Trouble with FAA and Police

zachschul22 · Sep 10, 2018

abridge said:
I really just cant believe you chose to fly RIGHT THERE. I am scared being in the middle of nowhere and a plane appearing, you have a huge set flying right there.

It where a parade was so I wanted to record. I'm never doing this again near an airport anyway.

shotes · Sep 10, 2018

zachschul22 said:
I have flight logs from DJI showing me lowering my drone when I saw other aircraft taking off. I was barely above the tree line.

So you simultaneously flew the drone, monitored the airport for departing aircraft, monitored the airspace for arriving aircraft, and safely operated near non-participants at a parade while flying over the road.

Bunny Too · Sep 10, 2018

Let us stay civil and on target on this thread.

dbrockman2 · Sep 10, 2018

texasgrape said:
Funny--so now we are playing the "OP might be lying" scenario--not wasting time doing what ifs--go learn on your own; And BTW the FAA and most folks just use the term "ATC" gernerically--Part 107 licensed UAV operators know it means ATC or airport manager in cases where there is no control tower--

Okay texasgrape you have no clue what you are talking about. I am a Part 121 ATP, as well as a Part 107 UAS holder, along with a Part 61 CFI. I assure you the term airport manager and ATC are not interchangeable. Nor did I say the OP was lying. I simply asked so folks that want more info could look up if if he in fact spoke with ATC at a neighboring facility so a NOTAM could be issued or if he simply called the airport manager, who’s responsibilities stop at the highest blade of grass on his or her field.

OP, all it takes is 1 pilot to call ZNY or any neighboring ATCT to complain and you are going to have the wrath of the FAA come down on you. Hopefully the FAA gives you a teaching moment as NASA ASRS forms do not work for Part 107.

Looking forward to a minimally painful outcome for you.

shotes · Sep 10, 2018

I think if he has a phone record of calling the ATC in advance then this won't be a big problem.

zachschul22 · Sep 10, 2018

dbrockman2 said:
Okay texasgrape you have no clue what you are talking about. I am a Part 121 ATP, as well as a Part 107 UAS holder, along with a Part 61 CFI. I assure you the term airport manager and ATC are not interchangeable. Nor did I say the OP was lying. I simply asked so folks that want more info could look up if if he in fact spoke with ATC at a neighboring facility so a NOTAM could be issued or if he simply called the airport manager, who’s responsibilities stop at the highest blade of grass on his or her field.

OP, all it takes is 1 pilot to call ZNY or any neighboring ATCT to complain and you are going to have the wrath of the FAA come down on you. Hopefully the FAA gives you a teaching moment as NASA ASRS forms do not work for Part 107.

Looking forward to a minimally painful outcome for you.

Yes hopefully it's just a warning and that's all. I'm never taking any risk like this ever again. I'll keep to my local park or large parking lot.

texasgrape · Sep 10, 2018

shotes said:
So you simultaneously flew the drone, monitored the airport for departing aircraft, monitored the airspace for arriving aircraft, and safely operated near non-participants at a parade while flying over the road.

EXACTLY! You finally got it! Sooo you think a plane is going to come over him and buzz 1000 people at a parade while not being lined up with his runway? Really? Did you look at the map at post 26? If so tell us how that can happen

dbrockman2 said:
Okay texasgrape you have no clue what you are talking about. I am a Part 121 ATP, as well as a Part 107 UAS holder, along with a Part 61 CFI. I assure you the term airport manager and ATC are not interchangeable. Nor did I say the OP was lying. I simply asked so folks that want more info could look up if if he in fact spoke with ATC at a neighboring facility so a NOTAM could be issued or if he simply called the airport manager, who’s responsibilities stop at the highest blade of grass on his or her field.

OP, all it takes is 1 pilot to call ZNY or any neighboring ATCT to complain and you are going to have the wrath of the FAA come down on you. Hopefully the FAA gives you a teaching moment as NASA ASRS forms do not work for Part 107.

Looking forward to a minimally painful outcome for you.

Uhh yes I do; just because you have multiple certifications doesn't mean I don't know anything about UAV piloting regs; I didn't say they were 'interchangeable' (you put that in there) I said most folks use the term 'ATC' generically and that Part 107 UAV pilots knows what it means--even on the test how many times did it just say: 'must notify ATC'--it is understood that with no tower you notify the airport manager--don't make this personal--let's educate folks--and the OP did 'just simply call the airport manager'-that is all that is required for this airport

abridge · Sep 10, 2018

texasgrape said:
EXACTLY! You finally got it! Sooo you think a plane is going to come over him and buzz 1000 people at a parade while not being lined up with his runway? Really? Did you look at the map at post 26? If so tell us how that can happen

Uhh yes I do; just because you have multiple certifications doesn't mean I don't know anything about UAV piloting regs; I didn't say they were 'interchangeable' (you put that in there) I said most folks use the term 'ATC' generically and that Part 107 UAV pilots knows what it means--even on the test how many times did it just say: 'must notify ATC'--it is understood that with no tower you notify the airport manager--don't make this personal--let's educate folks--and the OP did 'just simply call the airport manager'-that is all that is required for this airport

but his picture #29 shows he was flying where he should not have been.

texasgrape · Sep 10, 2018

abridge said:
but his picture #29 shows he was flying where he should not have been.

