Can I fly around a small rural downtown area

[Gerry65]

I'm temporarily in a small rural town with a small downtown that has municiple building on the downtown square. I was wanting to fly around the square 50 feet up and then maybe 100 feet or so up, probably using the waypoint mode. I would also do a higher type flyover. I will most likely ask the authorities first but want to make sure that if I am legally OK before I request permission.

I will do this probably just after sunrise so as to draw the least attention and so that there would be no one really out and about. And, I'd make sure that I'd be above the tallest buildings, which are all under 40 feet.

Does anyone see any issues with me doing this?

 

[Fleek]

I'm temporarily in a small rural town with a small downtown that has municiple building on the downtown square. I was wanting to fly around the square 50 feet up and then maybe 100 feet or so up, probably using the waypoint mode. I would also do a higher type flyover. I will most likely ask the authorities first but want to make sure that if I am legally OK before I request permission.

I will do this probably just after sunrise so as to draw the least attention and so that there would be no one really out and about. And, I'd make sure that I'd be above the tallest buildings, which are all under 40 feet.

Does anyone see any issues with me doing this?

No issues. Yes, fly. Have fun.

 

[FatherXmas]

I don't think I'd ask the authorities first. If you fly just after sunrise as indicated in your post, it's highly unlikely anyone would notice, so why open a can of worms. Just my opinion.

 

[MisterMavic]

I don't think I'd ask the authorities first. If you fly just after sunrise as indicated in your post, it's highly unlikely anyone would notice, so why open a can of worms. Just my opinion.

Fly and enjoy!

 

[Robert Mitchell]

First, I am assuming you are in the US.

I was once told by police that it was "absolutely illegal" to fly in a town I had traveled to.

Going on their word I left without getting any footage, which I was going to use to their benefit in fundraising in the aftermath of a disaster.

Upon returning home I called the town officials to confirm what I had been told. The town manager informed me that there was no such law, ordinance, or restriction ever in place and that I was more than welcome to shoot there.

As long as you're not in a Federal NFZ, and there are no local ordinances against takeoff and landing there, you are good to go.

Check your details first, and then you will not need to ask permission from anyone.

 

[Chun]

Do it brother!!! What can happen they say take your ball and go home. ( Assuming you don't hit anyone)

 

[Pp09nlk2n]

Other tips I have found for your "minimal disturbance" flying situation.

- remember the Mavic makes noise. So on takeoff I like to shoot up to about 250 - 300 ft so bystanders don't hear a weird buzzing while I spend a few minutes getting my bearings and settings / camera exposures the way I want it. Then I dip down low to take the footage I need, minimizing my noticeabilty as much as possible.

- don't appear hover above/follow people- even if you were just taking photos of a building and didn't notice the lady going for a jog. That's a sure fire way to freak someone out and get shut down.

- try not to take off/land where you plan to be shooting video OR have a plan B landing location away from that site. So if suddenly the previously empty town square fills up with people or an angry looking police officer, you can abort landing there and instead land in the nearby park of whatever so they don't see that you are the guy to come over and yell at.


I agree with others - assuming you are in the US, look up online to make sure there aren't any state or local ordinances against flying, but don't call some local police office to ask. No one has asked them before and they won't know off hand - may just say "no" to get rid of you.

If you DO have to ask, refer to your device as "an RC toy Helicopter", that is less scary sounding than "drone" to people.

 

[hychewright]

I agree with others, just fly safe and go have some fun !

