Flying In National Parks

[Aerophile]

I'm having a little trouble getting my head around this. You're saying that the city of Malibu, with all it's homes, apartment buildings, gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants, bars, businesses, shopping malls, parking lots, municipal infrastructure, all that private property, it's all inside a national park?

Really? How exactly does that work? What's the name of that National Park?

 

[dronerdave]

I'm having a little trouble getting my head around this. You're saying that the city of Malibu, with all it's homes, apartment buildings, gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants, bars, businesses, shopping malls, parking lots, municipal infrastructure, all that private property, it's all inside a national park?

Really? How exactly does that work? What's the name of that National Park?

Looking at the map it appears that it's a National Recreation Area ran by the NPS. I don't no anything about their rules but if I were planning a trip there I'd simply call their office and ask about their drone rules. I'm not saying I'd get a bunch of false info, but I'd start there.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is one of more than 400 national park units across the country. Unlike most national park sites, we jointly protect this area with numerous other state and local agencies (and even private homeowners!). As you explore the mountains and beaches, you might find yourself crossing invisible borders, so it always helps to do a bit of research ahead of time and double check the signage when you arrive.

 

[LotusGuy]

I'm having a little trouble getting my head around this. You're saying that the city of Malibu, with all it's homes, apartment buildings, gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants, bars, businesses, shopping malls, parking lots, municipal infrastructure, all that private property, it's all inside a national park?

Really? How exactly does that work? What's the name of that National Park?

Yep. I used the link provided in post #36 to screenshot the entirety of the park in #37.

And also, as pointed out, B4UFLY also lists the entire area as part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, all the way down to the tide line, Well, there are a couple of really tiny stretches of beach that B4UFLY does show as Clear for Takeoff, but for the majority, nope.

 

[Aerophile]

Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but...words matter. For example, it seems the city has unilaterally declared itself as a "no fly zone" which, as I understand it, is not true even of actual National Parks (eg Yellowstone). Yes, can't launch or land in a NP, but I think flying over one is not prohibited.

Malibu isn't inside a National Park. It may be inside a National Recreation Area. Is that the same as a National Park? I don't know, but it seems like a distinction potentially worth knowing about. And I probably wouldn't take the word of the same folks who claim the city is a "no-fly zone."

If you own property in Malibu, you can't takeoff or land your own drone from your own yard because...it's in a National Park no wait Recreation Area?

Are all National Recreation Areas off limits (for takeoff and landing) as all National parks are?

How about if you wade out into the surf, well outside the high tide line (or the low tide line, for that matter)? Are you outside the NP/NRA then?

My head hurts.

 

[MS Coast]

Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but...words matter. For example, it seems the city has unilaterally declared itself as a "no fly zone" which, as I understand it, is not true even of actual National Parks (eg Yellowstone). Yes, can't launch or land in a NP, but I think flying over one is not prohibited.

Malibu isn't inside a National Park. It may be inside a National Recreation Area. Is that the same as a National Park? I don't know, but it seems like a distinction potentially worth knowing about. And I probably wouldn't take the word of the same folks who claim the city is a "no-fly zone."

If you own property in Malibu, you can't takeoff or land your own drone from your own yard because...it's in a National Park no wait Recreation Area?

Are all National Recreation Areas off limits (for takeoff and landing) as all National parks are?

How about if you wade out into the surf, well outside the high tide line (or the low tide line, for that matter)? Are you outside the NP/NRA then?

My head hurts.

Regardless of the nomenclature, the FAA per B4YOUFLY says it's off limits down to the seashore. Beyond that, it's legal.

 

[Aerophile]

Regardless of the nomenclature, the FAA per B4YOUFLY says it's off limits down to the seashore. Beyond that, it's legal.

View attachment 153089

So as long as your feet are wet...you're in the clear, right? The FAA says so!

Note to self: Time to start practicing hand-launching and catching....

 

[LotusGuy]

Digging a little deeper, it looks like it is the National Park rules that are also the ones in effect in a National Recreation Area.

So as long as your feet are wet...you're in the clear, right? The FAA says so!

Note to self: Time to start practicing hand-launching and catching....

Ha, based on the past (and probably still ongoing) battles between the homeowners who have the oceanfront homes trying to keep the riff-raff off their "so called" private beach, attempting to enforce it beyond the high tide mark with intimidation and private security, plus ignoring all the laws that prohibit them from blocking access, I'd like to see how that works out for you.

A couple of the areas that I'd like to fly in won't have that harass factor, but my battery would die before I hiked inland enough from the ocean to capture what I want. Sigh.