Orange County CA- Mavic Grounded

[SoCal_Mavic]

I live in the city of Orange in OC CA and recently was flying at the local park I have flown at for the past couple years. I was caught off guard when a "park ranger" came up to me and told me it was illegal to fly in the park. I didn't want to make a stink so I landed and spoke to him to try and find out what this rule was.
I did inform him that I was registered and was following the FAA guidelines. He was not pushy by any means but told me it was a city Ordinance - 12.48.060 which I will attach.

Needless to say I'm a bit bummed about this situation. I called City Hall and they forwarded me to City attorney who said it is "Illegal" to fly in any park in the city of Orange. I explained to him that's not how the code reads to me- he said "I understand how you feel" but you can't fly in any park in the city of Orange.

Curious if any other Orange County residents or anyone else trying to fly have had any issues like what I experienced.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Andrew F]

I live in the city of Orange in OC CA and recently was flying at the local park I have flown at for the past couple years. I was caught off guard when a "park ranger" came up to me and told me it was illegal to fly in the park. I didn't want to make a stink so I landed and spoke to him to try and find out what this rule was.
I did inform him that I was registered and was following the FAA guidelines. He was not pushy by any means but told me it was a city Ordinance - 12.48.060 which I will attach.

Needless to say I'm a bit bummed about this situation. I called City Hall and they forwarded me to City attorney who said it is "Illegal" to fly in any park in the city of Orange. I explained to him that's not how the code reads to me- he said "I understand how you feel" but you can't fly in any park in the city of Orange.

Curious if any other Orange County residents or anyone else trying to fly have had any issues like what I experienced.

Thanks,
Matt

View attachment 4081

Dude. You live in a seriously messed up place if kids and their parents can't play catch with a ball in a park. Drones are the least of that city's problems - but obviously if you can't play catch you wouldn't be allowed to fly a quad copter. Seriously. What a travesty. I'd move away in a heart beat. I'm surprised they let you walk on the grass.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

I think by "propelled objects such as balls" they mean like air guns, nerf guns, potato guns (hahaha) etc. The radio control part is a STATE PARKS ordinance in California... although most of the time they ignore that rule. They have been flying R/C at Folsom Lake State Park for over 30 years...

 

[wnfaknd]

WHat park was this?

 

[Daskid]

Should be relatively easy to drive to neighboring cities that allow such activity. The City of Orange is so uptight.

 

[Advexure]

That's unbelievable...and I thought we had it bad on the west side of LA

 

[MavicMo]

I hate to say this is NOT unique to OC or SoCal or even a recent ruling since the advent of Quads/Drones.

I live in Metro-Denver, Colorado and long before there were quads/drones a similarly worded rule has been around. I discovered this over 15 years ago when I tried to launch an R/C boat at the reservoir. Park Rangers pointed out the rule to me. A little while later I was at City type park using a small Park Flyer. City/Park employee nicely told me rules (while not posted on the sign, but the sign did reference the a location for the full set of rules) forbid the use of R/C or motorized vehicles at the park.

When that happened I did some homework and researched State and City Park rules. They all have rules very similar to what you posted. This also extends to Open Space and any area that is managed by city or state parks.

I'll admit this hasn't stopped me from flying at some of the smaller, less used parks. Most of the smaller park signs don't say anything about R/C, but do say something about motorized vehicles. To date no one has harassed or approached me about not being able to fly at the park(s).

There was one occasion when there were a group of city/park employees doing some type of work. I saw one from a distance start coming my way. I was prepared to be confronted and would comply if told I couldn't fly. BUT instead the employee wanted to know if I could take some pictures of them doing their work from the air....

Anyways, my point was don't feel this is something unique (singled out) to OC. I'll bet most parks in well-populated cities/counties have similar rules...

I live in the city of Orange in OC CA and recently was flying at the local park I have flown at for the past couple years. I was caught off guard when a "park ranger" came up to me and told me it was illegal to fly in the park. I didn't want to make a stink so I landed and spoke to him to try and find out what this rule was.
I did inform him that I was registered and was following the FAA guidelines. He was not pushy by any means but told me it was a city Ordinance - 12.48.060 which I will attach.

Needless to say I'm a bit bummed about this situation. I called City Hall and they forwarded me to City attorney who said it is "Illegal" to fly in any park in the city of Orange. I explained to him that's not how the code reads to me- he said "I understand how you feel" but you can't fly in any park in the city of Orange.

Curious if any other Orange County residents or anyone else trying to fly have had any issues like what I experienced.

Thanks,
Matt

View attachment 4081

 

[hak1308]

In Canada it is prohibited to fly in any National Park.


