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Where can I fly in and around L.A.?

deanbush

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I'll be in Los Angeles for one and a half days in September 2022. Where do locals usually fly their drones? I was hoping to be able to fly around Marina Del Rey, Venice Beach, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades, but it looks like most all of these areas lie within the Class B from the surface to 5,000; however, most of these Class B areas also include Class D from the surface to 2,700, like those around Santa Monica airport. If you have any suggestions in or nearby Los Angeles, please fire them off to me! I'd greatly appreciate your help. Dean
 
I'll be in Los Angeles for one and a half days in September 2022. Where do locals usually fly their drones? I was hoping to be able to fly around Marina Del Rey, Venice Beach, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades, but it looks like most all of these areas lie within the Class B from the surface to 5,000; however, most of these Class B areas also include Class D from the surface to 2,700, like those around Santa Monica airport. If you have any suggestions in or nearby Los Angeles, please fire them off to me! I'd greatly appreciate your help. Dean
Check out the Manhattan Beach pier south of LAX. There is an area where UAS flights can be conducted. The city of Redondo beach does not allow launches but Manhattan beach -at least six months ago - had no prohibitions. As you move south over Redondo you will see the departure airspace from Torrance. Google the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro. There you are on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in a park and I believe clear of controlled space. with stunning views. Finally around the Queen Mary LANNC clearance to 100ft is easily obtainable. Have a nice stay
 
Check out the Manhattan Beach pier south of LAX. There is an area where UAS flights can be conducted. The city of Redondo beach does not allow launches but Manhattan beach -at least six months ago - had no prohibitions. As you move south over Redondo you will see the departure airspace from Torrance. Google the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro. There you are on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in a park and I believe clear of controlled space. with stunning views. Finally around the Queen Mary LANNC clearance to 100ft is easily obtainable. Have a nice stay
Thank you Doug! I'll do this.
 
If you are in Pacific Palisades check out the Palisades Highlands, we have a small area of Class G Airspace with some wonderful scenery

PM me if you need more information or directionsScreenshot_20220612-064944.png
 
This morning over the Palisades Highlands

400 AGL in Class 3 Airspace

DJI_0221-3 -WM.jpg
 
Check out the Manhattan Beach pier south of LAX. There is an area where UAS flights can be conducted. The city of Redondo beach does not allow launches but Manhattan beach -at least six months ago - had no prohibitions. As you move south over Redondo you will see the departure airspace from Torrance. Google the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro. There you are on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in a park and I believe clear of controlled space. with stunning views. Finally around the Queen Mary LANNC clearance to 100ft is easily obtainable. Have a nice stay
dinner in Manhattan Beach: Try Marine Ramen, really good! Spent last week working @ LAX have fun...
 
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dinner in Manhattan Beach: Try Marine Ramen, really good! Spent last week working @ LAX have fun...
Thank you Doug! Those were just a few of the places that I had found on the maps where it looked okay to fly. I'll definitely check out the Manhattan Beach and pier and Marine Ramen!
 
Marina Del Rey and Playa are where I sometimes live: No approval at my old apartment in Playa. PDR and MDR are very close to LAX and LAANC only said 50ft approval, even then several low helicopters were overhead so I thought it was a bad idea. All of Playa and half of MDR is a DJI locked zone so you'll have to get LAANC.

Venice Beach: Half of Venice is locked by DJI so you'll need LAANC. It's in the path of Santa Monica Muni so you might not get a high clearance. Watch out for aging action stars!!

Malibu: Technically, almost all of Malibu is closed (except the pier) but it's not locked by DJI so you can launch if you want to risk it. There are tons of videos on YT so it must not be policed too heavily.

Pacific Palisades There are launchable pockets all over PP. My buddy was harassed by police who claim it's illegal but they just chased him off. He was flying again in 15 minutes.

Hermosa is supposed to be good but I think the local cops want you to get a permit these days.
 
If you are in Pacific Palisades check out the Palisades Highlands, we have a small area of Class G Airspace with some wonderful scenery

PM me if you need more information or directionsView attachment 149960
THANK YOU muabg! I've PMed you too.
Marina Del Rey and Playa are where I sometimes live: No approval at my old apartment in Playa. PDR and MDR are very close to LAX and LAANC only said 50ft approval, even then several low helicopters were overhead so I thought it was a bad idea. All of Playa and half of MDR is a DJI locked zone so you'll have to get LAANC.

