Flying over schools when no one is there?

[superstarpup]

Actually, student safety is their business. And police will be on their side if they say there was a drone hovering over the school and flying unsafely (even if you are flying safely and up high). They dont have authority to say you cant do it, but there may be a time when schools are added to the NFZ list if more people cause issues there. I prefer to not push it and have benefited greatly by asking first.

If you want to play Mother May I, feel free. You can find someone to ask permission to fly anywhere that it’s legal to fly, that’s your decision. The cops likely won’t charge with legally flying a drone.

Can somebody please tell me how photographing unoccupied public property can be deemed a threat of any kind? Please, help me out on this.

It isn’t. Anything you’ll see from a drone you can see from google earth. Apparently some don’t understand regulations and prefer to have the reassurance that a perceived authority figure granted them approval.

 

[DroningOn]

It isn’t. Anything you’ll see from a drone you can see from google earth. Apparently some don’t understand regulations and prefer to have the reassurance that a perceived authority figure granted them approval.

Well said.... the question was rhetorical ;-)

 

[superstarpup]

Well said.... the question was rhetorical ;-)

I knew that, i thought there might be another person or two that wouldn’t.

 

[AMann]

If you want to play Mother May I, feel free. You can find someone to ask permission to fly anywhere that it’s legal to fly, that’s your decision. The cops likely won’t charge with legally flying a drone.




It isn’t. Anything you’ll see from a drone you can see from google earth. Apparently some don’t understand regulations and prefer to have the reassurance that a perceived authority figure granted them approval.

By asking, I was given a well paid gig with the school district. Even though there are currently no FAA rules keeping someone from flying over schools, informing possibly affected people of a flight over their property is being courteous, avoids possible negative impressions and reactions from other people, and leaves a good impression of being a responsible drone pilot. Apparently, some don’t understand that others do know the regulations, it’s just that they would rather fly responsibly and leave a good impression about drones with others.

 

[Deleted member 93449]

Since you brought it up, and what does the yellow circle around schools signify? I figured it was restricted space and just avoid them. Lots of circles around me. I’ve become aware of as I launch from different locations.

As far as I can tell they are "areas of interest" with no specific flight restrictions other than the normal restrictions that would exist on a school day when you have a high population of students.

As for me, I'd research the issue and if I can't find a specific restriction about flying over the property I'd fly on a day when there are no school or other activities where you would be prohibited due to the flying over people restriction.

 

[DroningOn]

By asking, I was given a well paid gig with the school district. Even though there are currently no FAA rules keeping someone from flying over schools, informing possibly affected people of a flight over their property is being courteous, avoids possible negative impressions and reactions from other people, and leaves a good impression of being a responsible drone pilot. Apparently, some don’t understand that others do know the regulations, it’s just that they would rather fly responsibly and leave a good impression about drones with others.

Nobody is saying that you can’t do that. Ask permission from whom ever you want... but please do not criticize those of us who don’t make up random rules as being a “problem”. We aren’t.

 

[superstarpup]

By asking, I was given a well paid gig with the school district. Even though there are currently no FAA rules keeping someone from flying over schools, informing possibly affected people of a flight over their property is being courteous, avoids possible negative impressions and reactions from other people, and leaves a good impression of being a responsible drone pilot. Apparently, some don’t understand that others do know the regulations, it’s just that they would rather fly responsibly and leave a good impression about drones with others.

given the op specifically was asking about a vacant building, “For instance early morning on a Sunday with no students or staff present?” I’m not sure whom you are thinking he’ll leave a good impression with. Realistically though, I really don’t care whom you ask permission from to do whatever. Ask your neighbor if it’s cool for you to back out of your driveway, give him the impression you’re a good driver. Doesn’t bother me. I’m just presenting another view point that doesn’t come from a strange ideation to consider.

Have fun flying, though, if and when others give you permission to.

 

[AMann]

Nobody is saying that you can’t do that. Ask permission from whom ever you want... but please do not criticize those of us who don’t make up random rules as being a “problem”. We aren’t.

Sorry, you weren’t- it was reguarding a different comment altogether. There is an issue when people get angry about drones flying in the air, and it can happen to any of our drones wether we informed people or not. My earlier suggestion was merely to err on the inform first side to help circumvent any possible issues people may have with it.

 

[superstarpup]

Sorry, you weren’t- it was reguarding a different comment altogether. There is an issue when people get angry about drones flying in the air, and it can happen to any of our drones wether we informed people or not. My earlier suggestion was merely to err on the inform first side to help circumvent any possible issues people may have with it.

And again, here’s the issue-
Assuming the person your are requesting permission from doesn’t know anything about drones or their regulations, you’re setting yourself up or someone else up for bigger issues. Now they think they have the ability to say “no,” and if they do, you have the problem of flying the LEGAL flight you are allowed to operate, or not flying it. You fly it and they think you’re doing something wrong. They say yes, and then the next person who comes along and flys a LEGAL fight and the person you asked things that person is doing something wrong since they didn’t ask permission. You aren’t the ambassador of drone flying. Few people are going to think of you and the industry as a whole as “responsible” because you are requesting to fly where you are legally allowed to.

 

[AMann]

And again, here’s the issue-
Assuming the person your are requesting permission from doesn’t know anything about drones or their regulations, you’re setting yourself up or someone else up for bigger issues. Now they think they have the ability to say “no,” and if they do, you have the problem of flying the LEGAL flight you are allowed to operate, or not flying it. You fly it and they think you’re doing something wrong. They say yes, and then the next person who comes along and flys a LEGAL fight and the person you asked things that person is doing something wrong since they didn’t ask permission. You aren’t the ambassador of drone flying. Few people are going to think of you and the industry as a whole as “responsible” because you are requesting to fly where you are legally allowed to.

