Drones banned from V Festival
Drones have been banned from flying over Weston Park's 1,000-acre site while V Festival takes place this weekend.
The unmanned aircraft are not allowed to be flown over crowds of people unless they have been given permission by the Civil Aviation Authority.
And with thousands of festival-goers set to enjoy music from headliners Kasabian and Calvin Harris at Weston Park on Saturday and Sunday, Staffordshire Police and the CAA have reminded revellers that drones are strictly banned.
Drones have become a craze as a way of taking aerial pictures and video and organisers fear festival-goers will be tempted to bring the machines to the event.
A spokesman for the CAA said: "Drones are not able to be flown over large collections of people, so that includes events like open air concerts and festivals.
"If people do see drones being flown over the festival, they should contact police, who will be able to deal with the offenders.
"However, if people are wanting to fly these unmanned aircrafts over crowds, they must get permission from us before they do so."
Back in June pop star Enrique Iglesias sliced his finger on stage in Mexico when a drone flew too close him during a show.
The 40-year-old Spanish singer was able to carry on the performance with his hand wrapped up, but he was later airlifted to hospital.
It later emerged that he had seriously injured several fingers as well as fracturing his hand, forcing him to stop recording for several weeks.
The drone was a stunt organised as part of the show, but the CAA says it illustrates the dangers posed by the machines if they run out of control in areas where crowds are assembled.
Drones can be picked up for just a couple of hundred pounds and have become the latest craze among amateur photographers.
RAF chiefs issued a warning earlier this year about the danger of drones being used in airspace around air bases in the county.
The RAF base in Shawbury is working with Jonathan Gill, a licensed drone operator and researcher at Harper Adams University in Newport, to raise the profile of the risks the drones pose for larger aircraft.
Experts say there have been multiple near-misses with helicopters and drones around the country.
