Octopus Agile

TroubledTarts

As I originally stated earlier in this thread conspiracy theories run wild I just didn't expect it here. More at home on facebook

MeteredOut

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82082647#Comment_82082647

Yes, utility companies do use drones for other purposes. I doubt anyone will deny that.

But using them to check if your grass is too green (or if you have solar panels on your roof) is most likely discussed on forums also people claiming that the earth is flat.

Pat38493

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82082934#Comment_82082934

I did a bit more research on this and you are right - there is no evidence of anyone ever being fined or prosecuted for ignoring a hose pipe ban. However, there is evidence that in 1976, which was the last time that things got really critical with water having to be switched off at certain times of day in a couple of areas, the water utility company sent out patrols to check compliance and give people “friendly reminders”.

It would be a lot cheaper to monitor general compliance with a drone with one fully licensed professional operator, than sending out patrols of people. Therefore I don’t think it’s that far fetched that they might use a drone to do a sample for general compliance estimates i.e. what % of households are complying with the ban. If the ban is unenforceable from a legal perspective, they probably want to know at least an estimate of compliance %.

It’s pretty easy if you are flying overhead to see who is watering their lawn in a long drought - you don’t need an objective greenness scale to do it.

Could be the same for solar panels - they might not be allowed to pursue an individual from drone evidence, but they could look to see if the number of solar installations is roughly the same as what they have approved. This could be useful for other reasons than just chasing an individual about it.

All I can tell you is that during a hose pipe ban some years back, almost every afternoon at roughly the same time a large drone moved slowly over all the streets where the houses have big gardens in the area I was staying at the time. Never happened when there was not a hose pipe ban, but of course maybe it was a coincidence, or maybe a PHD student at the university was doing a study on compliance or the effect of hose pipe bans - it was very near a University that is known for agricultural and nature related studies.