Just noticed a curious anomaly in the results - although my status is listed as "Retired Evershot" (which is correct), I still have a time recorded for reaching the bag stop, which I never did. If the given time was correct I'd have to have covered the 8 miles between the two CPs in 52 minutes - I can only guess that someone with a similar number to mine got recorded in the wrong place.

John, although this is probably not the right forum for an extensive debate on this issue I do think the correct information needs to be communicated. The CAA flight rules for UAV?s can be accessed via https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-industry/Aircraft/Unmanned-aircraft/Unmanned-Aircraft/
The relevant section is Article 167 ? small unmanned surveillance aircraft
You are mistaken in considering the start point of the 100 as being a ?congested area?. The CAA definition relates to places, not people. It defines such an area as ?in relation to a city, town or settlement, means any area which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes?. The extensive grounds at Wey Valley School, which was closed over the weekend of the event, do not fall into this definition.
The CAA regulations regarding large gatherings of people state that a UAV must not be flown ??over or within 150 metres of an organised open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons.?? Again, clearly, due to the numbers being limited to 500, the Dorset 100 event did not fall into this definition.
The third, and most germane point to our discussion, relate to the restrictions of flying near to people and the regulations note that these restrictions ?do not apply to the person in charge of the small unmanned surveillance aircraft or a person under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft?. This comes down to interpretation, and I posit that, as one involved in the organisation of the event, particularly the proceedings at the beginning, that the participants were under my control, as the timings, route, direction and speed of travel were all known to me, and the co-ordination of the management of the movements of the walkers were all elements of my role as the official film-maker of the event.
Having noted all the above, the organisers considered the possibility that some participants - without prior knowledge of the safety measures and risk assessments taken (outlined in my first post on this)? might be concerned regarding the use of it during the event. Hence the intention of Richard?s announcement during the opening announcements was intended to highlight that its presence was officially approved by the organisers. Clearly, this was not sufficient to allay your concerns, and thus I apologise for any distress that you, and anyone else, may have experienced by the presence of the aircraft.
As this was the first time use of a UAV at a LDWA event, it may be that the national committee would want to consider the potential use of them at future events and to take a position on this. I would be more than happy to contribute to any discussion to inform this decision, if it is deemed necessary to take one. I suspect you may too!
Kind regards
Rob

Rob, thanks for your technical response to my concerns. I still have a problem though, in that the rules say "You must avoid flying it within 150 metres of a congested area". I take that to be a horizontal distance. To me, the start of the walk was "a congested area", so as far as I can see, the drone should have been at least 150 metres from the edge of the crowd. Flying above the edge of the crowd doesn't seem to comply with the rules. I noticed on the day that you hovered the drone over the pathway that all walkers took from the start area; I even videod you landing it (at 16:00 into my video).
You say "... with participants being considered to be in the control of the organisers" but the rules refer to "people being in the control of the pilot", so they weren't under your control.
The fact that Richard Brown announced the presence of the drone has no bearing on the discussion. Neither does the fact that you've had positive responses to your video; indeed it does make an interesting video. The discussion here is about safety and compliance with the current rules and as far as I can see, the rules weren't followed.
Anybody interested in seeing a drone crash, should refer to the link that I posted earlier (although that one is larger than yours).
Here is a link to an Amateur Photographer discussion of rules for drones http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/latest/photo-news/photography-and-drones-the-rules-4805

Re 'drone' photography at the Dorset 100 event

John, thanks for raising the issue regarding the use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV ? or ?drone? in common parlance). The health and safety aspects of all aspects of the event were always uppermost in our minds. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules on flights were known and respected, with participants being considered to be in the control of the organisers, via instructions and advice. Risk assessments ? including on the flight conditions on the day - and actions to ensure everyone?s wellbeing were implemented. Before the craft was airborne a full pre-flight checklist and compass calibration for each flight was completed. Once in the air it was flown only in gps lock mode, with propeller guards, direct line of sight to the pilot, embedded non-flight areas limiter software, and a failsafe return to home programme in the event of an unlikely emergency. The well-maintained, unmodified UAV that was used has a logged unblemished technical and flight history of over 60 flights and I have lengthy expertise of flying it. The use of the craft was announced to everyone by Richard Brown, event co-ordinator, at the start and it was never positioned directly above a large number of people.

