drone work NEAR a stadium of the stadium while a game is in progress, but not overhead of any people

[ariburling]

Does anyone have experience with shooting a minor league stadium exterior while a game is in progress? THe flight plan would involve being in the parking lot and flying directly overhead of myself, but NOT any people, and NOT over the stadium. Seems safe enough to me - does anyone have experience like this?

 

[mavic3usa]

Does anyone have experience with shooting a minor league stadium exterior while a game is in progress? THe flight plan would involve being in the parking lot and flying directly overhead of myself, but NOT any people, and NOT over the stadium. Seems safe enough to me - does anyone have experience like this?

As long as there is not TFR, don't see why not.

 

[dan.utinske]

Does anyone have experience with shooting a minor league stadium exterior while a game is in progress? THe flight plan would involve being in the parking lot and flying directly overhead of myself, but NOT any people, and NOT over the stadium. Seems safe enough to me - does anyone have experience like this?

Sounds simple and safe, however the security may take a dim view of your drone and see it as a threat. I don't know if it would be worth the potential risk. Outside the parking area may be better. IMHO

 

[ariburling]

spot on - great point

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

All professional sports have a TFR in place over games for a couple hours before game time and a couple of hours after. I would imagine that flying around any sporting event would be frowned upon by the local authorities and the FAA. I don't know if there is a specific restriction against it in amateur or minor league events. That might be a question for the FAA.

 

[maggior]

If there is no TFR and you don't fly over the stadium itself, I don't see any problem. The stadium may have some restrictions about launching from their property. As long as you are keeping the drone away from people and not drawing attention to it by flying low and hovering where people are, I think you'll be fine.

 

[Droning on and on...]

A few things:

• There will be about 1/3 of the flight area behind the stadium from your perspective where you will not be able to see if there are people you are flying over. Suggest an observer on the opposite side with a radio to help you. This is not an FAR p. 107.33 Visual Observer; you are keeping your drone at an altitude where you have direct sight of it at all times and are directly watching it with your own eyes. This is just someone helping you be safe and comply with the OOP rules by telling you about people on the ground you can't see.
• Take 30 minutes to write up a simple detailed description of the mission you plan, with diagrams showing where your planning to take off and land, flight path, any additional helper's location(s), the plan for attendee safety, what you plan to record and how you plan to use it, etc.
• See if you can meet with the facility manager and event organizers ahead of time to get their buy-in. If the captured media isn't of commercial value, offer to share the footage / stills with them. if they give permission, ask to speak to security to loop them in before the event, and check in before you fly during the event.

If pertinent authorities refuse, I recommend you just abandon the project and go cry in a few beers. That's the smart move. If there's no TFR and the airspace is otherwise unencumbered, you could go ahead but you'll be asking for trouble and making enemies you don't want to make. Same risk if you go and do it without asking.

Now, if doing this when it's empty and not in use? Forget all those hoops above and just go do it (again, assuming the airspace is unrestricted).

 

[BigAl07]

All professional sports have a TFR in place over games for a couple hours before game time and a couple of hours after.......

That's not accurate. Only sports with seating capacity of a certain threshold (and I intentionally didn't say tickets sold) get a TFR put in place.

 

[RoarRoar]

I’ve shot for a minor league team before. There is no TFR for minor league baseball games.

Obviously be aware of local air traffic and local sectionals and you will be fine. Of course regular common sense drone rules as well.

 

[mavic3usa]

A few things:

• There will be about 1/3 of the flight area behind the stadium from your perspective where you will not be able to see if there are people you are flying over. Suggest an observer on the opposite side with a radio to help you. This is not an FAR p. 107.33 Visual Observer; you are keeping your drone at an altitude where you have direct sight of it at all times and are directly watching it with your own eyes. This is just someone helping you be safe and comply with the OOP rules by telling you about people on the ground you can't see.
• Take 30 minutes to write up a simple detailed description of the mission you plan, with diagrams showing where your planning to take off and land, flight path, any additional helper's location(s), the plan for attendee safety, what you plan to record and how you plan to use it, etc.
• See if you can meet with the facility manager and event organizers ahead of time to get their buy-in. If the captured media isn't of commercial value, offer to share the footage / stills with them. if they give permission, ask to speak to security to loop them in before the event, and check in before you fly during the event.

If pertinent authorities refuse, I recommend you just abandon the project and go cry in a few beers. That's the smart move. If there's no TFR and the airspace is otherwise unencumbered, you could go ahead but you'll be asking for trouble and making enemies you don't want to make. Same risk if you go and do it without asking.

Now, if doing this when it's empty and not in use? Forget all those hoops above and just go do it (again, assuming the airspace is unrestricted).

If he's going to go thru all that trouble of developing a plan and asking permission, he may as well do it right and go for the whole banana:

 

[ariburling]

Again, thank you all for you valuable insights. I really value all this input

To be clear, I am an architectural photographer and my process to minimize risk is i ONLY fly directly over my own head: up and down. My scouting is done beforehand so I know exactly where to stand. I do this by knowing my fixed 24mm very well and what will appear in the final frame for years of experiece working with a 24

 

[Droning on and on...]

Sounds good