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Anybody flying in Northern Illinois/Southeastern Wisconsin

Niterider

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Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
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Location
Hainesville Illinois
I'm new to the hobby, going to do commercial work when I get more experience. I am looking for great places to fly around northern Illinois. I would like to try along Lake Michigan. Right now I need the flight time... I brought my Drone to Arizona for a week and found it either too hot to fly or too windy and cloudy. Plus, the terrain isnt flat and too many trees and barbed wire...
Would be interested in group flying too....
 
I'm new to the hobby, going to do commercial work when I get more experience. I am looking for great places to fly around northern Illinois. I would like to try along Lake Michigan. Right now I need the flight time... I brought my Drone to Arizona for a week and found it either too hot to fly or too windy and cloudy. Plus, the terrain isnt flat and too many trees and barbed wire...
Would be interested in group flying too....

First thought of IL?
Get the hell out of that broke ***, gun hating state. I moved from Southern IL to Madison WI.
You’re going to find more NFZ’s in IL vs. WI.

Go close to the state line of IL/WI and get some footage of the hundreds of Wind Turbines.

Take 90 N towards WI and you’ll find a rest stop in IL that will have the Wind Turbines all around you. Launch and go check them out.

They may look like they’re moving slow but the wind is not near them.
 
I live in Lindenhurst, Illinois which is near the state line about 4 miles east of 94. I belong to a radio control club that has a field in the Van Patten Woods North Forest preserve. That is the only place in Lake County Forest Preserves that permits radio control flying which includes drones. I am not sure that it would stand up to legal challenge since only the federal government can regulate the national airspace. Illinois state parks and beaches generally permit drone flights though the local superintendent may prohibit flights at specific locations, Not sure about Illinois Beach 'State Park as have never tried to fly there.

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

See my post above they are permitted at the flying field. While you are probably right that they can’t prohibit overflights the ordinance does. I doubt that they considered the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause when they passed the ordinance. The ordinance says you cannot use district property for use of any fuel or electric powered radio controlled aircraft. And I sure doubt that a Lake County Forest Preserve Ranger is going to grasp the finer points of constitutional law and would probably ticket you if he saw you. All that being said remember you are still required to fly line of sight if you do overfly the forest preserve.

You ought to consider joining our club the Lake County Radio Control Club. We maintain the flying field in the Special Use Area of Van Patten Woods North which is on the North side of Russell Road about 3/4 mile east of I94. Send me a message if you want to make contact.
 
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See my post above they are permitted at the flying field. While you are probably right that they can’t permit overflights the ordinance does. I doubt that they considered the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause when they passed the ordinance. The ordinance says you cannot use district property for use of any fuel or electric powered radio controlled aircraft. And I sure doubt that a Lake County Forest Preserve Ranger is going to grasp the finer points of constitutional law and would probably ticket you if he saw you. All that being said remember you are still required to fly line of sight if you do overfly the forest preserve.

You ought to consider joining our club the Lake County Radio Control Club. We maintain the flying field in the Special Use Area of Van Patten Woods North which is on the North side of Russell Road about 3/4 mile east of I94. Send me a message if you want to make contact.

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.
 
I live in Lindenhurst, Illinois which is near the state line about 4 miles east of 94. I belong to a radio control club that has a field in the Van Patten Woods North Forest preserve. That is the only place in Lake County Forest Preserves that permits radio control flying which includes drones. I am not sure that it would stand up to legal challenge since only the federal government can regulate the national airspace. Illinois state parks and beaches generally permit drone flights though the local superintendent may prohibit flights at specific locations, Not sure about Illinois Beach 'State Park as have never tried to fly there.

Hope that is some help.
Jack
Is there information on how to join the club and get access to that area at Van Patten Woods? I’ve got a drone I just started with today. Thanks. Eryk
 
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