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Confused by the flight rules in a specific area

emed2020

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If I want to fly my drone, commercially for hire, in a very specific area, do I need clearance from FAA if I'm going to keep the drone contained to circling around the customer's building and will only fly up to 150' AGL?
I'm FAA Certified, the flight will be VLOS, the area is Parkwood Circle SE, Atlanta, GA. I keep getting contradictory information regarding the rules and I'm trying my best to abide by them, whatever they may be. I'd greatly appreciate if someone could point me to the regulation that I should follow in order to stay within the rules...and if you know what process I will need to follow, please share.
Thanks for any help!
 
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If you are in class G airspace you shouldn't need to do anything. Look on the air map Application to see if there are any restrictions.
 
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Are you 107 certified? This would have been a good question on your test. Always use a sectional map to see where the flight restrictions are. See the blue dashed circle around your area? That is in Class D airspace from the surface to a ceiling of 3600 ft, you will need LAANC pre-clearance or FAA authorization to fly, and if you are near the stadium during an event, it may become a temporary no fly zone and your drone will be grounded:


ADF1E7AD-76F0-4E88-9DCB-23E2701F21CE.jpeg

Here’s a pretty good tutorial on reading sectionals, plus you get taught by a chick ;)

 
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Unfortunately that location is part of Cobb County Airport's Class D and that airport isn't part of LAANC yet so you can't get an immediate authorization via LAANC. You are going to need to apply for an Airspace Authorization at the FAA Drone Zone website before you are legal to fly there.

76319
 
Are you 107 certified? This would have been a good question on your test. Always use a sectional map to see where the flight restrictions are. See the blue dashed circle around your area? That is in Class D airspace from the surface to a ceiling of 3600 ft, you will need LAANC pre-clearance to fly, and if you are near the stadium during an event, it may become a temporary no fly zone and your drone will be grounded:


View attachment 76318
Thanks for the verification. Yes, I'm part 107 certified. This question may have even been on my test...which I took almost two years ago. I scored an 85. Airspace related questions were the main part of my "C-" performance. This is the first time I've needed to request a waiver/authorization. I'm looking at AirMap and my DroneZone dashboard now to try to get through the process. Thanks again for the information, very helpful!
 
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Curious . . .
How tall are some of these buildings that you need 150’ AGL, and how do you intend to maintain your VLOS?
Just a six-story building I'm flying around to get some shots for the client. 150' would be the max altitude i'd need to fly. Line of sight will be easy to maintaining since I won't need to gather any continuous shots around the property.
 
Thanks for the verification. Yes, I'm part 107 certified. This question may have even been on my test...which I took almost two years ago. I scored an 85. Airspace related questions were the main part of my "C-" performance. This is the first time I've needed to request a waiver/authorization. I'm looking at AirMap and my DroneZone dashboard now to try to get through the process. Thanks again for the information, very helpful!
Two years? Time for the refresher, don't let that 107 expire or you may have to take the expensive one over again. Good luck.
 
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Unfortunately that location is part of Cobb County Airport's Class D and that airport isn't part of LAANC yet so you can't get an immediate authorization via LAANC. You are going to need to apply for an Airspace Authorization at the FAA Drone Zone website before you are legal to fly there.

View attachment 76319
Okay that's really helpful as well. I'd found in AirMap that LAANC was not yet available. I see in your attachment it states coming soon at or below 150'. Good to know for future reference. Did you pull that screen grab from an app or a site? Mind sharing that info? Trying to best educate myself on the subject. Thanks again!
 
Two years? Time for the refresher, don't let that 107 expire or you may have to take the expensive one over again. Good luck.

It doesn't expire in that sense - you don't have to be current to take the recurrent test. And the recurrent test costs the same as the original.
 
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Two years? Time for the refresher, don't let that 107 expire or you may have to take the expensive one over again. Good luck.
Yes, October 2019 is the expiration. Not looking forward to it. Written tests are not my forte. If they were I'd have probably made it out the third grade before my kids grew up.
 
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Yes, October 2019 is the expiration. Not looking forward to it. Written tests are not my forte. If they were I'd have probably made it out the third grade before my kids grew up.

Use the tutorial I posted, and Tony Northrup videos on youtube, you will pass. Feel free to ask here too, lots of good help!
 
