St. Louis laws and where to fly

[elliotaub]

I’m going to be going to St. Louis at the end of March and plan on flying my Mavic Air 2 while there. I saw that you now have to have a permit and insurance to fly in forest park? Being only recreational, I don’t have a license in order to apply for said permit. So forest park is a no go?
I was also thinking of taking off on the east side of the Mississippi (north of the national park area) and fly down the river in front of the Arch. Does that sound possible/legal?
I’d like to go to the sculpture field. I have seen a Mormon temple I am going to try and fly too. Cathedral Basilica if possible. Are there any other suggestions on where to fly in the St Louis area? We will be staying right across the interstate from forest park for 3 days.
Thanks!

 

[Stealth01]

I’m going to be going to St. Louis at the end of March and plan on flying my Mavic Air 2 while there. I saw that you now have to have a permit and insurance to fly in forest park? Being only recreational, I don’t have a license in order to apply for said permit. So forest park is a no go?
I was also thinking of taking off on the east side of the Mississippi (north of the national park area) and fly down the river in front of the Arch. Does that sound possible/legal?
I’d like to go to the sculpture field. I have seen a Mormon temple I am going to try and fly too. Cathedral Basilica if possible. Are there any other suggestions on where to fly in the St Louis area? We will be staying right across the interstate from forest park for 3 days.
Thanks!

Just glancing at the Sectional Chart, that’s going to be a challenge...

 

[joeywestside]

Check out the Casino Queen parking lot area on the Illinois side.... Can fly to 50 there but can coordinate higher authorization. It's a beautiful spot there with the Eads Bridge. Best of luck, there's lots of airspace there.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

I know STL well, why fly around the city...very boring.

Here's a park where you can fly around and take some great outdoor shots:

August A. Busch. Memorial Conservation Area

August A. Busch. Memorial Conservation Area · 2360 Hwy D, St Charles, MO 63304

★★★★★ · Park

maps.app.goo.gl

This place will offer you some really good shots of the Missouri river

38°39'22.3"N 90°44'11.9"W · Boone Township, MO

Boone Township, MO

maps.app.goo.gl

A bit of a drive but it offers some fantastic wildlife shots.
Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park

Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park · 1000 Riverlands Way, West Alton, MO 63386

★★★★☆ · State park

maps.app.goo.gl

Good luck!

 

[brett8883]

I’m going to be going to St. Louis at the end of March and plan on flying my Mavic Air 2 while there. I saw that you now have to have a permit and insurance to fly in forest park? Being only recreational, I don’t have a license in order to apply for said permit. So forest park is a no go?
I was also thinking of taking off on the east side of the Mississippi (north of the national park area) and fly down the river in front of the Arch. Does that sound possible/legal?
I’d like to go to the sculpture field. I have seen a Mormon temple I am going to try and fly too. Cathedral Basilica if possible. Are there any other suggestions on where to fly in the St Louis area? We will be staying right across the interstate from forest park for 3 days.
Thanks!

Forest park is so big I dont know how they could enforce that. You just have to master the “jump out the car, take off, jump back in the car” technique and I think you’d be fine lol

The Morman temple is a good one I hadn’t thought of. It’s kind of exposed though so I’m not sure where you could take off from and stay on the down low.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

I live 1/2 hour south of St. Louis and work downtown. There is a lot of restricted airspace around mainly because of Cahokia surprisingly and not STL International. The Arch grounds are a National Park plus there are a lot of helicopter sightseeing flights in that area so it's not a very good option. I think you're able to fly in Forest Park. I just checked on B4UFLY and it's clear to take off, the same on Airmap. There are weirdly places to fly downtown outside of controlled airspace such as Washington Avenue and you can fly near Union Station, just be aware there is the city jail east of there that is restricted.

 

[Glhs958]

I think you're able to fly in Forest Park.

Can I fly a drone in Forest Park?
If you would like to fly a drone in Forest Park, you will need to submit an application for a City of St. Louis Board of Public Service Permit to BPS Secretary Cherise Jones, Room 305, City Hall. With your application, you will need to submit a copy of your pilot's license, drone specs and a certificate of insurance for $1,000,000. Please contact the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry at 314.289.5300 with additional questions.

Rules, Safety & Security — Forest Park Forever

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

Rules, Safety & Security — Forest Park Forever

You can't launch/land in forest park unless you do all that. That sort of ridiculous bureaucracy is typical in many city parks across the country. However, nothing stopping someone from launching/landing outside the park and flying over it so long as vlos is maintained. They call the shots on the ground but not in the air. ?

 

[Dogtown Droney]

I’m going to be going to St. Louis at the end of March and plan on flying my Mavic Air 2 while there. I saw that you now have to have a permit and insurance to fly in forest park? Being only recreational, I don’t have a license in order to apply for said permit. So forest park is a no go?
I was also thinking of taking off on the east side of the Mississippi (north of the national park area) and fly down the river in front of the Arch. Does that sound possible/legal?
I’d like to go to the sculpture field. I have seen a Mormon temple I am going to try and fly too. Cathedral Basilica if possible. Are there any other suggestions on where to fly in the St Louis area? We will be staying right across the interstate from forest park for 3 days.
Thanks!

Brand new here and was just searching for any threads about St. Louis, so could resist weighing-in.

Forest Park has got to be one of the best possible spots to fly near the City of St. Louis. I can walk there and spend as much time as possible there every week. Technically their website does say you need to obtain permission from the City of STL and provide proof of insurance first. That said, I know a few people who fly in Forest Park (myself included a few times) and haven't had any issues. It is a massive park and would be very difficult for a Park Ranger, etc. to find you if they cared to.

Second to Forest Park, I'd probably recommend Lafayette Park, which is surrounded by one of the best historic neighborhoods and architecture in the Midwest. You'd also get views of the Arch from there. Tower Grove Park is also worth a look.

Cathedral Basilica is incredible, and if you go make certain to go inside, no matter what. It is also very close to Forest Park.

Unfortunately flying anywhere near the Arch is a huge no-no. It's both a national monument as well as a national park and it would be the fastest way to be caught and likely badly punished. I have a friend who's flown near the Eads Bridge on the other side of the river, but he filed a request for permission first.

Definitely ignore the guy above who said flying in the City of STL would be "boring." There is a huge City/County division here, and they love to say that kind of garbage when they never even set foot inside the City limits.

 

[Chip D]

Check out the Casino Queen parking lot area on the Illinois side.... Can fly to 50 there but can coordinate higher authorization. It's a beautiful spot there with the Eads Bridge. Best of luck, there's lots of airspace there.

I parked at the Casino Queen 4 years ago and took off across the Mississippi and flew the arch legally. But since that time, they've made that whole area a no fly zone. Glad I got my drone flight in when I did.