I've had one experience next to a NFZ and one that's baffling because it was controlled airspace I got permission to fly in, but then seemed to became restricted.
Both situations were for work.
The first: I took off at the edge of the NFZ in order to pull back and photograph what was in the NFZ (a US Coast Guard station). I must have clipped the very corner of the zone because the controller barked at me that I was in a NFZ, but I simply moved away and it stopped.
The second situation was covering an apartment fire where I was well to the outside of and well below a news helicopter (which is basically what I am with a drone, and we're both in Class D). I had full control of the drone (original Mavic Mini). Someone I believe to be a fire official found me and demanded I land the drone immediately. He was upset and I was in midflight. I identified myself, my employer and told him I had FAA clearance. He never identified himself and my attention was on my drone. He warned me about the helicopter. I said I was well aware of, below and away from it, and that I had authorization too. He then asked if I asked the fire public information officer and I said no. I already had my photos and told him "ok," I'll land. He then frustratingly left and said, "you know, we have our own drones up there too." Again, I don't know who he was.
I had perfect VLOS at all times and never went above 145'. As the altercation ended, which seemed more dangerous than my actual flight, I had trouble bringing the drone back to me. It would only go down now; no other movement command worked. Luckily, I had gotten back toward the area I launched from and landed on someone's driveway (a lucky coincidence).
I never figured out why the controls suddenly no longer worked and surmise that either my batteries were so low the software only let me go down. Or, the fire department had the FAA shut down the immediate area for emergency operations, although this seem not as likely. The news helicopter kept covering.
Both situations were for work.
The first: I took off at the edge of the NFZ in order to pull back and photograph what was in the NFZ (a US Coast Guard station). I must have clipped the very corner of the zone because the controller barked at me that I was in a NFZ, but I simply moved away and it stopped.
The second situation was covering an apartment fire where I was well to the outside of and well below a news helicopter (which is basically what I am with a drone, and we're both in Class D). I had full control of the drone (original Mavic Mini). Someone I believe to be a fire official found me and demanded I land the drone immediately. He was upset and I was in midflight. I identified myself, my employer and told him I had FAA clearance. He never identified himself and my attention was on my drone. He warned me about the helicopter. I said I was well aware of, below and away from it, and that I had authorization too. He then asked if I asked the fire public information officer and I said no. I already had my photos and told him "ok," I'll land. He then frustratingly left and said, "you know, we have our own drones up there too." Again, I don't know who he was.
I had perfect VLOS at all times and never went above 145'. As the altercation ended, which seemed more dangerous than my actual flight, I had trouble bringing the drone back to me. It would only go down now; no other movement command worked. Luckily, I had gotten back toward the area I launched from and landed on someone's driveway (a lucky coincidence).
I never figured out why the controls suddenly no longer worked and surmise that either my batteries were so low the software only let me go down. Or, the fire department had the FAA shut down the immediate area for emergency operations, although this seem not as likely. The news helicopter kept covering.