 

[MisterMavic]

I agree with Pp09nlk2nWTF and also follow many of his steps especially the get up and off quickly (insert joke here) to avoid detection. I always look for an empty parking lot or other out of the way spot for takeoff and landing. When I do land I don't mess around packing everything up, it's usually the Mavic and RC on the seat and move out. It's not that I'm doing anything wrong it's just not worth the hassle from people and/or police who aren't educated in the rules. They think "that can't be legal!" That is the nice thing about shooting with a drone, pissy people can't really do much about it. They don't know where the operator is and even if they do see it go down, you can be long gone before they even get to the area to look for you so long as you don't stay in the area too long packing everything up real nice. Set it on the seat next to you or in the back seat and move down the road out of the area and pull off and pack it up. When I first got my drone I was out in the country and pulled off and was practicing zipping around over a huge empty field. It was about 20 acres of nothing but grass with nothing around for miles and wouldn't you know it 10 minutes in a truck came down the road and stopped and the lady said, "you can't fly that here this is private property." No problem, I packed up and left. What was I hurting? What possibly could have happened to cause the owner a problem. About 99.999% chance of nothing but it was her property and I respected her right tell me to leave. She didn't have to do it with the look she had on her face like I was setting up camp on her land but so goes the life of us rebel pilots.

 

[EJay]

I use the principle that:
It's easier to seek forgiveness than permission!
(Now my wife uses it, especially after shopping [emoji2][emoji1][emoji38])

I think the term "Drone" has not yet matured and can have some fearsome connotations for a lot of people. It ranges from a mini toy to large scale military bomber.
So I use the terms:
Flying camera, camera on fans, aerial camera, mini chopper, electric helicopter etc. Some say ok, others say you mean a drone? Yes I suppose it could be. Whatever.

 

[Mavic626]

i was actually thinking of trying to disguise my drone as a bird so people would not recognize it quickly.

 

[Grey Wolf]

You could always tell the authorities you have a toy "Cow" you'd like to fly! They'd probably say yes just to get rid of you! Lol!

 

[Herathome]

I sometimes like to put my mavic in the saddlebag of my Harley Davidson and pull up and take footage but i seem to always attract unwanted attention so now I like to take the family 4wd and children,send the children off to draw attention playing while I skulk off to the side and fly. Less problems this way.

 

[Lapeer20m]

Two things:

If you wear a reflective vest and a hard hat people will think you are working and thus upposed to be doing whatever it is you are doing.

If you are in Michigan, you can fly your drone pretty much anywhere the FAA allowes as long as you are not violating people's privacy as Michigan has strong preemption laws that prohibit municipalities from making any rules related to drones.

 

[Gerry65]

Thanks everyone. And, yes, I am in the USA; Illinois specifically. I just thought that we were supposed to stay away from cities and tall buildings, even if otherwise legal. Love the suggestions and the humor is even more enlightening. This is a farm town so, yes, Grey Wolf, they'd be fine with flying a cow over the town. I was planning on my home point being in a park a couple of blocks away and I like the landing and running w/o packing up idea. Great idea to start high up and slowly come down to kinda fade into the scene and then get the heck out of there. Thanks all.

 

[Pp09nlk2n]

Thanks everyone. And, yes, I am in the USA; Illinois specifically. I just thought that we were supposed to stay away from cities and tall buildings, even if otherwise legal. Love the suggestions and the humor is even more enlightening. This is a farm town so, yes, Grey Wolf, they'd be fine with flying a cow over the town. I was planning on my home point being in a park a couple of blocks away and I like the landing and running w/o packing up idea. Great idea to start high up and slowly come down to kinda fade into the scene and then get the heck out of there. Thanks all.

"Avoid tall buildings and big cities" isn't really a legal thing but more of a practical one: More houses = usually more Wifi and other RF interference decreasing range. And tall buildings becomes a problem for RTH on signal loss. Fly behind a 600 ft building when your RTH is set to 200 feet and your Mavic will rise up to 200 ft then smash into the side of it.

But a small rural town isn't likely to have either problem. Common sense should be all you need to stay out of trouble on this one.

Have fun and get some good pictures.

 

[Pp09nlk2n]

You could always tell the authorities you have a toy "Cow" you'd like to fly! They'd probably say yes just to get rid of you! Lol!

There was that video of the guy turning his taxidermied cat into a drone. Maybe that would work.