Jeremy Vine’s April Fool reported to police
Jeremy Vine was forced to clarify that a video he posted of his “drone” apparently being taken out by a hawk was an April Fool’s Day prank, after social media users reported him to the police.
The BBC presenter and cycling crusader, who frequently posts videos of his daily London commute, shared footage on Monday which appeared to show his drone being smashed into by a bird of prey while he was cycling in Hyde Park, central London.
On X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: “WHAT THE HELL – using a drone for today’s early cycle ride, and it got taken out by a hawk or red kite in HYDE PARK FFS. Smashed to bits, £400 gone in a second.”
Hours later, he announced that the post was an April Fool’s Day joke after Twitter users said they had reported him to the Metropolitan Police, the RSPCA, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Royal Parks.
One social media user tweeted the Met claiming that Vine was breaking the law by failing to maintain visual line of sight with a drone in flight.
The video was so convincing that it even took in Matthew Stadlen, a political commentator and bird enthusiast who is the author of How to See Birds.
Mr Stadlen said: “This is incredible footage. It’s definitely not a red kite and doesn’t look like a sparrowhawk.
“Too big for a kestrel and wrong colouring. Looks like a buzzard to me. Didn’t know we had them in Hyde Park.”
He later realised he had been fooled, and said: “Ah. An April Fool. This is the greatest blow Twitter has ever delivered to me.”
UAS Flight Ops, a drone operating company, wrote to Vine, accusing him of breaking laws which forbid people from flying a drone “without maintaining visual sight at all times”.
The company also said that Hyde Park is within a restricted airspace area which requires permission from diplomatic protection and the Civil Aviation Authority.
Because I've now apparently been reported to the Met, @RSPCA_official, the @UK_CAA & @theroyalparks, I should clarify that I was NOT flying a drone and no wildlife was involved. It was just an @insta360 camera. I wasn't ready for the level of flag-related anger.#AprilFoolsDay https://t.co/V1d0hZYzrU
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) April 1, 2024
A spokesman for the company, later said: “Yes I missed the fact that it’s April Fools’ Day but the warped horizon can be created carrying a 360 camera on a drone and there are so many people currently flouting the laws and not being held accountable!”
Vine said he had created the video using an Insta360 helmet camera. He said that after apparently being reported to the police and other authorities, he had to clarify that he “was not flying a drone and no wildlife was involved”.
