Drone, Russia | Bjarne works as a drone photographer. Now he's afraid to stop working.

So says Bjarne Skintveit, a Bergen residential photographer. Taking pictures with drones is part of his job.

On Wednesday, Bergen’s photographer was left speechless when he heard this news: The Ministry of Transport is asking the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority to consider banning drone flights near critical infrastructure, According to BT.

– I’ve been waiting for this to happen, but I’m still surprised. The problem, as I see it, is that few individuals fly aimlessly and meaninglessly. When so many people these days fear spying, critics are tired. Then we risk getting an unnecessary ban, Skintveit believes.

Police: – Think about it

Police District West has been reduced to drone surveillance as a result of a number of drone rings, including at Möngstad and Bergen Flesland Airport.

It was Thursday for The police issue a general message to the public to calm down:

Think before you call!

In a press release, the police expressed their appreciation for the people following them. But they want the public to report only on recent, tangible observations that are close to important infrastructure, for example oil and gas facilities.

Residential photographer Bjarne Skintveit received his drone certification in 2017. He prides himself on flying legally and according to regulations.

Drones are a great tool for taking good outdoor photos. But it is important to show interest and not hang the drone directly in front of the living room windows. The more dense the area, the fewer drones will fly. I’ve had discussions with upset neighbors, but they quickly calm down when I explain what I’m working on, says the BA photographer.

Illegal missions

He says he was offered assignments in no-fly zones, for example in Haakonsvern.

– Then I politely decline and explain to the client that he is jointly responsible for breaking the law, and that the police can confiscate my equipment. Unfortunately, I know that some of the competitors they contact are not very careful about following regulations, the drone pilot sighs.

Previously, Skintveit flew large drones with a price tag of 40-50,000 NOK. Today, he settles on lighter, less noisy models.

– A drone weighing 250 grams costs only 7000 to 8000 NOK complete with extra batteries. The technology is so good that the image quality is more than good enough.

– What do you think of a possible drone ban?

– For me personally, this only means a limited financial loss. But it’s a shame for customers who get worse pictures. Having said that, there should be no need for a ban if everyone follows the rules, says Bjarne Skintveit.

Russians arrested

The police are responsible for intervening against illegal flying by drones, but the agency says it has “fairly limited capacity” to deal with drones.

If Avinor, Heimevernet, or others detect a drone that should be stopped, they call the police. The reaction might be to turn the drone off, but that takes hard work, Aftenposten writes.

The last time Several Russian citizens were arrested in Norway For drone flying and photography.

We should not be surprised if there are more such arrests in the future, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store (AP) said during a press conference on Thursday.

Facts about drones

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is remotely controlled.
There are both military and civilian drones.
Military drones are used to gather intelligence of military importance and to carry and launch weapons without risking the lives of their soldiers.
Civilian drones are used for many different purposes, such as aerial photography and commercial video production.
Professional drone photographers must have approval from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority and Follow the regulations.

Sources: Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, NRK