I think that is a road not a runway--if that's a runway I'm going to dig a hole and climb in it--you can cover me up! LOL

#26 shows his location

abridge · Sep 10, 2018

texasgrape said:
I think that is a road not a runway--if that's a runway I'm going to dig a hole and climb in it--you can cover me up! LOL

#26 shows his location

the runway is wedged in between the V of his flight path. I just dont comprehend how someone thinks this is even a 1% smart idea.

texasgrape · Sep 10, 2018

abridge said:
the runway is wedged in between the V of his flight path. I just dont comprehend how someone thinks this is even a 1% smart idea.

I don't think anyone here would have flown there; I know I wouldn't have parade or no parade; but the issue seemed to turn into 'he broke the law' and he's just a bad bad person--he didn't break any laws based on what OP has given us as the facts--

He was set up across the street adjacent to the airport

abridge · Sep 10, 2018

texasgrape said:
I don't think anyone here would have flown there; I know I wouldn't have parade or no parade; but the issue seemed to turn into 'he broke the law' and he's just a bad bad person--he didn't break any laws based on what OP has given us as the facts--

He was set up across the street adjacent to the airport

I am not saying he is a bad person, i am just saying he is extremely misinformed. Unless the call was taped from the end of ATC he is screwed because they can say they didn't allow him flight. Good thing LAANC is coming out soon.

Setup across the street sounds so bad haha.

macoman · Sep 10, 2018

abridge said:
I am not saying he is a bad person, i am just saying he is extremely misinformed. Unless the call was taped from the end of ATC he is screwed because they can say they didn't allow him flight. Good thing LAANC is coming out soon.

Setup across the street sounds so bad haha.

Agreed, specially from someone already with a 107 certification. I don't have any certification and guarantee that you will not see me flying so close to an airport. It's just common sense.

abridge · Sep 10, 2018

macoman said:
Agreed, specially from someone already with a 107 certification. I don't have any certification and guarantee that you will not see me flying so close to an airport. It's just common sense.

whats that thing about common sense?

texasgrape · Sep 10, 2018

abridge said:
I am not saying he is a bad person, i am just saying he is extremely misinformed. Unless the call was taped from the end of ATC he is screwed because they can say they didn't allow him flight. Good thing LAANC is coming out soon.

Setup across the street sounds so bad haha.

Yep--but all FAA says to do is to 'notify'--it would be up to FAA to prove he didn't call--OP has a phone log so he's good which is what has generated the discussions;

Our airport manager says to just email him with flight times and location--said he doesn't want phone calls LOL! And the one I fly near (inside 5 mile radius) is Class F but Class G from 0-699 feet

dbrockman2 · Sep 10, 2018

zachschul22 said:
Yes hopefully it's just a warning and that's all. I'm never taking any risk like this ever again. I'll keep to my local park or large parking lot.

There are ways to do what you did, most likely the parade wasn’t an impromptu event, you could have filed for waivers and they would have NOTAMed your presence, as well as use another runway.

texasgrape · Sep 10, 2018

Funny story: my wife said "Hey let's go to the park and fly your drone!" I said NO WAY! NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! The park is adjacent to an airport! Legal? Yes? Sensible? No! Told her I did not want to deal with John Q Public or the few pilots who hate drone operators! There are too many other places to fly

Lot of controversy on this subject but good stuff--keep us on our toes and we all learn!

abridge · Sep 10, 2018

never heard of class F airspace..

texasgrape · Sep 10, 2018

dbrockman2 said:
There are ways to do what you did, most likely the parade wasn’t an impromptu event, you could have filed for waivers and they would have NOTAMed your presence, as well as use another runway.

Because he was not breaking any regs there is nothing to 'waive'; waivers are for when you have a good reason to break a reg--But good point; OP could have made that call to airport manager days ahead or gotten his email etc

shotes · Sep 10, 2018

A waiver from what? What class airspace was he in?

I'll say again that flying at most smaller airports is not the compliance problem. Part 107 is full if test questions along the lines of examining towers near airports. The FAA training guides is all about the due diligence of operating a drone near aircraft as well as people on the ground.

The OP could have been hired to examine the hangar roofs at this airport and could have done so within FAA guidelines under his 107. But he would need at least one spotter to do it, and possibly two spotters if he also had to manage nonparticipants on the ground.

"Common sense" is better replace by "due diligence" when evaluated the actions of a pilot making a 107 flight.