A CRACKDOWN on drone flying in the New Forest has been launched after a catalogue of incidents were reported.

Pilots who operate the remote-controlled flying aircraft are being warned they are risking prosecution as the authorities respond to calls for tougher action.

Drones have been responsible for riders being thrown from their horses after the animals became spooked by the low flying craft.

They have also been reported flying within sensitive areas during bird breeding season and near busy public areas.

The use of remote controlled aircraft or drones are banned in the New Forest under bylaws which state that “To operate any aircraft, glider, hot air balloon, raft or craft of any kind or any model aircraft, boat or car” without permission is forbidden.

A drone could be defined as either an aircraft or model aircraft of some kind.

At a meeting of the New Forest Verderers committee meeting, verderer Jim Greenwood said that he had had a close encounter with a drone while he was out on his horse near Bolton’s Bench at Lyndhurst.

He told fellow Verderers that the drone appeared to be remotely controlled from a distance. Later after checking on social media he discovered several videos of people using drones without permission in the Forest.

Jim told the Daily Echo: “I was on my horse at Bolton’s Bench with someone else on a horse and a drone flew about 20 feet above us. There were quite a few people at Bolton’s Bench at the time. They aren’t meant to fly above large numbers of people, it was flying lower than it was meant to and it is against Forestry Commission bylaws to fly them in the New Forest anyway. It didn’t frighten my horse but some would have been spooked by it.”

He said: “I think it needs to be stopped. Something needs to be done about it before it becomes a bigger problem. Eventually it will be licensed. It needs regulating.”

Richard Burke, Recreation and Public Affairs Manager, Forestry Commission, said: “In our experience, few users have the correct training or permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to operate drones and should a drone cause damage or harm, people often do not have the correct insurances to compensate those affected.

"Drones should not be flown near property and the special nature of the New Forest makes the risk of damage more serious.

"Reported incidents have involved ridden horses being spooked by low a flying drone, which has resulted in horses bolting or riders being thrown. Drones have also been reported being used near busy public areas and in sensitive areas in the bird breeding season."

He added that drones fitted with cameras could also breach data protection laws and said pilots wishing to fly drones need to first obtain permission from the Forestry Commission.

Last year Hampshire Police had 46 reports of drone incidents including drones being found in people’s gardens and a drone hitting the roof of a house and causing damage.

Another was ongoing neighbour dispute where one person flew a drone over their neighbour’s garden intentionally to cause annoyance. The most serious incident was at Southampton International Airport where a drone was reported coming to within a wings length of two aircraft that were landing at the airport.