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The FAA is planning to scrap the recurrent test and instead move to an online training module to keep 107 currency. Odds are it will be free or low cost. They published their intentions a couple of months ago in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), and hopefully they finalize the plans before my 107 is up for "renewal".
 
Okay that's really helpful as well. I'd found in AirMap that LAANC was not yet available. I see in your attachment it states coming soon at or below 150'. Good to know for future reference. Did you pull that screen grab from an app or a site? Mind sharing that info? Trying to best educate myself on the subject. Thanks again!

I used the web version of Airmap: https://app.airmap.io
 
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Actually looking at the airspace map again and the official FAA map, it looks like that airspace is actually part of Dobbins ARB's Class D, not Cobb County. Regardless it's not available in LAANC and you'll have to manually apply for the authorization via faadronezone.faa.gov. If you only request altitudes at or below those on the airspace map (so 150 feet for your location), you have a much better chance of getting approved quickly.
 
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The FAA is planning to scrap the recurrent test and instead move to an online training module to keep 107 currency. Odds are it will be free or low cost. They published their intentions a couple of months ago in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), and hopefully they finalize the plans before my 107 is up for "renewal".

That’s what I thought, too. Guess I didn’t realize it was only proposed back when I read about it.
 
That’s what I thought, too. Guess I didn’t realize it was only proposed back when I read about it.

Not implemented yet - but this is what they discussed:

"The FAA maintains the current initial testing requirement to evaluate a remote pilot's knowledge for operating in the NAS is critical, given the absence of a requirement for a practical test or proficiency course in obtaining a remote pilot certificate. The FAA proposes requiring recurrent training every 24 months, in lieu of recurrent knowledge testing, however, so remote pilots maintain ongoing familiarity with small UAS operations and the provisions of part 107. Moreover, recurrent training, which a remote pilot can complete online, presents a less costly option and will achieve a level of assurance of knowledge that is comparable to the assurance a recurrent test provides. In this regard, the FAA's current use of online training enables the FAA to tailor the training to address the pilot's areas of knowledge in which improvement is necessary. The FAA intends to employ this type of mechanism to remote pilot training, in order to customize the training.
The recurrent training the FAA contemplates in this proposal may take different formats. The primary way the FAA anticipates remote pilots may fulfill the recurrent training requirement would be to complete questions throughout the training, the completion of which the FAA will consider satisfactory once the applicant achieves a score of 100 percent. The FAA may also allow small UAS training to occur within a proficiency program or other approved program. The FAA would either offer, or review and approve, all such training that could fulfill the requirement of the proposed version of § 107.65(b) and (c).
The FAA anticipates the proposed change from recurrent knowledge testing to completion of recurrent training will continue to serve as an important risk mitigation measure. As UAS operations in the NAS continue to evolve, training provides the opportunity to re-emphasize the requirements of part 107 and incorporate any changes the FAA has made to part 107 as a part of subsequent rulemakings, such as this one. A training course provides the FAA with a way to ensure remote pilots are aware of the key requirements that affect them, address new or changed requirements in part 107 as a result of subsequent rulemakings, and highlight the tools and resources available to remote pilots. Such training would ensure remote pilots maintain awareness of recommendations for decision-making so they can continue to operate safely within the boundaries part 107 has established.
Because pilots could complete online training to fulfill the recurrent training requirement, this rule would not require travel to any kind of knowledge testing center every 24 calendar months. Upon completion of the training course, the Start Printed Page 3892pilot would be able to print a completion certificate, which the pilot would use to demonstrate aeronautical knowledge recency in accordance with the proposed revisions to § 107.65.
The FAA uses the term “training” rather than “training course” in the proposed regulatory text in the relevant sections that address training requirements, which would provide the opportunity for the FAA to consider completion of special pilot proficiency programs, such as an FAA-provided WINGS course [93] specific to small UAS operations, to suffice for fulfillment of the training requirements. Such a program would offer tools and resources to strengthen decision-making skills and thereby enable the remote pilot to continue to ensure he or she operates safely in accordance with part 107. Overall, the FAA expects a recurrent online training course, pilot proficiency program, or similar option would keep remote pilots informed about enhancements to the small UAS industry while reducing costs associated with travel to knowledge testing centers."
 
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