Nailsea is a ‘no drone fly zone’, councillors decided at a meeting on Wednesday night.

Computer boss Bob Steadman had asked for permission to test fly wide angle camera drones from the Grove playing fields in a bid to expand his media and film business.

But both Nailsea town councillors and Nailsea Playing Fields Association who managed the ground were alarmed at the potential of the ‘spies in the sky’ and opposed the proposal.  

Mr Steadman said: “The whole point of flying at the top end of the Grove is to be as far away from people and houses as possible – both to minimise noise and to reduce safety risks.”

In the end Mr Steadman withdrew his request having found a field near Kenn to trial the new venture but  requested being told of council policy on drones so he could use the Grove as a ‘fall back’.

Although Mr Steadman maintained his drone made no more noise than ‘a chainsaw’ and wouldn’t be used to catch people in compromising situations the leisure facilities committee voted for a ban to ‘launch or land drones’ on council owned land.

The flying drones have a wingspan of one metre which is more than three feet wide, the meeting heard.

Councillor Mary Ponsonby said drones make an ‘irritating noise’ and could spy on sunbathers in their own back gardens.

Councillor Rod Lees said: “Young people have been flying radio controlled aeroplanes for years – what’s the difference – well these have a camera aboard.”

Councillors decided it was important to ‘protect public spaces and public privacy’.

And for good measure they also banned ‘sky lanterns’ on advice from Avon fire service being lit on council land.

Nailsea isn’t the only council to be asked for permission to fly drones.

Uncontrolled flying objects have been on council agendas up and down the country.

In Reading at Liberal Democrat councillor dubbed the drones ‘dangerous’ but feared a ban would be a ‘Canute-like gesture’.

According to a national newspaper the number of drones operating in British airspace has soared with defence contractors, surveillance specialists, police forces and infrastructure firms among more than 300 companies and public bodies with permission to operate the controversial unmanned aircraft.

Operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) must apply to the Civil 

Aviation Authority to gain ‘permission for aerial work’ or face prosecution.

An analysis of the latest CAA figures shows that numbers of authorised drone operators in the UK has risen by a third in the past year.

This has prompted politicians and campaigners to call for a comprehensive review of civil drone use.

The majority of the 301 UAV operators in the UK are photography firms and production companies, which includes the BBC and ITV, as well as independent production firms working on television projects ranging from Top Gear to filming the cricket at Lords.

Devon and Cornwall police reported this month that two people have been convicted for flying drones over private areas and capturing landscape shots without consent.

Devon’s Civil Aviation Authority has begun licencing drones applying the same regulations as any other local airspace user.

Rachel Robinson, a policy officer for the human rights group Liberty, said: “As the use of domestic surveillance drones rapidly expands, public knowledge and understanding of this shadowy industry remains practically non-existent.

“Where was the public debate?

“The implications for our privacy are clear, the safeguards obscure.”

A Youtube video of Domino’s testing a prototype flying drone that can deliver pizzas can be viewed HERE.

The device carried two large pepperoni pizzas.

And in the US Amazon is exploring a new Prime Air a futuristic 21st century delivery system.

It wants approval to test commercial aerial vehicles which can travel at more than 50 miles per hour carrying packages weighing up to 5lb.

It says in the near future 86 per cent of its products could be delivered this way.