Low flying aircraft outside the realm of airports, etc. Reason to worry?

[dleister]

I'm new to drones. I bought a Mavic 2 Pro at Christmas and have done a few flights here and there when the weather hasn't been awful. One thing I've become very aware of since buying it is low flying air traffic near our house in Central PA. It seems at any given time there could be military convoys, life flight helicopters small fixed wing planes and passenger aircraft all within very close proximity to our house which is outside any local airport/airspace. A few times I've gone into panic mode flying around 300-400 feet and heard the engines of an aircraft approaching. The last thing I want to do is take down a C-130 or Blackhawk (yes, my drone probably isn't capable of that unless it was ingested in an engine but humor me...) in my backyard.

I've looked at a Flight tracker app to get a feel for how high these aircraft are flying but none of the military flights are shown and neither are Life Lion (our local critical care flight helicopters) or other small aircraft. When looking up at them or out the window I'd swear they're near the 400 foot mark or close enough to make me nervous. What makes me even MORE nervous is these same aircraft seem to "buzz" the mountain behind our place which I believe I'm allowed to fly above up to 400 feet as well.

Is this being too paranoid or has anyone else experienced aircraft flying this low in a fairly rural area? For example, I take off in the community at the bottom of this screenshot and 400 feet gets you about 2/3 up the mountain. If you fly at the top of the mountain isn't the 400 foot ceiling still fair game? I might be crazy but I swear the air traffic is UNDER that ceiling flying southwest to northeast directly over our development. Location on google maps

Edited to add: Right before this post a Blackhawk flew overhead. Just as I finished I can hear the chop from another one nearby so this is a fairly regular occurrence. Edit 2: And now a Chinook....

 

[brett8883]

I'm new to drones. I bought a Mavic 2 Pro at Christmas and have done a few flights here and there when the weather hasn't been awful. One thing I've become very aware of since buying it is low flying air traffic near our house in Central PA. It seems at any given time there could be military convoys, life flight helicopters small fixed wing planes and passenger aircraft all within very close proximity to our house which is outside any local airport/airspace. A few times I've gone into panic mode flying around 300-400 feet and heard the engines of an aircraft approaching. The last thing I want to do is take down a C-130 or Blackhawk (yes, my drone probably isn't capable of that unless it was ingested in an engine but humor me...) in my backyard.

I've looked at a Flight tracker app to get a feel for how high these aircraft are flying but none of the military flights are shown and neither are Life Lion (our local critical care flight helicopters) or other small aircraft. When looking up at them or out the window I'd swear they're near the 400 foot mark or close enough to make me nervous. What makes me even MORE nervous is these same aircraft seem to "buzz" the mountain behind our place which I believe I'm allowed to fly above up to 400 feet as well.

Is this being too paranoid or has anyone else experienced aircraft flying this low in a fairly rural area? For example, I take off in the community at the bottom of this screenshot and 400 feet gets you about 2/3 up the mountain. If you fly at the top of the mountain isn't the 400 foot ceiling still fair game? I might be crazy but I swear the air traffic is UNDER that ceiling flying southwest to northeast directly over our development. Location on google maps

Edited to add: Right before this post a Blackhawk flew overhead. Just as I finished I can hear the chop from another one nearby so this is a fairly regular occurrence. Edit 2: And now a Chinook....

View attachment 69021

I have had this issue too. I thank the Military men for their service but they sure think they are cowboys sometimes. They likely are flying higher than 400 feet but it’s really hard to tell.

Only reccomendation I have is to always be in a position to hear them or might be worth attaching a really powerful strobe light or reflective tape or something to help them see you. Once they do they’ll probably keep their distance.

 

[ascension]

Have you looked at a sectional to see if the area of concern is in special use airspace or a VR/IR training route?
I'd be reluctant to call anybody a cowboy until I had done the research, as done in a follow up post.
Not say it doesn't happen, but the airmen in our services have rules to abide by like everyone else, and doing something not authorized while being so easily observed generally results in explosive bolts on your wings.

 

[brett8883]

Have you looked at a sectional to see if the area of concern is in special use airspace or a VR/IR training route?
I'd be reluctant to call anybody a cowboy until I had done the research, as done in a follow up post.
Not say it doesn't happen, but the airmen in our services have rules to abide by like everyone else, and doing something not authorized while being so easily observed generally results in explosive bolts on your wings.

You are right, what I said was an over generalization. It was based on having to get out of the way of one particular large military helicopter flying at less than 1000 feet in an urban area. Luckily I saw him a good 5 miles out and was easily able to come in and land before he was over head but it was scary to think what could have happened if I didn’t see him so early. The flyover was so low that everyone in the streets stopped what they were doing to look up and watch the fly over. When he passed everyone that knew I was flying a drone looked at me to seee my reaction and I just shook my head.