Ive had way more open doors and gates by asking permission to enter and fly on private property than not... and we’re all ambassadors of drone flying- it’s just some are worse at it than others. Fly safe!

 

[MavicFlyer]

I hear you on that, but during a weekend off hours no events, i dont really see the need. As a responsible part 107 holder i understand the validity of wanting to do things with permission. But even if the drone gets lost on school property, technically its public property of the tax payers, at least around these parts, fields and tracks are open to the public to use during off hours, aka there is no posted/private property signs to worry about trespassing to retrieve a lost drone. Again, i totally understand the public safety aspect of this flight during a populated event, during school hours, etc. A school is not a protected area as far as i know. If there is a locked gate somewhere, it would take one call to the building to explain the situation and maybe a day later have your drone back, they cant keep property that doesnt belong to them, even if it did land on their property.
...
Again this is not advocating anything illegal, nor do i think its irresponsible advice, and as long as you follow the rules it should not be any issue to not have to ask for permission. That would almost be like extending that to every building or property you ever flew over no?

I agree that flying over a school (or its fields, etc.), when it is not in use, should not be a problem. During school hours is a different story, to the extent that there are people outside, which means you don't fly near people who are not participating in your flight. Personally, I'd totally avoid the school when in session.

You make a very important point about having to ask for permission for every building and piece of land you fly over. My rule of thumb is that if I'm just passing over vacant land at 300 of 400 ft, I see no need to contact anyone. If the drone goes down, I ask for permission to retrieve it, unless it's public land. On the other hand, if I'm going to fly below 100 ft over any residential property, I knock on the door to tell them what I'm up to. Other than that, the explicit FAA rules apply.

I've read a lot about responsible drone flying, but have yet to find much that defines what that is, other than the obvious and explicit FAA rules.

 

[BabyMonkeyOnPig]

Can somebody please tell me how photographing unoccupied public property can be deemed a threat of any kind? Please, help me out on this.

Because they (police, military, local companies, schools, etc) don't know if you're mapping a target for any sorts of violence.

Picture this, you fly over the school without any malicious intent. Next week someone else does the same (people around the community thinking again it's non-malicious intent) but the 2nd pilot was creating maps and strategic routes to take to cause harm.

Now that is to say that you can do the same by walking around said public place and do the same but you'd be exposing your face 1000x more than flying the drove 2 miles away remotely.

 

[DroningOn]

Because they (police, military, local companies, schools, etc) don't know if you're mapping a target for any sorts of violence.

Picture this, you fly over the school without any malicious intent. Next week someone else does the same (people around the community thinking again it's non-malicious intent) but the 2nd pilot was creating maps and strategic routes to take to cause harm.

Now that is to say that you can do the same by walking around said public place and do the same but you'd be exposing your face 1000x more than flying the drove 2 miles away remotely.

Okay

 

[superstarpup]

Okay

It’s a valid concern if you assume two things-

1. the person plotting buys a drone so they won’t be seen.

2. The person plotting has never heard of google maps.

 

[Survey Dave]

Our aviation club at school is going to be helping out with my mapping project this winter. I’m going to show them the whole routine of setting up a flight plan, using GPS to get coordinates of the ground targets, getting and checking clearance, checking the sectional maps, setting up a virtual Litchi mission, preflight and flying the drone, and finally processing the photos into a map.

Do you use airmap? If so does it have the yellow areas around the school?

 

[Mossiback]

I understand that flying over schools general no-no but I am wondering if it is still no OK to do so when the school is not occupied. For instance early morning on a Sunday with no students or staff present? I'd like to take pictures of a local school because I think it's got some amazing architecture but I don't want to get in trouble for doing something illegal.

If it is an unoccupied public school, the grounds are open (no locked gates), nobody is there, and you abide by the other flying rules then fly. I fly from school grounds regularly (after school hours) and many times find that I am not the only one doing it.

 

[AMann]

Do you use airmap? If so does it have the yellow areas around the school?

As we are teaching how check airspace clearance with students, we have been using several sources, including the latest paper and online sectionals, Airmap, Be4UFly, and Kittyhawk. We are clear so far.

 

[strdr]

I've overflown a grade school that was in session. It gave me an uncomfortable feeling. I didn't want to alarm anyone. Have not overflown a school in session since. This is just my personal choice.

 

[AMann]

I've overflown a grade school that was in session. It gave me an uncomfortable feeling. I didn't want to alarm anyone. Have not overflown a school in session since. This is just my personal choice.

You are lucky it didn’t go south for you. Teachers and the police can get upset when it comes to stuff like strangers and cameras near their kids. A group of teachers and the principal at a school I was student teaching at once mobbed a guy that was out on the sidewalk taking photos with a telephoto lens through the chainlink fence of kids out on the playground. They called the police on him and he was told by them to leave the area.

As a photographer myself, I knew that he was protected by the 1st Amendment for doing it, and in fact he was on a public sidewalk and the chainlink fence offers no expectations of privacy. Knowing all this, I felt that he had a right to do it, but there was no way I would have voiced my opinion about it when they told me the story. The weirdo factor of what he was doing overrode all of that!

 

[RobH2]

I routinely fly in a couple of huge middle-school fields when no one is there on weekends. If people show up I stop. But the fields are huge and rarely used on weekends. They are a great place to practice without worrying about running into anything or anyone. One has approximately 28 acres with only a few backstops as obstacles. I've been flying there for years and no one has ever questioned me. I never fly over the physical building and stay over the grassy fields. I think the issue here is common sense.

If you use a large school field to practice and use common sense then I'd guess you'll be OK. Don't fly over the buildings, don't fly over perimeter houses or property (because they'll be the first to call the cops), don't fly if people are using the fields and don't draw attention to yourself. Common sense...