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Frustrated

Paul Hobson

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Nov 15, 2020
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Age
74
Location
San Diego CA 92104
I passed Part 107 last August and recieved a Temporary Certificate Number. I have tried several times to get authorization to fly a photo mission at a park that is 3 SM East of San Diego International Airport in Class B Airspace with a LAANC altitude of 0 feet AGL. I have submitted my requests through LAANC and DroneZone but keep getting denied. What am I doing wrong?
 
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I don't know exactly where you are trying to get an authorization for but there is a lot of military exclusion zones around SAN.

Cheers!
 
I passed Part 107 last August and recieved a Temporary Certificate Number. I have tried several times to get authorization to fly a photo mission at a park that is 3 SM East of San Diego International Airport in Class B Airspace with a LAANC altitude of 0 feet AGL. I have submitted my requests through LAANC and DroneZone but keep getting denied. What am I doing wrong?
To be honest, if I can't fly somewhere, I just don't request authorization. I just go elsewhere.
 
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I passed Part 107 last August and recieved a Temporary Certificate Number. I have tried several times to get authorization to fly a photo mission at a park that is 3 SM East of San Diego International Airport in Class B Airspace with a LAANC altitude of 0 feet AGL. I have submitted my requests through LAANC and DroneZone but keep getting denied. What am I doing wrong?
I think the BOLD above likely answers your question. If LAANC is saying 0' AGL - that is likely why you're not getting authorization. If you haven't yet, download the B4UFLY app. It will show you restricted airspace. I pulled it up and there is A LOT of Controlled airspace in the area. As @db4476 stated, being a Military "town," there is lots of military (Navy, Marines, Coast Guard) airspace in San Diego that overlaps civilian airspace.
 
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To be honest, if I can't fly somewhere, I just don't request authorization. I just go elsewhere.
This pilot is a 107 certified pilot. We can assume his request is to accomplish some commercial job. It is not just for fun. You can’t just go elsewhere to do a job.
 
This pilot is a 107 certified pilot. We can assume his request is to accomplish some commercial job. It is not just for fun. You can’t just go elsewhere to do a job.
True, however, if the FAA isn't giving authorization, there isn't much he can do, or am I wrong?
 
I think the BOLD above likely answers your question. If LAANC is saying 0' AGL - that is likely why you're not getting authorization. If you haven't yet, download the B4UFLY app. It will show you restricted airspace. I pulled it up and there is A LOT of Controlled airspace in the area. As @db4476 stated, being a Military "town," there is lots of military (Navy, Marines, Coast Guard) airspace in San Diego that overlaps civilian airspace.
107 certified pilots can make a request through the DroneZone to operate in a 0’ zone of the UAS Facilities Map (used in LAANC).
 
107 certified pilots can make a request through the DroneZone to operate in a 0’ zone of the UAS Facilities Map (used in LAANC).
Good to know! If I was 107 certified, I probably would have know that.
 
I passed Part 107 last August and recieved a Temporary Certificate Number. I have tried several times to get authorization to fly a photo mission at a park that is 3 SM East of San Diego International Airport in Class B Airspace with a LAANC altitude of 0 feet AGL. I have submitted my requests through LAANC and DroneZone but keep getting denied. What am I doing wrong?
Hey man, just a heads up, looks like your whole address is listed in your location, might want to change that!
 
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First of all, forget LAANC. It is useless for 0' AGL areas. Your request will need to be reviewed by a "live person" and the request must be made through DroneZone. I have received authorization for 0' AGL albeit in Class D airspace but I can provide some insights:

- Requests for single days are easier to get approved than multi-day requests.
- If you need more than one day, submit multiple requests for each individual day.
- Request an AGL that is only as high as you need. Ask for something under 400' if you can for your project.
- You must have a legitimate commercial reason for the waiver. Mine was to photograph a golf course.
- Allow sufficient time for the review to take place. Don't bother submitting a request for the next day approval.
- I received approvals within a few days for Class D. Yours in Class B may take much longer.
- Try changing the parameters of your request (i.e.; lower altitude, different time of day, more time to process).
- Make sure you are fill in all the requested info on the request form. Missing info will guarantee rejection.

Good luck...
 
Thanks so much 66427cobra! I have applied for authorization through DroneZone who informs me that my "application was canceled" because it was the "incorrect application type". I have responded by asking what is the correct application type and am waiting for a reply.
 
Just piling on hypotheticals...

Silly question: is your FAA Drone Zone account marked RECREATIONAL or is it marked as PART 107? This would be an incorrect application type based on the 0' ceiling.

Plus --- looking at the maps, there's a US drone training station within 3 miles (NATSEC), nine DOD NSUFR zones, and a 0' ceiling directly in the SDI approach, seems pretty likely you won't get an authorization unless you have a significantly good reason. Test Flights or Follow a Golf Game probably won't cut it.



 
When you are applying, make sure you select airspace authorization and not airspace waiver.

In your request, make sure you include the reasons why you need to fly there and what you are going to do to keep it safe.
 
ClassB is not very flexible.
They are not worried about what you will do they’re worried about what Drone will do
 
ClassB is not very flexible.
They are not worried about what you will do they’re worried about what Drone will do
Both. They want a reasoning for why you want to be in airspace and why this is a safer solution than other alternatives.

I've received a hundred approvals in class b airspace some of them within a half a mile of an airport, it's not a big deal
 
I've received a hundred approvals in class b airspace some of them within a half a mile of an airport, it's not a big deal
I've been flying airplanes in the LA basin based at HHR for over 50 years but I've never requested clearance in the surface to 10000 with a drone so I'll take your word for it.
 
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