Like many of you I've been watching videos about the Mavic including video shot from them. In my little corner of the world near Salt Lake City Utah I've seen video from two different people flying within the 5 mile exclusion zone of an airport. In the first case B4UFLY indicated he was within 5 miles of 2 airports and a helipad. In the second case he was within 5 miles of an airport and 3 helipads.
I commented on the videos and informed them of the problem so my guess is they are newbies and were unaware of the rules. It also suggests that the DJI Go app's geofencing isn't 100% accurate or perhaps there are problems with the way it's operating so that they are being permitted to fly where they should not.
When I first commented on the first video I said "That location is within 5 miles of the Provo airport and Spanish Fork-Springville airport as well. Don't be that guy!" and a number of folks replied that the geofencing would prohibit his flight if it was illigeal. I then looked closer with the B4UFLY app and made a second comment "The FAA app, B4UFLY, clearly indicates not one but three nearby airports: Utah Valley Medical Center (Helipad, 3.08 miles), Provo Muni (3.85 miles) and Spanish Fork-Springville (4.32 miles). In order to be permitted to fly he would have to contact all three airports to get permission. The DJI Go app may well have allowed it, but the FAA has a 5 mile exclusion zone and he was within it with 3 different registered airports (2 airports and 1 helipad). I live in the SLC area and fly a DJI Inspire 1 drone and would prefer that my right to fly not be eliminated. The approach path for runway 31 at Provo Muni is within a couple miles so a basing turn from the east would be right over the golf course." -- the next day the folks that had said it was OK had deleted there posts.
We have been expecting a new round of newbies getting into drones with the Mavic and that some would have little knowledge or concern for the rules and it surely looks like that's happening. That two separate guys in nearly the same area would have Mavic's at this time is perhaps a bit surprising, even more that they would both publish video showing themselves breaking the rules.
Brian
I commented on the videos and informed them of the problem so my guess is they are newbies and were unaware of the rules. It also suggests that the DJI Go app's geofencing isn't 100% accurate or perhaps there are problems with the way it's operating so that they are being permitted to fly where they should not.
When I first commented on the first video I said "That location is within 5 miles of the Provo airport and Spanish Fork-Springville airport as well. Don't be that guy!" and a number of folks replied that the geofencing would prohibit his flight if it was illigeal. I then looked closer with the B4UFLY app and made a second comment "The FAA app, B4UFLY, clearly indicates not one but three nearby airports: Utah Valley Medical Center (Helipad, 3.08 miles), Provo Muni (3.85 miles) and Spanish Fork-Springville (4.32 miles). In order to be permitted to fly he would have to contact all three airports to get permission. The DJI Go app may well have allowed it, but the FAA has a 5 mile exclusion zone and he was within it with 3 different registered airports (2 airports and 1 helipad). I live in the SLC area and fly a DJI Inspire 1 drone and would prefer that my right to fly not be eliminated. The approach path for runway 31 at Provo Muni is within a couple miles so a basing turn from the east would be right over the golf course." -- the next day the folks that had said it was OK had deleted there posts.
We have been expecting a new round of newbies getting into drones with the Mavic and that some would have little knowledge or concern for the rules and it surely looks like that's happening. That two separate guys in nearly the same area would have Mavic's at this time is perhaps a bit surprising, even more that they would both publish video showing themselves breaking the rules.
Brian