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[Robert Mitchell]

In the US, all national park lands are off limits also, the stated reason being noise and disturbing wildlife. Yet a blaring Harley Davidson is perfectly legal. Drones are also illegal in all of my state's parks.

Forty something states have passed laws as of last year to try to further restrict drone activity. We need to be aware and push back when legislation is introduced.

 

[Will.i.am]

Is there any penalty or fine imposed? Otherwise I would just go and fly until somebody official told me to stop. Then I would stop and come back the next day.

 

[Bivalve]

This is all very gray. All airspace in the US is regulated and controlled by the FAA, and they are very jealous about their authority. Still, you have to take off and land. I agree. We have to push back.

 

[SoCal_Mavic]

WHat park was this?

Next to Santa Ana River Bike Trail

 

[SoCal_Mavic]

Is there any penalty or fine imposed? Otherwise I would just go and fly until somebody official told me to stop. Then I would stop and come back the next day.

Not that I could find-

 

[SoCal_Mavic]

This is all very gray. All airspace in the US is regulated and controlled by the FAA, and they are very jealous about their authority. Still, you have to take off and land. I agree. We have to push back.

Very gray- which poses the question if I were to take off from the public area outside or around the park and was flying over- I am I technically not "flying" at the park. Who knows...
Thanks for feed back-

 

[longrange]

I live in canada and have taken very nice video in national parks. I go when it is not busy. I find a private place to take off. I go straight up to at least 250 feet. Most times 350 feet. Mavic can't be seen or heard up there. I fly around and get the video I want and then come back and straight down. Pack everything away and go about my day in the park with my family.


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[Robert Mitchell]

Very gray- which poses the question if I were to take off from the public area outside or around the park and was flying over- I am I technically not "flying" at the park. Who knows...
Thanks for feed back-

Not really gray from a federal legal standpoint. If you take off and land outside the park boundaries, you are legal to fly anywhere, except restricted airspace "as defined by the FAA".

I am fighting the same battle with our state park system and they have openly admitted as much.
I had a NPS ranger in Florida, tell me the same thing.

The problem is, many authorities and local government entities are not familiar with, or they simply do not care about, FAA preemption in this matter, and you will be fighting a huge battle if you choose to ignore them.

I have been following this trend for years now and it isn't getting better, but worse.

 

[longrange]

Technically, if you take off and land outside the park boundaries, you are legal to fly anywhere, except restricted airspace "as defined by the FAA".

I am fighting the same battle with our state park system and they have openly admitted as much.

The problem is, many authorities and local government entities are not familiar with, or they simply do not care about, FAA preemption in this matter, and you will be fighting a huge battle if you choose to ignore them.

I have been following this trend for years now and it isn't getting better, but worse.

Same gray area up here in canada except there is a 2000 foot restriction over national park. So can't fly over 300 feet by law but need to be over 2000 feet to fly over park. Looks like this gray area is black in reality.


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[NorthEastJohn]

I have only run into one issue while videoing Great White Sharks on Cape Cod from Cape Cod National Seashore managed by NPS. The Ranger was polite and provided a link to the regulation. On the very last page NPS clearly states the the FAA has authority over all airspace above NPS and that the regulation only restricts takeoff/landing and flying while standing on NPS managed land or in this case from a boat up to 1 mile offshore. As long as you don't operate on NPS land you are OK.
So I continue to fly over NPS managed beaches chasing sharks during off-season when nobody is around and I am standing on town property (boat launches) where the town does not have a restriction yet

 

[Robert Mitchell]

I have only run into one issue while videoing Great White Sharks on Cape Cod from Cape Cod National Seashore managed by NPS. The Ranger was polite and provided a link to the regulation. On the very last page NPS clearly states the the FAA has authority over all airspace above NPS and that the regulation only restricts takeoff/landing and flying while standing on NPS managed land or in this case from a boat up to 1 mile offshore. As long as you don't operate on NPS land you are OK.
So I continue to fly over NPS managed beaches chasing sharks during off-season when nobody is around and I am standing on town property (boat launches) where the town does not have a restriction yet

"yet"

 

[Robert Mitchell]

I live in canada and have taken very nice video in national parks. I go when it is not busy. I find a private place to take off. I go straight up to at least 250 feet. Most times 350 feet. Mavic can't be seen or heard up there. I fly around and get the video I want and then come back and straight down. Pack everything away and go about my day in the park with my family.


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It's too bad we are put in a position of finding ways around, or ignoring stupid or overly restrictive laws.

Here in America (some of us) like to say It's better to have no law in the first place. But unfortunately, the trend here, is toward more and more, and not less.

End political rant.