Can I fly my drone over my house in a NFZ?

[Vic Moss]

They might let you take off but you have to get permission first! That happened to me and I had to call the FAA and they sent me a code to unlock my Drone but I was restricted to 161 feet and my Drone wouldn’t go over 161 feet! Believe me, I tried!

Who at the FAA gave you a code to unlock your drone? That needs to come from DJI.

 

[chuckm]

I live and regularly fly from my house in the same airspace as delineated in one of the above maps. I am within the area marked 250 feet. I always obtain a LAANC authorization from the FAA before I fly. I also do the same when I fly in a park (not in the quarantine period) within the map area indicating 400 feet. The park area is a GEO zone as well, so I always perform the unlocking procedure through DJI and then go through another unlocking procedure on the Fly app to enable flying my Mini. Tedious, but effective.

 

[fguthrie]

You can’t fly in the blue circle like we talked about but it’s ok outside the circle.

I am outside of the circle and up the street on Via Play De Cortes. As you indicated early on in this post, I am in the "Yes" portion you marked. Thank you very much for you help.

 

[BMapes]

They might let you take off but you have to get permission first! That happened to me and I had to call the FAA and they sent me a code to unlock my Drone but I was restricted to 161 feet and my Drone wouldn’t go over 161 feet! Believe me, I tried!

I would call the FAA flight standards district office ( FSDO) they can give you the answer you are looking for. I was told to use the Kittyhawk app that is faa approved . I love inside the local airports airspace, I have to get authorization to fly at my house. It is easy with this app. I have it on my phone so I just put the info in and in one minute literally I have my authorization. It can be used hobbyists or 107 no problem. Check it out.
Bottom line is do not be afraid to call the FAA they are willing to help explain the regulations.

 

[Vic Moss]

I would call the FAA flight standards district office ( FSDO) they can give you the answer you are looking for. I was told to use the Kittyhawk app that is faa approved . I love inside the local airports airspace, I have to get authorization to fly at my house. It is easy with this app. I have it on my phone so I just put the info in and in one minute literally I have my authorization. It can be used hobbyists or 107 no problem. Check it out.
Bottom line is do not be afraid to call the FAA they are willing to help explain the regulations.

All USS (Airspace permission providers) are FAA approved. There is no other way tp get permission. I wish FSDO would give out correct information. Also, they can get in trouble for suggesting a provider.

 

[rob levine]

The point is if it WAS set up like this then the area hereView attachment 98461
Wouldn’t go into the restricted area and wouldn’t be a 0 ft area just for happening to be in the same imaginary square that the FAA dreamt up one day for no reason. It would probably be a 250 ft area.

I’ll take it step further... why isn’t it based on concentric circles? You know kinda like how aeronautical charts are?

View attachment 98463
Does this not make much more sense and easier to follow?? Why did they have to come up with some all new system based on a grid?

They're not all setup like that. Check out the controlled airspace around Phoenix, for example.

 

[Crigstar]

Some LAANC providers do follow the sectional layout on the outer limits.
In the specific case the OP wants to fly:

View attachment 98455

Nice map: who is that from?

 

[Keule]

Nice map: who is that from?

Verizon Robotics

Verizon Robotics builds software and connectivity solutions optimized for aerial and ground robotics, harnessing the power of the Verizon 5G network to help customers solve challenges.

skyward.io

 

[Tom Grill]

This has interested me as well. Airmap believes that I am in class G airspace, but the FAA map says otherwise. As such when I power up my DJI Mavic 2 Pro, it tells me I am in a NFZ. Use this street as a reference point "Via Playa De Cortes, San Diego, California 92124, United States". I live on the outside of the NFZ according to airman.

AirMap Web App

app.airmap.com

I just checked your address on Skyward.io and you are just outside of the NFZ. So you are allowed to fly around your home. That said, I can tell you that sometimes DJI gets the zones mixed up and won't let your drone fly. I've had that happen several times. So now, no matter where I fly, I go to the DJI website to get a release to fly anytime I have a doubt.

I can also tell you that you can get a waiver from the FAA to fly around your house even if you are in a NFZ so long as you have some sort of ceiling allowance. My house is in a Class C airspace but the ceiling is 200' so I applied for and received a waiver from the FAA to fly here for a period of six months. When the waiver expires, I renew it again.

 

[fguthrie]

I just checked your address on Skyward.io and you are just outside of the NFZ. So you are allowed to fly around your home. That said, I can tell you that sometimes DJI gets the zones mixed up and won't let your drone fly. I've had that happen several times. So now, no matter where I fly, I go to the DJI website to get a release to fly anytime I have a doubt.

I can also tell you that you can get a waiver from the FAA to fly around your house even if you are in a NFZ so long as you have some sort of ceiling allowance. My house is in a Class C airspace but the ceiling is 200' so I applied for and received a waiver from the FAA to fly here for a period of six months. When the waiver expires, I renew it again.

Thank you - this was very helpful information. DJI does think I am in a NFZ, but it seems like the last time I tried to fly in my house (it has high ceilings and I was desperate), I was able to override it. I'll try it out this weekend and let you all know how it goes. Thanks again and stay safe!

 

[Flynz]

Where I come from (Auckland New Zealand) sheltered flying in controlled airspace is fine. That means no higher than any man made or natural feature within 50 m of the drone. We can’t fly over private property without consent or roads but your own place and most parks are fine. Much of our central city is out because of three helo landing pads. One is a formal aerodrome . We have 4 km circles around ours. ATC is above 400ft so is irrelevant anyway outside the 4 km. But sheltered flying is fine. As one person pointed out if you have a bell jet ranger at tree top level over your house you may have other things to worry about. We have a lot of police chopper activity. They fly above 500 ft and tend to stand off and circle their target, using advanced tech to see.

