Flying over schools when no one is there?

[AMann]

are you saying airplanes and helicopters need permission to fly over schools?

No, I’m saying they would need permission to fly below the required elevation in the form of an FCC waiver.

But you know how the saying goes, places to go and things to do. Have fun and fly safe!

 

[Drgnfli]

That makes someone happy ?


The answer would be yes for critical reasons. That’s why planes stay over 1000ft above them (in urban areas), and why low flying police and air ambulances will not land or fly (legally) low over schools with students directly below them.

Wrong! I've seen many helos & airplanes fly over schools as a standard procedure whether it be at 500' or 5000'. Did they have "special dispensation," I doubt it! Does that "permission" prevent those aircraft from having an emergency stall, lose power then crash into the school? But UAVs can't fly over schools at all, period, no, never! If a helo or plane crashes, it comes down with many gallons of explosive fuel which will burn the school to the ground but they can fly over schools; while a drone, with its many gallons of fuel... wait! No, we don't have any flammable fuel onboard - if we lose control, we just might hit one child... maybe... maybe not... I don't understand what the big deal is...??? (Try to be pleasant when you attempt to explain this to me!)

 

[AMann]

Wrong! I've seen many helos & airplanes fly over schools as a standard procedure whether it be at 500' or 5000'. Did they have "special dispensation," I doubt it! Does that "permission" prevent those aircraft from having an emergency stall, lose power then crash into the school? But UAVs can't fly over schools at all, period, no, never! If a helo or plane crashes, it comes down with many gallons of explosive fuel which will burn the school to the ground but they can fly over schools; while a drone, with its many gallons of fuel... wait! No, we don't have any flammable fuel onboard - if we lose control, we just might hit one child... maybe... maybe not... I don't understand what the big deal is...??? (Try to be pleasant when you attempt to explain this to me!)

I think OP has already made a decision. Your opinion is noted, thanks.

 

[superstarpup]

No, I’m saying they would need permission to fly below the required elevation in the form of an FCC waiver.

But you know how the saying goes, places to go and things to do. Have fun and fly safe!

I’m guessing your experience flying actual aircraft is pretty limited.

Too bad there might be others that are reading your responses that don’t resize you have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

[AMann]

I’m guessing your experience flying actual aircraft is pretty limited.

Too bad there might be others that are reading your responses that don’t resize you have no idea what you’re talking about.

I don’t know, section 91.119 (Minimum safe altitudes in congested areas) seems pretty straight forward to me, don’t fly below 1000’ over congested areas including such areas with schools, or did I miss something? I did go through private pilot ground school, even worked at an airport refueling private and short haul planes and jets in exchange for flight lessons, but had to put off getting a pilots license for other reasons.

 

[Mrmund]

I think schools are going to be the next NFZ’s. I mean, JUUL and other drug drops on closed campuses? JK-

I think it would be more of a student and faculty safety concern, a drone flying around the school will just raise suspicions. Also, if done on the weekend, you still don’t know who is around as it may be late working teachers or other staff present. And like I said before, what happens if your drone goes down on the roof or behind a fence?

You knock on the custodian's door, explain that your aircraft is behind the fence/on the roof and ask them to retrieve it just like your errant frisbee.
(A sixer dropped off the next day helps keep things happy for the next time)

 

[Hawkeye_Imagng]

I have an elementary school across from my neighborhood that I have been flying for YEARS! I use the school grounds for testing camera settings, new drones, mapping software etc. It's where I have learned and increased my skills. I do it on weekends or when the school is out for breaks. I have been over there testing mapping software and flying directly over the school when it has been filled with staff, teachers workdays, the couple of weeks before school starts after summer break etc, and have never once had a problem. A few times I have had crowds of teachers including the principal and resource officer ( which is a county Police officer) come out and watch me. If you go out and are flying reckless, such as with a racing drone and weaving in and out of the school walkways right up against the building ( which one guy was doing one day when I was there) then that's when they're going to say something...and they did, they asked him to leave! They told me I was free to stay and fly because they had never seen me fly like that!
I have taken pics and maps of the football fields at all the local high schools, including the private ones, on the weekends during football season when the fields are looking their best! I have sent some of these pics to every AD at each school and not once has one of them told me not to do it again!
Bottom line is if you're flying responsibly no one is going to bother or question you!

 

[DanMan32]

"(A sixer dropped off the next day helps keep things happy for the next time)"
Not sure that's a good idea for a custodian of a school. Won't look good for him.

 

[Mrmund]

"(A sixer dropped off the next day helps keep things happy for the next time)"
Not sure that's a good idea for a custodian of a school. Won't look good for him.

I would have said cupcakes but these days with the food allergys and all I figured beer is a safer bet.

 

[DanMan32]

A plate full of homemade chocolate chip cookies would have done it for me.
When I let my neighbors borrow my outside outlet when they didn't have power, I appreciated the cookies more than the $20 compensation for the electricity.

 

[Drgnfli]

That makes someone happy ?


The answer would be yes for critical reasons. That’s why planes stay over 1000ft above them (in urban areas), and why low flying police and air ambulances will not land or fly (legally) low over schools with students directly below them.

Would you rather get bonked with a police helo from a thousand feet high or a Mavic Pro from 400' high? Just "throwing" that out there - think about it!

 

[Chip]

...Bottom line is if you're flying responsibly no one is going to bother or question you!

Well, maybe not, until they do....
However, it sounds like you have good spot to fly in your neighborhood. Id say ride the wave of positivity as long as you can! My city just banned drones from parks which is real bummer given my love of flying at the waterfront. Still not sure what I am going to do. Maybe lobby for just one park where drones can fly.

 

[Hawkeye_Imagng]

Well, maybe not, until they do....
However, it sounds like you have good spot to fly in your neighborhood. Id say ride the wave of positivity as long as you can! My city just banned drones from parks which is real bummer given my love of flying at the waterfront. Still not sure what I am going to do. Maybe lobby for just one park where drones can fly.

That sucks! Maybe you could set up a meeting with your county heads to educate them on drones. Guaranteed they know nothing! My county was set to do the same a couple of years ago, luckily the commissioner over my district was a retired Firefighter and someone I had worked with when I was a firefighter, so I set up a meeting with him to educate him about drones. He asked me to put together a short presentation that he could pass on to the others and they decided not to go through with the ban!

 

[DanMan32]

One thing to bring up: would you rather people fly drones in the park where there's plenty of room to fly relatively safe or off the sidewalk or private property and still fly over the park where it may be more challenging to avoid issues?

 

[Chip]

That sucks! Maybe you could set up a meeting with your county heads to educate them on drones. Guaranteed they know nothing! My county was set to do the same a couple of years ago, luckily the commissioner over my district was a retired Firefighter and someone I had worked with when I was a firefighter, so I set up a meeting with him to educate him about drones. He asked me to put together a short presentation that he could pass on to the others and they decided not to go through with the ban!

Unfortunately, the issue came up in unusual context. The city proposed an ordinance banning tents, vaping and drones in city parks (all the other stuff like alcohol, archery, golf, guns, fireworks, etc. were already banned). The public hearings were dominated by the tent issue which was linked to housing and homeless crisis and the city's right to enact rules governing behavior at city parks.

One thing to bring up: would you rather people fly drones in the park where there's plenty of room to fly relatively safe or off the sidewalk or private property and still fly over the park where it may be more challenging to avoid issues?

That is good point. 90% of my flying was taking off from edge of park and immediately heading out over large body of water in unregulated airspace. Now I may have to research property records and check that boundary line!