Due to drone laws & restrictions, does anyone else feel it to be nearly impossible to legally fly anywhere other than their backyard...?

[maelstrom]

And the manned aircraft have to have a minimum of 500' over an area, which is where the drones can fly underneath that, the 400' limit.

Not really adding to the discussion but, as has been explained MANY times in these forums, this statement is incorrect. There are numerous reasons for aircraft to legally fly below 500’ AGL (which is the main reason we have the VLOS rule).

 

[charliesRig]

NIMBY .!…….anymore.!

 

[ScottTX]

With 11 National Forrests and massive amounts of BLM land in Colorado, I would never want to fly my back yard! You have it made out there in Colorado.

Yes, National Forests are Drone Zones - The State parks are a no-go - With the exception of Chatfield & Cherry Creek.

 

[lookout]

Of course if we evaluate what VLOS (barely a tenth of a mile) is in the middle of a neighborhood, with the trees, the street and the sidewalk. The kids out playing in the yard. Cars parked in the driveway. Houses on the side of a hill. Two story houses. Light poles. A valley here and a mountain there. And where did that obstruction come from? Fence lines. Things that stick up on the roof.

The drone is afraid to come out from under the bed.

 

[AusTrekie]

Agree ! There are places that basically appear ok to fly, without causing issues but have all these restrictions, places of interest and beauty certainly becoming a problem, particularly in Australia ! But seems to be happening world wide ! Too many recreational Drone restrictions.

 

[Daytona500]

wow you live in Co and theres no place to fly. give me a break. You must be afraid to jump in your car and drive out into the country. I've drivin thru CO and I had no problems finding great places to fly. Its a beautiful state with lots of open country and places to stop and put up a drone.

 

[AusTrekie]

Don't get me wrong ! It's not that places can't be found, otherwise would not have a drone, however more and more places are restricting flights around my location, have been on longer trips and got some great drone shots.

 

[rklesla]

I can't fly in my backyard at all. 0 feet is the max without a commercial license.

Example of all the restrictions. Going to Florida this summer. Researching on where we can fly.
Most of Miami - no drone zone
Everglades - no drone zone
Key west - no drone zone
Cape Canaveral - no drone zone

Half of Miami's restrictions is airports and cruise ships. Understandable.
This sucks because we were hoping to use them for photos of our group in the parks.

 

[KennethH]

I just get that feeling when i delve in to the local laws. my rationale is kind of like this-

- say you want to do an overhead of a reservoir, park or other public lands, well my state has specifically forbid flying of drones in state parks
- my county has forbid it

... say you then need to takeoff-land from outside of the park

- obviously you cannot takeoff / land from the road, so that is out of the questions
- you will be told no if you ask if you can roll up in someones front yard to takeoff and land, so private property is out of the question

so where are you left to fly, then....? within the short distance from your back yard (if you own the land/property, but what if you dont...?) and over some BLM lands, and that seems to be about it.

maybe some operators do fly outside those parameters and no one says anything, which is awesome, but still, feels like its basically illegal to fly anywhere other than above your back yard.

i recently started flying but the ONLY time it seems almost clear-cut is when you are hired specifically for drone work and have written permission to takeoff / land from said property, or you do it from your own property.

am not really one to "push it," even if some people wouldnt care. you still open yourself up to getting put on blast if you do literally anything wrong.

I have to say that so far I haven't gone outside my backyard (a lot of time inspecting my beautiful 40 year old roof), but am considering flying down the middle of our neighborhood streets (which means actually walking). They're going to trim our tree lawn Chinese Elms in the next few days, and there should be less chance of loosing my Mini 2 in one. I'll keep the blade guard on, as much to protect the drone as the neighborhood.

 

[KennethH]

I can't fly in my backyard at all. 0 feet is the max without a commercial license.

Example of all the restrictions. Going to Florida this summer. Researching on where we can fly.
Most of Miami - no drone zone
Everglades - no drone zone
Key west - no drone zone
Cape Canaveral - no drone zone

Half of Miami's restrictions is airports and cruise ships. Understandable.
This sucks because we were hoping to use them for photos of our group in the parks.

"Cape Canaveral - no drone zone"
Maybe you could get Elon Musk's permission. I understand he has some pull there.

 

[MS Coast]

I can't fly in my backyard at all. 0 feet is the max without a commercial license.

Example of all the restrictions. Going to Florida this summer. Researching on where we can fly.
Most of Miami - no drone zone
Everglades - no drone zone
Key west - no drone zone
Cape Canaveral - no drone zone

Half of Miami's restrictions is airports and cruise ships. Understandable.
This sucks because we were hoping to use them for photos of our group in the parks.

Take a look at the Miami area in the B4YOUFLY app. Much of it is open to operation with LAANC clearance. And it looks like Miami Beach, Virginia Key, and Key Biscayne are largely open.

 

[lookout]

I have to say that so far I haven't gone outside my backyard (a lot of time inspecting my beautiful 40 year old roof), but am considering flying down the middle of our neighborhood streets (which means actually walking). They're going to trim our tree lawn Chinese Elms in the next few days, and there should be less chance of loosing my Mini 2 in one. I'll keep the blade guard on, as much to protect the drone as the neighborhood.

Planning on terrorizing the neighborhood?

 

[KennethH]

Planning on terrorizing the neighborhood?

It needs something! I haven't mounted rocket launchers on my Mini 2 yet...

 

[lookout]

It needs something! I haven't mounted rocket launchers on my Mini 2 yet...

That'll put you over the weight limit for registration purposes.

Unless you're intending to pull a Mr. Bill.

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[DSRT_VLTR]

I can't even fly from my backyard. I am located less than 5 miles from a local airport & 2 miles from a hospital with a helipad. In AZ, state parks don't allow drones. In Maricopa County, where I live, drones can't take off from Regional (county) Parks, even though they are thousands of acres of desert with a few picnic tables covered with roofs, called ramadas. I do live a half-hour to one-hour drive to some trailheads into Tonto National Forest & they allow drones as long as you follow FAA guidelines & don't harass wildlife, so that's where I go.

 

[DSRT_VLTR]

What county/state is this? I have never heard of a county banning the launch/landing of UAV’s. Even if they did, there is still easements.

Maricopa County in AZ bans drones launching from County (here called Regional) Parks. Each one has thousands of acres of desert with a few picnic tables covered with roofs, called ramadas. In exploring the regional parks, I have found makeshift firing ranges (where hikers in the vicinity sometimes get shot), unauthorized fire rings surrounded by broken booze bottles & beer cans, desert buggies & quads tearing up the trails & horses pooping all over them, but somehow launching a drone there is over the line.

 

[Don Testme]

Maricopa County in AZ bans drones launching from County (here called Regional) Parks. Each one has thousands of acres of desert with a few picnic tables covered with roofs, called ramadas. In exploring the regional parks, I have found makeshift firing ranges (where hikers in the vicinity sometimes get shot), unauthorized fire rings surrounded by broken booze bottles & beer cans, desert buggies & quads tearing up the trails & horses pooping all over them, but somehow launching a drone there is over the line.

Just find a well-hidden area within these so called regional parks and launch your drone from there. While filming, pay attention to any humans in the area that may report a drone or any forestry or game wardens. If so, land asap.

 

[snowghost]

I fly in Tonto National Forest up near Verde Glen. Not a soul around. There is a trailhead but I've not seen anybody there. I'm more worried about bears and Javelinas.