Farm bidding to become a drone school
A CARMARTHENSHIRE farm could become a “premier location” for tuition into flying drones for professionals working in such industries as television and film, construction and the emergency services.
While it would be aimed at commercial drone flying, the general public could also benefit from training on how to safely fly drones.
Rivendell Farm in Allt- walis, north of Carmarthen, wants to convert one of its outbuildings into a small-scale business premises to support its impending business, registered as The Drone Centre Ltd.
A planning application has been lodged with Carmarthenshire Council by the farm owners.
A design and access statement prepared by Thomas Login Architecture within the planning application outlines the ambitions of the development which could offer training for between groups of up to 15 people at a time.
It states the area is ideal for drone flying training exercises, adding: “The Drone Centre, based at Rivendell Farm, where there is over 100 acres of very lightly farmed fields, woods, wetlands, a valley and paths on which to train.
“Rivendell has the opportunity to become a premier location for basic commercial flying but also for more specialised flying such as training to the police, fire service, agriculture, construction, film and television.
“It is also a venue where night time flying could be performed safely. This means Rivendell could become the venue of choice for many companies who have specific drone training requirements.
“The Drone Centre will provide a unique training and conference venue for professional tuition of the use of drones in commercial environments. It will be hired out to provide theoretical and practical commercial training programs.
“The applicant also plans to open the facility to non-commercial users at particular times to run awareness training and safe flying experience.”
With new laws over drone flying introduced last summer “there is a focus on safe non-commercial flying” the application adds.
It also states: “The Drone Centre also plans to offer photography courses, as the applicant’s son Daniel Trim has been awarded British Wildlife photographer of the year and is frequently published worldwide in many wildlife magazines and online. It is therefore hoped to deliver special- ised wildlife and landscape photography meetings based around the farm and surrounding area, led by Daniel.”
The design and access statement goes on to say: “Rivendell is a small upland farm, growing rare breeds of sheep, cattle, poultry and pigs and retail their meat.
“The barn conversion will incorporate a small farm office to operate their sales from and allow home working.
“The remainder of the building will be fundamentally a conference room with catering facility and break out area to accompany their drone centre.”
The proposal is subject to a Carmarthenshire Rural Enterprise Fund grant.
The planning application will be discussed by Carmarthenshire Council’s planning committee in the near future.