You may be interested to know that there is currently a governmental appointed committee considering whether any further regulation of this emerging technology is required. The current CAA regulations are proportionate, but there may be a need for registration and/or training of owners, to attempt to prevent any unskilled, dangerous or malicious use of them. Many participants, through their responses on film on the day, and /or subsequent comments, appeared to enjoy this innovative use of a UAV on a 100 event and we hope it added to the quality and interest of the video.

regards

Dr Rob Jayne

Drone Photography at the Dorset 100.
Just reading the latest Strider. I notice that a photo taken from a drone at the start of the event is being publicised.
I was a little concerned, even at the event, about the presence of the drone near to so many people. So I have just checked on the laws concerning use of drones by the public. It seems that I was right to be concerned, as shown by this snippet from The Telegraph
"You must avoid flying it within 150 metres of a congested area and 50 metres of a person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under the control of the pilot."
So it looks as if if shouldn't have been flying over us at all.

Have a look at this video clip to see the possible damage a failed drone can do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAOzOlV3wm0

Hi Deidre,Mike and crew thanks for two good weekends. Firstly walking the Marshals (I'll forgive you for the thick for on Sun/Mon), then the Hundred real. After my job as a Traffic Marshal I returned to Loders checkpoint to help out Hazel and the gang. It was nice to put back some of what I have taken out when walking main events.

Should have given the link re my previous comment on brilliant "official" pictures:

Pictures by John Allen and Rob Jayne

The pictures posted by John Allen and Rob Jayne are stunning - a wonderfully wide-ranging record of an event and a model of how to do it. They capture the beauty and character of many points along the route, walkers and volunteers (including some I missed) and dare I say it, some of the emotion of the event. There are leaning-over walkers, people sleeping outside, the couple who held hands for most of the route...

Brilliant.

Congratulations to all who completed the Dorset 100, commiserations to those who did not

Photos from CP1 - Crossways.

I would like to echo the comments before mine. Whilst only my third 100, from where I was standing (or walking/jogging/staggering - delete as appropriate, according to which part of event!), everything was spot on. The route-description was first-rate (actually it was good even 10 months ago when I did my recce, which primarily taught me that I apparently can't remember much of a route 10 months later!); the checkpoint-snacks were excellent (sure, maybe pro-athletes don't eat pepperoni pizza midway through events ....but hey, who wants to be a pro-athlete!!); the helpers were all super-friendly; the countryside was stunning; the terrain was challengingly firm; the long meadowgrass was frustratingly wet overnight after that short rainfall at dusk on Saturday (c'est la vie!); the medic at the end was pleasingly stunned at the wretched condition of my feet; and the overall organisation was faultless.
My congrats to everyone on the team. All the time that you've given up over the past 3 years to plan this event for us is VERY much appreciated. A job well done - cheers!!

Well done Dorset and all other LDWA groups for making this hundred truly memorable, the hospitality and encouragement given was immense and really needed in order to complete my 10 th and final hundred I am sad at this prospect but very grateful to all my friends especially Bob and Tina Attwood and Mark Van Schalkwyk for getting me around the beautiful if hilly Dorset ,,I thought the ckeck points especially BBN at Crossways and Bristol and West at Briantspuddle were the best early cp of any hundred that I have done and as always S Wales and Cornwall and Devon where we are well known were equally at their best ,I must mention David Hooper who unfortunately drew the short straw and had to clear up after my normal party piece,sorry David I promise you will not have that honour again,I have been advised by my Doctor to stop doing the night walks as my body shuts down and will not allow any food or liquid intake plus the brain completely shut down on the way to Portesham as I can not remember much from Long Bredy to the finish,again I thank all the cp helpers who do long stints looking after us and I have many memories of just how good the LDWA family really is.

My favorite "bowl" or more properly combe was the one just after, and some recompense for climbing, Gerrard's Hill, the first big hill after breakfast. With two blue ponds in the bottom - stunning.

Thank you to Wiltshire for the cold shower. It really did make me feel better.

Suffering from the heat again Sunday afternoon I had a snooze under a shady tree near West Milton. Claims that I was snoring for England and heard before seen, I don't believe.

David, I agree - Dorset has so much more to offer than that spectacular coastline. All those lovely villages spring to mind as well as the deep valley "bowls".
Les and I would also like to send a huge thank you to Dorset Group for putting on a fantastic event. Hard under-foot, but - it's Dorset, we know it's hard underfoot, so at least for us - not unexpected. I was at CP12 with C&D Group and saw lots of people coming in with really bad feet, and our first aid lady Pat Edmunds did a lot of foot washing - not a task I would wish to do!!

