Recent content by Copter808

Two suggestions: Make a police report. Distribute flyers in the area where you lost it. In the future make sure you have contact information on it somewhere. Was it registered?

OK, sounds good.

I would like to meet you. I will try to find time this week, otherwise it will be in January as I will be in Laos and Vietnam for a few weeks. Let’s try to meet for coffee this week.

Illinois used to require registration of pilots and aircraft. Don’t know if they still do as I have not been active in many years.

I’m interested too. Living in Wadsworth/Antioch. I think lake county forest preserves prohibit drone operation, but they cannot prohibit overflights.

One of the things you’re going to have to do is to notify any heliports within 5 miles. There are probably several, mostly at hospitals. There are LOTS of them in Houston. Several airports too, depending on where you are.

The only people who MIGHT have authority to shoot it down would me military or law enforcement in certain (extreme) conditions. You are operating an AIRCRAFT and shooting it down is a federal offense

Notice (not permission) within 5 miles (including hospital/private/commercial heliports. He will need to have permission in the JFK Class B airspace. I was always under the impression that you need permission in class C and D as well, but don’t have time to research it now. You raised a good...

I’m not aware that you need to register/unregistered a specific aircraft. When I registered the license was issued to ME (an individual) and the issued number is to be put on any drone I own. This may have changed since 2015 though. I did it when it was still free.

You’re going to need permission from JFK ATC though. Also need to notify any uncontrolled airports within 5 miles.

Steve, if you’ve been on the job more than five minutes, you already knew the second part! But that’s what makes the job interesting.

It should be legal from the FAA standpoint. No reason for the FAA to legislate either way as there are numerous city and state ordinances dealing with hazardous conduct. One might reasonably be able to operate a drone inside a hangar or large building, but the terminals just aren’t going to cut it.

Not a good idea to push things though. The NPS could probably push for a TFR, similar to what Disney did. Then you would NOT be permitted to fly OVER the parks. Let’s instead keep a low profile and educate the NPS and others about drone operations.

IF there was a TFR active and you flew your helicopter into it, you might WISH you had crashed into the ocean!