FAA 400ft rule

[MA Drone Pilot]

So I remember the FAA 400ft rule was a guideline and recommended. Is it a rule now?

 

[msinger]

MA Drone Pilot" data-source="post: 755990" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Is it a rule now?

Yes. See more details here:

Overview of current hobbyist FAA rules (updated 7/23/19)

As of 5/17/19, here's a complete list of rules hobbyists must follow when flying outdoors in the US: Register your drone with the FAA Mark your registration number on the exterior of the drone (decals available here) Fly a drone under 55 lbs Fly only for hobby or recreation Follow the safety...

mavicpilots.com

 

[Thomas B]

It is a rule. As well as the link above, see the bottom of the FAA LAANC page:

UAS Data Exchange (LAANC)

www.faa.gov

 

[AMann]

Up to 400’ unless you are flying within 400’ up the side of a structure or terrain, then its up to 400’ directly above that. [Edit: for 107 holders]

 

[msinger]

Up to 400’ unless you are flying within 400’ up the side of a structure or terrain, then its up to 400’ directly above that.

Can you cite your source?

 

[dawgpilot]

Up to 400’ unless you are flying within 400’ up the side of a structure or terrain, then its up to 400’ directly above that.

That is only under Part 107. Recreational pilots have a hard 400 foot rule under the FAA Reauthorization Act that passed last year.

 

[AMann]

That is only under Part 107. Recreational pilots have a hard 400 foot rule under the FAA Reauthorization Act that passed last year.

So it’s 400 feet above where the controller stands (on the ground)? Wow I didn’t realize that, my bad!

 

[dawgpilot]

So it’s 400 feet above where the controller stands (on the ground)? Wow I didn’t realize that, my bad!

Well, not exactly. It's 400 feet AGL (above ground level). If you are actually flying over terrain that has a different elevation, then you can rise to 400 feet above that piece of earth.

What you can not do as a recreational pilot is fly 400 feet above the top of buildings or towers. Part 107 pilots have that "freedom" (absent any limitations of controlled airspace), but recreational pilots do not.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Well, not exactly. It's 400 feet AGL (above ground level). If you are actually flying over terrain that has a different elevation, then you can rise to 400 feet above that piece of earth.

That’s been out hobbyist rule for, well, (nearly) forever here in Oz.
But how on Earth can anyone easily tell exactly how for + or - the terrain is changing is the question.
Apart from autonomous flight software and pre planning for terrain, or somehow attaching an altimeter to the drone to give a reading to the pilot, you just have to take a best guess.

 

[tcope]

Yup... so legally, if you fly 10' away from a cliff and go up past 400' you are illegal. As if this creates any problem. However, I can see where a line needs to be drawn. However, if it is safe for commercial flight I see no reason it should not be legal for hobby flight.

Personally, I think they should just have the same rules for everyone at this point.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Yup... so legally, if you fly 10' away from a cliff and go up past 400' you are illegal. As if this creates any problem. However, I can see where a line needs to be drawn.

Once you move from over the cliff edge, if the cliff is 400’ high you wouldn’t even need to go up more than a foot to technically outside the rule.
I agree about difference it would make, unless flying a reasonable distance from the edge, so yes the line was drawn where it can be clearly known, most likely.

 

[AMann]

Well, not exactly. It's 400 feet AGL (above ground level). If you are actually flying over terrain that has a different elevation, then you can rise to 400 feet above that piece of earth.

What you can not do as a recreational pilot is fly 400 feet above the top of buildings or towers. Part 107 pilots have that "freedom" (absent any limitations of controlled airspace), but recreational pilots do not.

Ah, That part makes sense, AGL directly below the drone is what I meant, but didn’t realize the part about structures was excluded for recreational pilots.

 

[AMann]

Once you move from over the cliff edge, if the cliff is 400’ high you wouldn’t even need to go up more than a foot to technically outside the rule.
I agree about difference it would make, unless flying a reasonable distance from the edge, so yes the line was drawn where it can be clearly known, most likely.

OK, now I’m confused. As both recreational and commercial pilots could do before, if you’re a recreational pilot standing at the base of a cliff wall or mountain that is higher than 400’ above you, wouldn’t you need to stay within 400 feet from the side of it in order to be able to fly higher than 400’ above you?

 

[old man mavic]

this is one of the issues that i come up against whenever i fly where i live in Wales,there are not many places to fly that are reasonably flat so if i am flying in mountains say i take off and go up 50ft once i go out to say 500ft i could be more than 250 ft up and it is very difficult to really know what height i am actually flying at,and in some instances,if i follow the terrain i can find the height display on the screen is showing a negative figure from where i actually took of from ,at best i can only hope that i am complying with the rules the best i can

 

[AMann]

This image pretty well explains it [self-redacted due to error]

 

[AMann]

this is one of the issues that i come up against whenever i fly where i live in Wales,there are not many places to fly that are reasonably flat so if i am flying in mountains say i take off and go up 50ft once i go out to say 500ft I could be more than 250 ft up and it is very difficult to really know what height i am actually flying at,and in some instances,if i follow the terrain i can find the height display on the screen is showing a negative figure from where i actually took of from ,at best i can only hope that i am complying with the rules the best i can

(In the US) I keep a topo map file from USGS on my iPad to compare the elevation from where I am standing to where I am flying, There is a peak I often fly up to [EDIT: in uncontrolled airspace] that is about 550 feet higher than my takeoff point, so I unlock my altitude limit and reset it to 850 feet in order to fly up above the summit of that peak. On my way up to the summit, I rarely let my drone fly higher than 200 feet AGL.

 

[old man mavic]

it is a shame that the height readout on the app screen is only giving you height above take off point and not the AGL height where the drone actually is during flight ,not so much an issue in reasonably flat terrain in VLOS and i bet people have been caught out thinking that they are flying under 400ft AGL when in fact they are really above that

 

[BigAl07]

Up to 400’ unless you are flying within 400’ up the side of a structure or terrain, then its up to 400’ directly above that.

So long as your don't enter into Controlled Airspace or you're not flying in a "Gridded" section. If you are flying in a "Gridded" section (or under an Airspace Authorization/Waiver) you are flying under Absolute height limits. You can NOT bust the altitude limit unless it's an emergency and in that case you need to report it IMMEDIATELY.

As a first hand example: a couple of weeks ago I was flying with an Authorization of 100' AGL. The building I was shooting was 85' high. If that building would of had a 16' Tower/Antennae/Observation deck or whatever I could not have flown over it period. My Authorization was strictly 100' and not 100' plus whatever I needed.

 

[AMann]

There was an app posted here that supposedly showed elevations of the ground on the background map below the drone, I think it was just imprinted as topo lines on the map though and uou’d still have to do the math, but it was for android. Cant find it now...

 

[Thomas B]

Anyone seen a readable geodetic survey map with NFZs overlaid?