Southern Maryland restricted area

Lakesteve124 · May 7, 2023

Good afteroon guys,

I'm flying an Air 2S and am headed to Chesapeake Beach, MD over the holiday weekend later this month. I notice it's at the tail end of the DC "restricted zone", which would not allow me to fly over 400 feet. I'm hearing this differs and it's restricted on the FAA app but not the DJI app? Just wondering if I will be able to take off. I live across the street from a county airport at home and was able to override the restrictions within a few minutes using the unlock site. Just want to be prepared. I don't think I would go much higher than 400 feet but I'd like to get some shots of the bay that show both shores. Does anybody have experience with this living in that area?

Thanks all.

DoomMeister · May 7, 2023

I am assuming you are referring to the outer ring of the DC SFRA. The rules for it are pretty much the same as for §44809 flights anyway. Recreational pilots are restricted to 400’ AGL or less depending on the airspace they are flying in so the 400’ AGL and VLOS restrictions of the DC SFRA does not change.

Other things to be aware of would be VIP TFR’s and possible local restrictions on launching, operating, and landing in some public areas.

I still haven’t figured out why people think they have the right to exceed lawful altitudes so they can get the photo or video they want.

Lakesteve124 · May 7, 2023

Thanks. You make a good point about not exceeding 400 feet. I've been keeping mine to the factory lockdown of 120M, but If I went above that just to get the right shot and something happened it would likely void my warranty in addition to being unlawful altitude. I appreciate the input.

DoomMeister · May 7, 2023

Lakesteve124 said:
Thanks. You make a good point about not exceeding 400 feet. I've been keeping mine to the factory lockdown of 120M, but If I went above that just to get the right shot and something happened it would likely void my warranty in addition to being unlawful altitude. I appreciate the input.

One thing to understand is that the altitude you see on the controller display is referenced to the takeoff point and not necessarily the altitude above the terrain the aircraft is flying over.

The AGL altitude you are allowed to fly is measured directly below the aircraft. If you are on the beach and fly out over the ocean the AGL you are flying would be the same or slightly more than that measured by the barometer on the aircraft and displayed on the controller.

If you were to launch on the beach and fly inland a bit you can follow the terrain and be 400’ above it. So if 200 yards inland from the beach is 50’ higher than the beach you can legally be at 400’ AGL, but be reading 450’ on the controller.

BobaFut · May 8, 2023

Lakesteve124 said:
Good afteroon guys,

I'm flying an Air 2S and am headed to Chesapeake Beach, MD over the holiday weekend later this month. I notice it's at the tail end of the DC "restricted zone", which would not allow me to fly over 400 feet. I'm hearing this differs and it's restricted on the FAA app but not the DJI app? Just wondering if I will be able to take off. I live across the street from a county airport at home and was able to override the restrictions within a few minutes using the unlock site. Just want to be prepared. I don't think I would go much higher than 400 feet but I'd like to get some shots of the bay that show both shores. Does anybody have experience with this living in that area?

Thanks all.

If you're outside the DC FRZ (the no-fly zone) but in the DC SFRA, DJI's apps don't even register it as a restriction. Based on my experience, DJI Fly will only register a restriction if it's less than 400 feet, regardless of what type of restriction there is. In my video here, you can see that I'm in the DC SFRA (in Reston, Virginia) AND in a 400-foot square for Dulles' airspace and DJI Fly went directly to "Takeoff Permitted."

I didn't fly over 400 feet AGL, but I'm confident that DJI would've let me even though I was doubly-forbidden (the SFRA and the Dulles airspace restrictions) because it seems to treat 400-foot zones the same as unrestricted airspace (which isn't great!).