Hot Air Balloons: how close can I reasonably get?

[canyonphoto]

As far as I know, the only regulation is this:

FAR Part 107.37 Operation near aircraft; right-of-way rules.

(a) Each small unmanned aircraft must yield the right of way to all aircraft, airborne vehicles, and launch and reentry vehicles. Yielding the right of way means that the small unmanned aircraft must give way to the aircraft or vehicle and may not pass over, under, or ahead of it unless well clear.

(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard.

Manned aircraft pilots have a similar rule:

91.111 Operating near other aircraft.

(a) No person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard.

 

[MS Coast]

I'll toss out a number as a "straw man" for discussion.

100 yards in all directions, with prior approval of the balloon pilot and ready means of voice communication via radio or telephone during the flight. Agree on a hand signal that could be used by the balloon pilot or passengers to advise the drone pilot to back away. immediately. 200 yards otherwise.

Additional spacing on the downwind side of the balloon might be advisable with higher wind speeds.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I’d say a reasonable distance like 100 yards could work.
I’d totally add strictly no flight downwind, above, or below . . . the directional danger zones a HAB can travel.
For safety, I’d estimate it’d be relatively safe from same altitude of the solo HAB you could allow altitude + / - 45 degrees, and from downwind to anything 90 degrees ether side of the balloon.

It’s interesting that FAA drone rules allow such interpretation flexibility with simply ‘give way’ and ‘not create a collision hazard’.
It’s like OPP where most countries have a set lateral distance from any person, and FAA stipulates not directly overhead (ie over any one body part).

 

[ghutch]

I flew with 18 balloons at a fun fest. At the pilots meeting, they just asked me not to fly inside their balloons!
Asked me to just keep a safe distance and left that up to me. Best thing to do is to stay upwind of them all the time...

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I flew with 18 balloons at a fun fest. At the pilots meeting, they just asked me not to fly inside their balloons!
Asked me to just keep a safe distance and left that up to me. Best thing to do is to stay upwind of them all the time...

Beaut photos, yeah you'd want to stay upwind form a bunch of HAB's like that.
With limited camera view it'd be easy to get lost among them and collision risk would increase tremendously.

 

[nhwhelehan]

I live not too far from an airfield that hosts hot air balloon events a few times each year. There are also single flights on most fair weather afternoons in the warmer months. That said, I've flown numerous times when a balloon was nearby, but I've never gotten closer than about 1/2 mile. My question is this: what is a safe/reasonable distance, assuming I am not downwind? They often land in the open fields near me and it would be an easy thing to fly closer as they are landing. Yes, these are manned aircraft, but given their inability to maneuver (other than up and down) it seems like it would be safe to get a bit closer. Thanks.

Never done it, but here are some thoughts from my over-logical brain:
Stay either above the balloon or below the basket at all times. If you had a fly-away and you are between those boundaries, and the drone is flying towards the balloon and/or passengers, there will likely be a collision.
It may cause physical injury if it hits the passenger area, or a catastrophic failure of the balloon if the props break through the balloon skin.
Just food for thought.

 

[Kolman Rosenberg]

I can imagine a situation where a drone pilot could be flying upwind of a hot air balloon, with the balloon safely flying away from him/her, with attention and vlos on that balloon and another balloon approaching from behind, silently! We can hear other types of aircraft approaching, but not hot air balloons. Could be a bad situation.

 

[Mkolo]

I know I’m new here, but wouldn’t a reasonable distance a drone should fly near a balloon is in the box at the store cause if you don’t have the sense god gave a gnat you shouldn’t own one to begin with? Asking for a friend.

 

[dronerdave]

In one incident at a private airport we fly RC aircraft at, a balloon dropped in on our group. What surprised me was how fast it made it to us as he dropped lower on approach. Of course we stood down when he got close. I felt 500 yards more than safe considering the RC aircraft flying, terrain, and weather. Even though he wasn't supposed to land there, we were all fascinated to see one land so close.

 

[cheddar-man]

Common sense would dictate at least 100m I would think? You really don't want to risk hitting the balloon, you'd puncture the envelope. Also bear in mind that any wind will be very turbulent around the envelope.

 

[LoudThunder]

Not sure I’ve ever seen a hard and fast distance to keep from a manned aircraft, assuming a hot air balloon is considered one too.
Pretty sure those pilots are licensed in some way to fly.

Yes, Hot Air Baloon pilots are licensed and Hot Air Baloons are considered Aircraft. Here is some regulations to consider...

§ 91.111 Operating near other aircraft.​

(a) No person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard.
(b) No person may operate an aircraft in formation flight except by arrangement with the pilot in command of each aircraft in the formation.
(c) No person may operate an aircraft, carrying passengers for hire, in formation flight.

Since many Hot Air Balloons often have passengers on board, whether they paid for the flight or worked as a ground crew to earn the ride, they are "paying passengers" and formation flight, like being proposed, to fly a drone around a balloon, is not allowed and the Balloon Pilot cannot agree to it...

 

[LoudThunder]

Here is some regulations to consider...

Here is a follow on to the previous posting...

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a No Drone Zone

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a No Drone Zone

balloonfiesta.com

 

[Daycrawler]

Not to get off topic but I follow a guy on FB named Tucker Gott. Tucker fly's a powered paraglider. Since his mother is a hot air balloon pilot he is also well known. That said in one of his video's he, foot drags a hot air balloon. He did have permission.

If I were flying my drone anywhere near a balloon, I would want prop guards just in case things went south. Having been in a hot air balloon I know they are relatively safe. Like anything that floats or fly's you are always fighting gravity. I would think a sharp prop could ventilate a hot air balloon rather quickly.

 

[akdrone]

Not to get off topic but I follow a guy on FB named Tucker Gott. Tucker fly's a powered paraglider. Since his mother is a hot air balloon pilot he is also well known. That said in one of his video's he, foot drags a hot air balloon. He did have permission.

If I were flying my drone anywhere near a balloon, I would want prop guards just in case things went south. Having been in a hot air balloon I know they are relatively safe. Like anything that floats or fly's you are always fighting gravity. I would think a sharp prop could ventilate a hot air balloon rather quickly.

My mavic 3 cut off a large branch from a pine tree that was roughly 3/8 of an inch or more in diameter. I was amazed. The drone didn't even fall to the ground or show any damage to the props, so yeah...I think it could do some real damage to a balloon.