Drone pilot admits putting WW2 plane in danger during Buxton flypast

The drone, not the one pictured, was being flown during the Buxton Carnival in July

A drone pilot has admitted nearly causing a serious crash at an RAF memorial flypast.

Mark Bagguley, 49, flew a drone near a World War Two plane during the Buxton Carnival in Derbyshire on 9 July.

The RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane was carrying out a flypast when the drone was pictured close to its wing.

He pleaded guilty to endangering an aircraft at Chesterfield Justice Centre and will be sentenced on 9 February.

In addition, he admitted operating an aircraft out of the visual line of sight.

'Totally unacceptable'

A short-term airspace restriction banning all other flying in the area had been put in place for the festival.

Images captured on the day showed the drone flying dangerously close to the Hurricane, which was being watched by an estimated 20,000 people.

A drone was seized from Bagguley, of Chatsworth Road, Fairfield, and analysis showed it was flying over Buxton at the time of the flypast.

PC Matt Moore, flight safety manager for Derbyshire Police's drone team, said: "The way the pilot flew his drone was unsafe, illegal and totally unacceptable.

"As a police drone unit, we know the benefits drones can bring to society but people using a drone in this way not only threaten the safety of aircraft and the public, they also damage the future use of drones."

Jonathan Nicholson, assistant director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: "Flying a drone and endangering an aircraft in this way is totally unacceptable.

"While flying a drone can be great fun, it also comes with significant responsibilities.

"People need to check airspace before they fly their drone and only fly where it is safe and legal to do so."

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, said the incident served as a reminder to drone users of the strict rules and regulation governing their use.