Should I be Able to Fly Here?

[RussOnTheRoad]

The larger blue pin at about 8 o'clock on the map is where I was located the other day. I got LAANC authorization to fly to 400' but when I tried to launch my Mavic 2 Zoom with the Smart Controller I got something along the lines of Restricted Area and could not take off. This may have been my fault because I did not (and still don't) understand the process of telling DJI that I had received LAANC authorization.

I am asking the following question in preparation for my next visit to the location shown on the map (approximately 10230 8th Ave SW, Seattle, WA): If I learn how to handle things properly and inform DJI that I have LAANC clearance should I be able to fly where that blue pin is located? From what I can tell it is only a Warning Zone. Should I even need LAANC approval there?

Separately, I have seen several not-so-well-done videos on how to go through the process of getting LAANC approval then plugging that info into DJI. So while I seem to be able to get LAANC authoriaztion using B4UFLY I don't know what to do next when I'm out in the filed and have only my phone, Smart Controller and Mavic 2 Zoom. Is anyone aware of a well done written explanation or video that addresses this?

 

[66427cobra]

Somewhat of a newb myself but I have successfully unlocked after FAA approval to fly my Mini 2 in a Class D restricted area.

You may have missed a step which is unlocking the control software through DJI FlySafe:

(Fly Safe - DJI).

Toward the bottom of that above page there is a link to a video about unlocking a Geo Zone. Under that link is another one that will take you to an unlocking request (you will have to login if you haven't already done so). Select "new unlock request", accept the T's & C's, and you will get a pop up that looks like this:



Select Zone Unlocking. Selecting Custom Unlocking is a much more involved process which you should not need in your situation.

Approval should happen very quickly after you provide all the required info. Once that is done, you will be able to overcome the restrictions when you are onsite by telling the control software that you have an existing unlock approval (or something like that). Note this is a DJI Geo Zone unlock approval, not LAANC.

You can do all this ahead of time and I highly recommend you do it that way so you can spend time flying rather than requesting approval from your mobile device.

Those are the general steps as best as I can recall from the last time I went through the process. My apologies if this is not 100%.

Also, from what I can tell you are in Class D airspace so you will need LAANC approval. Check the FAA "Visualize It" map which will show maximum altitude AGL for that region which will be helpful in doing the Geo Zone request:

(ArcGIS Web Application)

Good luck...