I think the answer is no but,…….

[dart106]

…..when flying next to a prohibited area, such as a wilderness area, will the Dji software produce a notification that the boundary is getting close? I want to take photos of monsoon water falls (outside the wilderness area) in an open area near the wilderness area and have no intention of getting close to the prohibited wilderness boundary. My intention is to do extensive map study and maintain safe distance.

I'm thinking "no, it won’t” but, am interested in more expertise on the subject since I’ve not flown in relatively close proximity in the past. Thank you in advance.

 

[Vic Moss]

Not very likely. Some areas do show up, but not Wilderness areas. If in doubt, check DJI's GEO map.

DJI FlySafe

www.dji.com

 

[dart106]

Not very likely. Some areas do show up, but not Wilderness areas. If in doubt, check DJI's GEO map.

DJI FlySafe

www.dji.com

Actually, wilderness areas do show up on both of the drone preflight apps I’ve downloaded from the App Store.

 

[Vic Moss]

Actually, wilderness areas do show up on both of the drone preflight apps I’ve downloaded from the App Store.

Which apps? I'd love to know.

 

[dart106]

Which apps? I'd love to know.

Which apps? I'd love to know.

B4UFLY and AirMap.

 

[dart106]

Be

B4UFLY and AirMap.

 

[Vic Moss]

Ah. I have those apps, but I was wondering if there were others.

But to you asked about the DJI apps, those don't.

 

[dart106]

Ah. I have those apps, but I was wondering if there were others.

But to you asked about the DJI apps, those don't.

Thanks! Just curious because I’ve not flown in close proximity to a prohibited area previously.

 

[db4476]

In my experience with flying a drone near a designated wilderness area, it seems to depend on where exactly you are and what version of fly safe database is installed. Sometimes a warning will pop up, but most of the time no warning shows. Go figure.

Cheers!

 

[dart106]

In my experience with flying a drone near a designated wilderness area, it seems to depend on where exactly you are and what version of fly safe database is installed. Sometimes a warning will pop up, but most of the time no warning shows. Go figure.

Cheers!

Thanks! I’ve got the latest version installed. Will report my results.

 

[db4476]

Thanks! I’ve got the latest version installed. Will report my results.

Yes! Please give us an update on how it goes.

Cheers!

 

[dart106]

Here’s my launch point at a parking pullout yesterday. By my map interpolations, the wilderness boundary is about halfway up the hill between the canyon bottom and the edge of the parking area. So, I was careful to not extend the flight path toward the boundary. There was never any type of warning displayed on the software.

The lower photo shows the Seven Cataracts across the canyon and well into the wilderness area. Photo taken at 2X zoom from overhead the parking area.

 

[sar104]

…..when flying next to a prohibited area, such as a wilderness area, will the Dji software produce a notification that the boundary is getting close? I want to take photos of monsoon water falls (outside the wilderness area) in an open area near the wilderness area and have no intention of getting close to the prohibited wilderness boundary. My intention is to do extensive map study and maintain safe distance.

I'm thinking "no, it won’t” but, am interested in more expertise on the subject since I’ve not flown in relatively close proximity in the past. Thank you in advance.

There is no prohibition on flying above designated wilderness, and so the DJI Geo system doesn't recognize them.

 

[dart106]

There is no prohibition on flying above designated wilderness, and so the DJI Geo system doesn't recognize them.

Interesting point. I assume the restriction is based on no motorized vehicles on the ground within a designated wilderness area. Do you know of documentation that further explains and defines that? Thanks for the comment and explanation!

 

[sar104]

Interesting point. I assume the restriction is based on no motorized vehicles on the ground within a designated wilderness area. Do you know of documentation that further explains and defines that? Thanks for the comment and explanation!

That's correct, sUAS are motorized and so you cannot take off or land in wilderness. As far as I know there is no explicit documentation allowing sUAS flights over wilderness - there is simply nothing prohibiting it.

For search and rescue purposes we have permission from local USFS districts to fly both from and above wilderness if necessary, but obviously that's not generally applicable.

 

[dart106]

That's correct, sUAS are motorized and so you cannot take off or land in wilderness. As far as I know there is no explicit documentation allowing sUAS flights over wilderness - there is simply nothing prohibiting it.

For search and rescue purposes we have permission from local USFS districts to fly both from and above wilderness if necessary, but obviously that's not generally applicable.

Yes, that all makes logical sense. But, when government agencies are involved there are sometimes assumed restrictions that don’t exist in print. That’s my concern. I don’t want to make harder than it needs to be, just concerned about the “unwritten” rules.

 

[SethB]

See section 4(c) in the Wilderness Act of 1964 for the authority banning motorized equipment from congressionally designated wilderness areas.

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/showFile.cfm?projectID=29224&MIMEType=application%252Fpdf&filename=WildernessActText%2Epdf&sfid=152506

 

[dart106]

See section 4(c) in the Wilderness Act of 1964 for the authority banning motorized equipment from congressionally designated wilderness areas.

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/showFile.cfm?projectID=29224&MIMEType=application%252Fpdf&filename=WildernessActText%2Epdf&sfid=152506

Thanks! That’s what I was looking for.

 

[sar104]

Thanks! That’s what I was looking for.

Except that it says nothing about flying over wilderness, as you would expect since airspace is regulated separately.

 

[MKurr]

Except that it says nothing about flying over wilderness, as you would expect since airspace is regulated separately.

Where would one find the relevant airspace regulations? Somewhere in part 107? Also do sectional charts indicate protected wildernesses?