Question about the 400 ft. rule

[Cymruflyer]

That's not really correct - recreational pilots are just required to notify the airport and Part 107 pilots can fly anywhere in Class G airspace or in other classes with authorization.

I thought you were not allowed to fly within 5 miles of an airport. So you are saying you could legally fly right next to LAX as a recreational pilot. and that you can be 107 and just tell them you will be flying within the pattern of an airport and that will be fine, as in the approach for landing or takeoff and that will be allowed?

I thought the software would not allow you to take off if you were within the no fly zone of an airport. I also assume any person of normal intelligence, would not dream of flying in line with the approach or take off line of an airport. I am not concerned about what an idiot could or would do, because they are few and far between plus no one can prevent them from doing something totally stupid/dangerous. I was speaking of an average intelligent, responsible drone flyer.

I am a pilot too and can't believe that any drone pilot would be granted permission by the local airport's FBO or ATC to fly within airspace so close to any airport, that it would be a safety concern for manned aircraft flying in any part of the pattern. But if you feel they would, then let me know.

 

[FoxhallGH]

I thought you were not allowed to fly within 5 miles of an airport. So you are saying you could legally fly right next to LAX as a recreational pilot. and that you can be 107 and just tell them you will be flying within the pattern of an airport and that will be fine, as in the approach for landing or takeoff and that will be allowed?

I thought the software would not allow you to take off if you were within the no fly zone of an airport. I also assume any person of normal intelligence, would not dream of flying in line with the approach or take off line of an airport. I am not concerned about what an idiot could or would do, because they are few and far between plus no one can prevent them from doing something totally stupid/dangerous. I was speaking of an average intelligent, responsible drone flyer.

I am a pilot too and can't believe that any drone pilot would be granted permission by the local airport's FBO or ATC to fly within airspace so close to any airport, that it would be a safety concern for manned aircraft flying in any part of the pattern. But if you feel they would, then let me know.

The key here for recreational flying is "Class G Airspace" ... Part 107 operators would fly for commercial and planned reasons in restricted airspace - not just because they felt like it.

 

[AMann]

The scenario you describe sounds fine to me in theory. In practice, Mavics only calculate their 400 AGL from the home point. So, to scale a mountain like in your scenario, you'd have to land, reset your home point, climb 400 feet higher, land, then repeat. You would need to keep following that process over and over to get to the top of the mountain.

A safer way (for your bird) is to use an topographic map and set the max elevation limit to 400’ above the highest point you are going to be flying, then keeping it to within 400’ above the ground directly below you by referencing the topi as you fly. Takes practice, but it works.

 

[AMann]

I’m in Portland, Oregon, USA with a prominent mountain (Mt. Hood) nearby. It is over 11,000 feet in elevation and quite scenic. I suspect the summit is out of reach for my Pro Platinum, but it should make for some interesting footage once I have a little more experience.

I’m still very curious about how the DJI devices address RTH from heights above the preset. Is the RTH setting an Above Ground Level, or a fixed, absolute value?

You have a lot of wilderness area to worry about on Mt. Hood, so I don’t think the AGL rules will be the main concern up there.

 

[AMann]

There is also the ski area on Mt. Hood that doesn’t know the aviation laws very well and believes they can make their own rules up and that they own the sky above them:

Drones | Meadows

Id watch out flying around them, you may be in the right, but it sounds like they believe they can still take your drone and take you to court over it.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

There is also the ski area on Mt. Hood that doesn’t know the aviation laws very well and believes they can make their own rules up and that they own the sky above them:

Drones | Meadows

Id watch out flying around them, you may be in the right, but it sounds like they believe they can still take your drone and take you to court over it.

We have similar at ski resorts in Australia, very draconian.
An example of one of our regular ski resorts we visit now and then . . .
Drone Policy - Official Home of Falls Creek Alpine Resort

The heli pads they mention are not even marked on our 'Can I Fly There' app, put out be our aviation authority, CASA.



There is a helipad up near Cloud Nine, outside the marked helipad area.
I've never even seen the one marked, but there is one the medical choppers use down just inside the red zone up top of that no fly area, literally just inside.

Falls Creek is actually a town, and while winter sees it closed off (you can't drive the streets, it becomes part of the resort I guess for safety), with very hefty charges to drive in, park up, pay for road clearing in pass etc, they seem to be able to dictate a total ban. All year round !!

