jurek on 11 April, 2020, 11:24:15 am

Title: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jurek on 11 April, 2020, 11:24:15 am
This has been overflying my house for the last couple of hours.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49760495172_e5239a6c4d_b.jpg)

A bit of investigative reveals that Bioflight are in the business of 'Aerial data Acquisition' - for which I read 'surveys'.
Anyone care to guess what they're surveying here?

Or are they simply taking advantage of the fact that there's close to zero air traffic currently over London.

ETA - I've guesstimated that so far, excluding the flight down from East Midlands Airport,
his air miles are approaching 500 - which is close to half of the aircraft's range capability.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Salvatore on 11 April, 2020, 11:36:28 am
I noticed several of these yesterday, 2 over London (1 E-W and 1 N-S), one over Bournmouth-ish, and 1 over SW France.

I wonder if they are no more common now than previously, just more noticeable because little else is flying.
Title: So what's going on here?
Post by: citoyen on 11 April, 2020, 11:36:40 am
Expect a leaflet through your door soon offering EXCLUSIVE! aerial photographs of your house? Yours for £29.99, or £89.99 in this beautiful gilt frame.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Davef on 11 April, 2020, 11:40:35 am
Is it more likely just updating “satellite” images for google maps or one of their competitors.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: grams on 11 April, 2020, 11:42:17 am
Online mapping "satellite" views are generally taken from low-flying planes like this rather than anything in orbit.

Apple (and probably others) also have 3D aerial maps where you can view buildings from any side, which must require a *lot* of close spaced passes.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: andrewc on 11 April, 2020, 11:46:17 am
Some discussion here. https://www.pprune.org/airlines-airports-routes/630905-whats-guy-up-morning-north-london-2.html


Probably seeing which areas will need to be demolished for the planned Hyperspace Bypass.          What do you mean you haven't seen the plans.......... ?
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jurek on 11 April, 2020, 11:54:43 am
Having completed the best part of a CDC, it looks like he's going home for lunch  ;D
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49760250101_fb5dcff2f2_b.jpg)
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jurek on 11 April, 2020, 12:21:09 pm
No sooner has he gone, and someone else starts doing something similar over West London.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49760310901_5174275ab2_b.jpg)
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Diver300 on 11 April, 2020, 12:32:17 pm
The reduced traffic pollution might be a reason to do the photography now, although the haziness seen when the pollution is bad is viewed horizontally through miles of air, while the aircraft is photographing downwards at a shorter distance.

Fewer cars on the roads may be an advantage as the views won't capture traffic jams and show them as permanent.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jurek on 11 April, 2020, 12:45:47 pm
Now we have a helicopter hovering overhead.
But that's because police and South London.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Salvatore on 11 April, 2020, 01:58:29 pm
Something similar near Nantes currently. Wider spaced but higher.

(https://i.imgur.com/Hv3CT9dl.png)
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: hellymedic on 11 April, 2020, 02:19:26 pm
Is it more likely just updating “satellite” images for google maps or one of their competitors.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Those were my thoughts too.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: andrewc on 14 April, 2020, 09:24:22 pm
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/bizarre-flight-path-over-liverpool-18091749


They're everywhere.   Plotting where to install the 5G towers for maximum destructive effect...
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Pingu on 14 April, 2020, 10:34:01 pm
And this pair earlier today over the North Sea.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49775053192_b62731c26a.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsabh)
fr24_01 (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsabh) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49775053237_1d0fe4ac75.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsac4)
fr24_02 (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsac4) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: FifeingEejit on 14 April, 2020, 11:06:20 pm
Can't find that now FA20x appears to be Safari flights between the Cape and jo'burg

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jaded on 14 April, 2020, 11:46:32 pm
I’ve flown in a loop off Aberdeen for about four hours...
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: jiberjaber on 15 April, 2020, 12:38:51 am
And this pair earlier today over the North Sea.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49775053192_b62731c26a.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsabh)
fr24_01 (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsabh) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49775053237_1d0fe4ac75.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsac4)
fr24_02 (https://flic.kr/p/2iQsac4) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

Possibly they are the Chobbam Aviation guys - the play with the RAF often to provide targets and training opportunities...

https://www.cobham.com/aviation-services-uk/special-mission/operational-readiness-training/
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jurek on 15 April, 2020, 03:28:21 pm
Busy over LHR a couple of hours ago

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49777185351_dbfc55a9a7_b.jpg)
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jaded on 15 April, 2020, 03:34:49 pm
(http://www.alfiecat.co.uk/yetacf/DSC_2323.jpg)

 ;)
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: matthew on 16 April, 2020, 10:10:51 am
Having completed the best part of a CDC, it looks like he's going home for lunch  ;D
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49760250101_fb5dcff2f2_b.jpg)

My guess would be either aerial photography or LIDAR survey. Given the flight path in the OP I suspect LIDAR of the Lower Thames potentially as part of the Thames 2100 strategy from the EA flood management team.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Salvatore on 16 April, 2020, 11:02:31 am
This morning: Lancashire.

(https://i.imgur.com/mUhpnwcl.png)
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Pingu on 26 April, 2020, 03:22:29 pm
Loads of gliders over Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia just now.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: matthew on 28 April, 2020, 04:44:41 pm
One pilot out of my local airfield has got in trouble. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-52444813 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-52444813) He was only supposed to go 10 NM from the airfield for an engine maintenance flight.
Title: Re: So what's going on here?
Post by: Jurek on 28 April, 2020, 06:06:58 pm
One pilot out of my local airfield has got in trouble. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-52444813 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-52444813) He was only supposed to go 10 NM from the airfield for an engine maintenance flight.
8)