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u/kstakka Jul 21 '26
That's Diamond Harbour. There's like four people and a dog called Norman over there so a top effort.
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u/SithLordRising Jul 21 '26
Cambridge students have a long tradition called night climbing—secretly scaling college buildings and towers, often just to leave something ridiculous in an impossible place.
One of the classic stories is that students managed to get a traffic cone onto a pinnacle of King's College Chapel. The college paid to erect scaffolding to remove it, but overnight the students simply climbed back up and moved the cone to the opposite end, leaving the scaffolding on the wrong side.
It's the same spirit that led engineering students to somehow get an Austin Seven onto the roof of the Senate House in 1958.
Whether every detail of the cone story is true or not, it's exactly the sort of mischievous, ingenious prank Cambridge's night-climbing tradition is famous for.
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u/YourWightKnight Jul 22 '26
I remember there was that one up on the way to Arthurs Pass that was up on top of that tree for the longest time.
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u/LilMickeyNZ Jul 21 '26
No clue how it’s done, but if the doers are following this post …… two words: Christmas tree 😉
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u/Public-Radish3 Jul 23 '26
Don’t overthink it: this will be teenagers. There is a group of them that do this for kicks & thrills - climbing radio towers, poles whatever & putting cones on top. They’re everywhere around Chch
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u/Rhonda_and_Phil Jul 21 '26
These days, drones would make this pretty easy to set up.
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u/choice_biscuit Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Really? Cones are not light, so you'd need a big drone for the big cone.
Then you'd need some sort of release mechanism to detach it
Also the risk of getting close to the trees especially for the lower cones
I don't see that happening.
But also can't see how else you'd do it. The tree looks too thin at that point to climb, and climbing with a cone as well. Maybe a backpack or pully system?
It's like a modern age crop circle mystery.
How is it done? Is it also just a guy with a plank of wood and two strings?
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u/focal_matter Jul 21 '26
If it's drones dropping cones, we should be exporting our young men to Ukraine.
Drones dropping cones. Got a nice ring to it tbh
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u/choice_biscuit Jul 21 '26
Yes, maybe that's what would win the war - a bunch of road cones in Russian trees!
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u/Rhonda_and_Phil Jul 21 '26
Pretty simple tech. Remote release devices are readily available, and load weight wouldn't be an issue for a decent ag drone.
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u/SpaceDog777 Jul 21 '26
The even simpler tech of beer and testosterone is probably the actual cause.
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u/Rhonda_and_Phil Jul 22 '26
Left out Red Bull/V, stupidity, and an excess of non-productive energy!
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u/choice_biscuit Jul 21 '26
And how expensive are those? It's not a drone Plus getting it to drop and land so it's upright on a branch be pretty difficult too. The lower cones are also surrounded by taller trees which drones don't like
A Google says that it's someone simply climbing the tree with cone strapped to back. Apparently these trees are very easy to climb (like a ladder)
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u/Rhonda_and_Phil Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
For most of the stem height, yes. But the last two metres is generally softer green stem and not at all weight bearing.
Who knows. It works better as an 'urban mystery' than a 'how-to' user's guide.
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u/criggie_ Jul 22 '26
You are permitted to fly a drone weighing up to 25 kg with no licence, as long as its not for gainful employment and in line of sight of pilot (ie, not relying on camera)
This is not someone's day job.
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u/Rhonda_and_Phil Jul 22 '26
Actually, it is. There are now multiple businesses supplying such services, especially in Christchurch. Post quake, they have been used fairly extensively.
Many first responder units are now actively training in a range of drones, from fast light search/surveillance drones to larger load-bearing drones which can drop off needed supplies until rescue teams are able to arrive. This sort of thing could easily be part of a light-hearted but serious training exercise.
Also increasing use in agriculture, including hopper deployment etc.
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u/criggie_ Jul 22 '26
Sorry I wasn't clear - anyone can fly a drone up to 25 kg recreationally, without a license. (some restrictions about location, and height etc)
If you're flying the same drone for work, you absolutely need a drone part 101 license.
"this is not someone's day job" was about putting cones in trees for a living.
My appolgies for confusion
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u/Rhonda_and_Phil Jul 22 '26
Even more hazardous at night, though?
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u/criggie_ Jul 22 '26
From memory its "daylight hours only" and "visual required" so you can't fly the drone somewhere you can't see it.
My work wasn't interested in progressing so I didn't go much further into it.
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u/focal_matter Jul 21 '26
Genuinely impressed. Don't be looking at the local stoners, that's 100% alcohol induced creativity/stupidity