So that one isolated experience shouldnt have been cause for me to make such a generalization but it was a notable experience and the op reminded me of it.

 

[Captain Lou]

Hi dliester... check out “AirMap” app ... it shows Marysville is within a small airports(“Tallman West”) airspace... I have to travel about a half hour away to fly and it’s a flat scrub pine area .... not very scenic but I can practice all I want without to much risk ...there’s a lot of other restricted places near you... looks like you can find a place near I-81 to get some nice pics of the Susquehanna river ...
Just be aware of small aircraft and helicopters that should be above 400 ft but you never know ... even birds could be something to be aware of..
I think we all have the same problems when it comes to finding a place to enjoy our new hobby... hang in and enjoy!!

 

[Lawman]

I live out in the country and there are several small airports and private (pasture, hay field type) air ports with in 10 miles. Only 1 as close as 4.5 miles away. I have single engine air traffic going every different direction at all hours of the day time. Some no higher than 200 feet I am sure. I have a range finder I am going to use to check it out when I have the time. I usually stand below them as they approach with out stretched arms and holler at them "what gives". It is frustrating. But what can you do. I have been here 64 years and they have done it as long as I can remember. Oh by the way I never thought much about it prior to flying drones.

 

[brett8883]

I live out in the country and there are several small airports and private (pasture, hay field type) air ports with in 10 miles. Only 1 as close as 4.5 miles away. I have single engine air traffic going every different direction at all hours of the day time. Some no higher than 200 feet I am sure. I have a range finder I am going to use to check it out when I have the time. I usually stand below them as they approach with out stretched arms and holler at them "what gives". It is frustrating. But what can you do. I have been here 64 years and they have done it as long as I can remember. Oh by the way I never thought much about it prior to flying drones.

That’s when I would call those airports and tell them to knock it off. Military craft are one thing but that’s unacceptable. If it doesn’t help get their registration # and record the date time and range finder readings and give it to the FAA.

 

[prb]

That’s when I would call those airports and tell them to knock it off. Military craft are one thing but that’s unacceptable. If it doesn’t help get their registration # and record the date time and range finder readings and give it to the FAA.

When I lived until recently on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, marines would fly helicopters below 200’ (over the water). A guy from the marine base told me they didn’t have a clue about drones.

 

[Lawman]

They must just be airport hopping is all I can figure.

 

[frank candor]

I'm new to drones. I bought a Mavic 2 Pro at Christmas and have done a few flights here and there when the weather hasn't been awful. One thing I've become very aware of since buying it is low flying air traffic near our house in Central PA. It seems at any given time there could be military convoys, life flight helicopters small fixed wing planes and passenger aircraft all within very close proximity to our house which is outside any local airport/airspace. A few times I've gone into panic mode flying around 300-400 feet and heard the engines of an aircraft approaching. The last thing I want to do is take down a C-130 or Blackhawk (yes, my drone probably isn't capable of that unless it was ingested in an engine but humor me...) in my backyard.

I've looked at a Flight tracker app to get a feel for how high these aircraft are flying but none of the military flights are shown and neither are Life Lion (our local critical care flight helicopters) or other small aircraft. When looking up at them or out the window I'd swear they're near the 400 foot mark or close enough to make me nervous. What makes me even MORE nervous is these same aircraft seem to "buzz" the mountain behind our place which I believe I'm allowed to fly above up to 400 feet as well.

Is this being too paranoid or has anyone else experienced aircraft flying this low in a fairly rural area? For example, I take off in the community at the bottom of this screenshot and 400 feet gets you about 2/3 up the mountain. If you fly at the top of the mountain isn't the 400 foot ceiling still fair game? I might be crazy but I swear the air traffic is UNDER that ceiling flying southwest to northeast directly over our development. Location on google maps

Edited to add: Right before this post a Blackhawk flew overhead. Just as I finished I can hear the chop from another one nearby so this is a fairly regular occurrence. Edit 2: And now a Chinook....

View attachment 69021

Nothing to worry about, Just gotta stay out of their way, no matter their Altitude

 

[Earthman]

In any case, an UAV must stay clear of manned aircraft. However, manned aircraft must maintain minimum safe altitudes as followes:

FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS
Home > Aviation Regulations > Parts Index > Part 91 > Sec. 91.119 - Minimum safe altitudes: General.

Sec. 91.119 — Minimum safe altitudes: General.
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

(a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

(d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—

(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA; and

(2) A powered parachute or weight-shift-control aircraft may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section.

[Docket No. 18334, 54 FR 34294, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt. 91–311, 75 FR 5223, Feb. 1, 2010]

If you can photograph the offending aircraft, including its tail numbers, and document the date and time, you can report the incident using the FAA’s online reporting tool here.