Congratulations to all those who completed especially Richard Plumley - completing a very hard won 10th. Sincere commiserations to those who didn't make it.

Les would particularly like to thank the person who cooked the perfectly poached eggs at breakfast, they were spot on - and as a real ale drinker, he appreciated the offerings at the manned clipper at Corton.

I also liked the recognition that Ian Sykes and his long standing baggage transport team got at the start on Saturday. Well done to them - all those years of shifting breakfast bags which were not always within the weight restrictions.

All in all a successful event - Well Done Dorset Group

Sorry no photos from me, just a great big THANK YOU to the Dorset Group for organising a great event. I have only done a handful of these crazy things, but I thought the checkpoints especially were chosen really well with great hospitality at every one. There is much more to Dorset as a county than the fantastic coast path and it was great to see the lovely countryside inland.....and so little of it is flat....

The weather for the 100s is always, too wet, hot, windy, sunny, or something else, but that's just part of the pleasure and the pain!!

As ever I have come away with many happy memories, slightly sore feet, and admiration for all who were involved in the organising and supporting of this mad bad walkies!

Thanks again

Dave Wainwright
PS and as the author of the "Electrifying" thread on the 100 forum, thanks for sorting that fence out, although at that stage I could have done with a bit of shock therapy as I kept nodding off!!

These are really good quality photographs of the walkers. If you were on Dorset 100, I am pretty sure Simon has captured you somewhere, and it is worth taking a look through the albums.

All my pictures from day one of the Dorset Hundred are now online in seven albums, here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124651452@N07/albums

There are separate albums for the 10am, noon and 2pm starters, and sundry pictures taken at Bincombe, on the Ridgeway, and between Moreton and Ansty (not many). I'm afraid I missed the 3pm starter because of marshalling duties, and I wasn't around after Saturday.

I had a wonderful time, enjoying the spirit of a fabulous event, the scenery, and even the traffic at our road crossings. Congratulations Dorset LDWA. Er... is everyone else struck digitally dumb?

Mike,

You have to have some standards, even in the LDWA!

It actually worked out quite reasonable, particularly given there were no cheap hotel rooms available when we got round to looking. It provided an excellent base for us, rather than just a few rooms, and really helped to made it a great weekend. The building was amazing.

Three sets of pictures (apologies to the fastest 10am walkers - you'll only appear in the set at the start, if I got you at all)

The main start:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124651452@N07/albums/72157666598632504

One mile in:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124651452@N07/albums/72157668761238302

Bincombe:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124651452@N07/albums/72157669101051536

More to follow, including (I think) all the 12 and 2pm starters. Sorry - I missed the 3pm start!

Hi Andy

Woodsford Castle looks a lot of fun. What a great place to stay for the 100. LDWA Wilts are obviously an upmarket group

Photographers, please see my separate forum topic (under Events) on co-ordinating online publication of images.

Clearly a bit late for the Dorset 100!

Photos by a selection of South Walians can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1243416605676415.1073742013.278861995465219&type=3

Below is a link to the photos I took.

https://goo.gl/photos/cuyfjLqeBaBwGheWA

The big building in some of the pictures is Woodsford Castle a Landmark Trust place we rented to stay at.

My pictures from the Marshals walk can be found at

https://goo.gl/photos/LUNWKXCP7vvbBsyG6

Weren't we the lucky ones, marshalling here with such friendly hosts

Corton Chapel

Here's my video of this weekend's LDWA Dorset 100 walk:
https://youtu.be/-YpLx-A7cjU

Lots photos taken by the Wiltshire Secretary at Checkpoin3 of the Dorset 100 (email if you'd like a copy of any of the photos)

Wiltshire LDWA would like to thank those walking, the Dorset 100 organisers and the community of Dewlish that welcomed us.

We had sunshine and good company that all contributed to the party atmosphere.

Link:
https://www.ldwa.org.uk/Wiltshire/N/4427/2016-ldwa-dorset-100-checkpoint-3.html

Alternatively goto the Wiltshire LDWA site and goto the photos section.

My photos of this weekends Dorset 100 are now available (video available in next few days)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/john_pp/albums/72157668689156491

Good luck to all walkers on the Dorset 100 this weekend, Dorset have there own photographer this year so I will not be there. I'm off to Loch Ossian in Scotland with Betty Sherry for the weekend. Have a great weekend. Stevecee