 

[sar104]

I thought you were not allowed to fly within 5 miles of an airport. So you are saying you could legally fly right next to LAX as a recreational pilot. and that you can be 107 and just tell them you will be flying within the pattern of an airport and that will be fine, as in the approach for landing or takeoff and that will be allowed?

I thought the software would not allow you to take off if you were within the no fly zone of an airport. I also assume any person of normal intelligence, would not dream of flying in line with the approach or take off line of an airport. I am not concerned about what an idiot could or would do, because they are few and far between plus no one can prevent them from doing something totally stupid/dangerous. I was speaking of an average intelligent, responsible drone flyer.

I am a pilot too and can't believe that any drone pilot would be granted permission by the local airport's FBO or ATC to fly within airspace so close to any airport, that it would be a safety concern for manned aircraft flying in any part of the pattern. But if you feel they would, then let me know.

No - that's not what I said at all. The rules are not very complicated.

For recreational flight, 14 CFR §101.41(e): When flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation.

Depending on where and how high you wanted to fly near LAX the tower might well object on safety grounds and report you to the FAA for violation of 14 CFR §101.43(e): No person may operate model aircraft so as to endanger the safety of the national airspace system, but there is no 5-mile prohibition for recreational flight.

For Part 107 the rules are entirely based on airspace class. I referred to Class G airspace around airports as being unrestricted for Part 107. To fly in the Class B airspace around LAX a Part 107 pilot needs authorization - now done via the LAANC system.

 

[Cymruflyer]

That's not really correct - recreational pilots are just required to notify the airport and Part 107 pilots can fly anywhere in Class G airspace or in other classes with authorization.

Then my statement should still hold true, that there is no way a safety conscious or 107 drone flyer will be in an area that would prove a safety hazard to a manned aircraft in the circuit at an airport. I may have overstated the five mile thing but there should be no reason to believe a drone flyer would be in any part of the circuit that could cause a danger.

 

[sar104]

Then my statement should still hold true, that there is no way a safety conscious or 107 drone flyer will be in an area that would prove a safety hazard to a manned aircraft in the circuit at an airport. I may have overstated the five mile thing but there should be no reason to believe a drone flyer would be in any part of the circuit that could cause a danger.

This is back to the same problem - are we talking about the actual rules (the title of the thread) or personal safety attitudes? The former are well defined - the latter are not. This thread is full of people asserting rules and laws that don't exist and then, when that's pointed out, coming back with some version of "well that's what a responsible pilot would do anyway so I'm right". Plenty of authorized Part 107 flights take place within five miles of airports, including large ones. You didn't just overstate the five mile thing - it simply doesn't exist.

 

[Trollistika]

Can you fly your drone inside you bedroom when you house is inside the 5 mile airport radius? Just curious.

 

[sar104]

Can you fly your drone inside you bedroom when you house is inside the 5 mile airport radius? Just curious.

The FAA doesn't regulate indoor flight.

 

[Trollistika]

The FAA doesn't regulate indoor flight.

Ok. Good to know.

 

[Trollistika]

Wait..... what about your back yard. And flying only like 5 feet off the ground in circles. To practice.

 

[sar104]

Wait..... what about your back yard. And flying only like 5 feet off the ground in circles. To practice.

The FAA regulates outdoor flight.

 

[Trollistika]

The FAA regulates outdoor flight.

Ok. I understand. I'm surprised they dont regulate indoors.

 

[sar104]

Ok. I understand. I'm surprised they dont regulate indoors.

Why would they want to do that?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Ok. I understand. I'm surprised they dont regulate indoors.

Me too ! Well in public at least.
Check this out, a German model expo in April last year, looks a bit dodgy to me.

Up to 3:00 minutes shows preps and crowd around, then it flies from 3:00 and it looks a bit 'dodgy' to me how close it flies to the public.
I've been to similar shows where DJI have had Tellos in demo for the public, they were in an enclosed net room.

They did have others models flying, and drone racing at this event, but the drone racing was inside a netted area.

 

[Trollistika]

OMG! ? That heli looks like it would cut your head cleanly off! Incredible machines!

 

[Trollistika]

Ok... another question. What if a friend or family wants to fly it and it's a perfectly safe and legal flying spot. Are you allowed to give the controller for the just to move it around a bit?

 

[sar104]

Ok... another question. What if a friend or family wants to fly it and it's a perfectly safe and legal flying spot. Are you allowed to give the controller for the just to move it around a bit?

Yes - that's completely legal.