 

[Flash-Phil]

First, I hope all of you are staying safe in this most unusual time. I don't know how you all are doing, but I sure miss flying.

Here is my question: I live in a NFZ, however we know even though I live in a NFZ, I can still fly in my house (which happens to have high ceilings) as the FAA does not control the airspace within my house. Yea, I know what you are thinking, why would anyone fly in their house? We have all explored this thought in one way or another. Moving on to my question. I've heard (but have not been able to verify) that the airspace of my home actually extends twice the height of my home. Which may mean that even though I live in a NFZ, I could fly my drone just above my own home legally. Thoughts? Thanks for your feedback.

The answer is, it depends. Example, there is a No Fly Zone of 30 mi around the White House. This includes drone in the first 15 miles. 15-30 miles you can fly < 55 lbs drones with these restrictions.

• Aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (including any attachments such as a camera)
• Aircraft must be registered and marked (iffy, don't think the FAA has solidified this req yet)
• Fly below 400 ft.
• Fly within visual line-of-sight
• Fly in clear weather conditions
• Never fly near other aircraft

If you're a Part 107 pilot with registered drone, you can request to fly inside the 15 miles (good luck with that). No cert, no way...

 

[Flash-Phil]

The answer is, it depends. Example, there is a No Fly Zone of 30 mi around the White House. This includes drone in the first 15 miles. 15-30 miles you can fly < 55 lbs drones with these restrictions.

• Aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (including any attachments such as a camera)
• Aircraft must be registered and marked (iffy, don't think the FAA has solidified this req yet)
• Fly below 400 ft.
• Fly within visual line-of-sight
• Fly in clear weather conditions
• Never fly near other aircraft

If you're a Part 107 pilot with registered drone, you can request to fly inside the 15 miles (good luck with that). No cert, no way...

Oh, and inside your house is not a No Fly Zone. NFZ is outside. Even a school gym is exempt from that rule. Think of it like this, can you threaten the public from within your house (cats not included)?

 

[sar104]

Oh, and inside your house is not a No Fly Zone. NFZ is outside. Even a school gym is exempt from that rule. Think of it like this, can you threaten the public from within your house (cats not included)?

I think what you mean is that indoors is not airspace under FAA jurisdiction. The FAA doesn't use the term NFZ. It is ambiguous since it is often used to refer to zones in the DJI Geo system that don't allow flight, and which have no way to distinguish indoors from outdoors.

 

[jonesFoto]

For a grid they needed a regular shape that would tessellate, so the options were triangles, squares or hexagons.

As always, what a smart, thoughtful reply. Thanks.

 

[dave canada]

well the nfz at my place is strict my drone won,t start period

 

[Eagle Jr]

First, I hope all of you are staying safe in this most unusual time. I don't know how you all are doing, but I sure miss flying.

Here is my question: I live in a NFZ, however we know even though I live in a NFZ, I can still fly in my house (which happens to have high ceilings) as the FAA does not control the airspace within my house. Yea, I know what you are thinking, why would anyone fly in their house? We have all explored this thought in one way or another. Moving on to my question. I've heard (but have not been able to verify) that the airspace of my home actually extends twice the height of my home. Which may mean that even though I live in a NFZ, I could fly my drone just above my own home legally. Thoughts? Thanks for your feedback.

My office/warehouse is right beside a city airport. NFZ pops up if I turn my Mavic Pro Platinum on. I still have had to make a couple of flights over my buildings to check roof repairs and storm damage. When I get the NFZ warning I go to start the props as normal and a message appears on my screen from DJI letting me know that I'm in a NFZ and asking if I still want to fly. If you agree to the terms they send you a verification code via text and you have to enter that code for temporary flying rights. I usually keep it around 40 ft high to clear the trees and power lines and take the pics I need then land right away. Never have had a problem.

 

[sar104]

My office/warehouse is right beside a city airport. NFZ pops up if I turn my Mavic Pro Platinum on. I still have had to make a couple of flights over my buildings to check roof repairs and storm damage. When I get the NFZ warning I go to start the props as normal and a message appears on my screen from DJI letting me know that I'm in a NFZ and asking if I still want to fly. If you agree to the terms they send you a verification code via text and you have to enter that code for temporary flying rights. I usually keep it around 40 ft high to clear the trees and power lines and take the pics I need then land right away. Never have had a problem.

It depends on exactly what kind of geo zone you are in. NFZ is not one of the kinds of zone:



From your description, you are in an authorization zone, and can do a user unlock as described. In a restricted zone that's not possible - it requires an application for a custom unlock.

 

[Eagle Jr]

It depends on exactly what kind of geo zone you are in. NFZ is not one of the kinds of zone:

View attachment 99222

From your description, you are in an authorization zone, and can do a user unlock as described. In a restricted zone that's not possible - it requires an application for a custom unlock.

I think you are correct. When I first got the MPP it would give me a red NFZ warning and I couldn't start the drone, even inside my warehouse. Something has changed in the last year that allows me to unlock with restrictions. It looks like they changed from red to blue on the map.

 

[Flash-Phil]

I think what you mean is that indoors is not airspace under FAA jurisdiction. The FAA doesn't use the term NFZ. It is ambiguous since it is often used to refer to zones in the DJI Geo system that don't allow flight, and which have no way to distinguish indoors from outdoors.

Well, since we're splitting red hairs... the FAA refers to them as Special Flight Rules Areas. NFZ is "is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly ". In this case, the 15 mile limit is really the military NFZ that will get you shot down should you decide to fly you kamikaze there.

I was just parroting fguthrie's use of the term and replying the same. DJI's use of the term probably covers several scenarios and they just use a generic term for it. Maybe they should have use NDZ, like the FAA does.