Venice Beach: Half of Venice is locked by DJI so you'll need LAANC. It's in the path of Santa Monica Muni so you might not get a high clearance. Watch out for aging action stars!!

Malibu: Technically, almost all of Malibu is closed (except the pier) but it's not locked by DJI so you can launch if you want to risk it. There are tons of videos on YT so it must not be policed too heavily.

Pacific Palisades There are launchable pockets all over PP. My buddy was harassed by police who claim it's illegal but they just chased him off. He was flying again in 15 minutes.

Hermosa is supposed to be good but I think the local cops want you to get a permit these days.
That's a lot of good information, and it seems to fit what I've found in the FAA maps online, those similar to Aloft's. Thank you!!
 
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"Google the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro"

No good, they have a No Drone sign there and the drone symbol is the biggest thing on the sign. I emailed them they said no drones in any LA city parks and state parks in LA. Technically, state parks in CA are legal but the LA director of parks and recreation has a specific order banning them within LA county. It's getting to the point where a public street is the only launch option.
 
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"Google the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro"

No good, they have a No Drone sign there and the drone symbol is the biggest thing on the sign. I emailed them they said no drones in any LA city parks and state parks in LA. Technically, state parks in CA are legal but the LA director of parks and recreation has a specific order banning them within LA county. It's getting to the point where a public street is the only launch option.
Well I am sad to learn that. I drove by there some time ago and I did NOT see any drone prohibiting signs and put that place on my todo list. I wanted too long - sad. That said a launch from a nearby public street would be legal unless there is a citywide ordnance or fee (like Redondo Beach). Thanks for the update.
Doug
 
I think streets are still public. Does Redondo actuallly have an ordance about launching from the street?
 
no drones in any LA city parks and state parks in LA. Technically, state parks in CA are legal but the LA director of parks and recreation has a specific order banning them within LA county.
Where is that stated. I can only find the ban for LA Parks and Rec, which doesn't cover every park in the LA area.
 
Where is that stated. I can only find the ban for LA Parks and Rec, which doesn't cover every park in the LA area.
LA Parks and Rec is for all Los Angele CITY parks and beaches. Not all parks, just Los Angeles city parks. But unfortunately, LA county has their own restrictions. And then the state has theirs. There are other cities in LA so the LA City ordnance does not apply to them. Long Beach for example does not have this city park ban because it's a true city with it's own mayor, and city government. Unfortunately, it's also in restricted airspace because it has it's own airport so LAANCE is required. Not sure which cities have a park ban, you just have to search for them one by one.

The LA city ban is an old law that does not use the term "Drone" but it's been used by LA Police to prosecute reckless drone flyer who hit a helicopter a few years back. The Drone is still and "aircraft" so the law applied.

Municipal Ordnance LAMC 63.44 section (b) (8)

"No person shall land, release, take off or fly any balloon, except children toy balloons not inflated with any flammable material, helicopter, para kite, hang glider, aircraft or powered models thereof, except in areas specifically set aside therefore. No person shall engage in any voluntary parachute jump LAMC 63.44"

Park Information: Municipal And Penal Codes
 
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LA Parks and Rec is for all Los Angele CITY parks and beaches. Not all parks, just Los Angeles city parks.
What I was kinda stating is that even in Los Angeles city, not all the parks are under the control of Parks and Rec. If you go the their website at Parks the list of facilities does not encompass all of the (green) parks shown on the map,
 
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LA Parks and Rec is for all Los Angele CITY parks and beaches. Not all parks, just Los Angeles city parks. But unfortunately, LA county has their own restrictions. And then the state has theirs. There are other cities in LA so the LA City ordnance does not apply to them. Long Beach for example does not have this city park ban because it's a true city with it's own mayor, and city government. Unfortunately, it's also in restricted airspace because it has it's own airport so LAANCE is required. Not sure which cities have a park ban, you just have to search for them one by one.

The LA city ban is an old law that does not use the term "Drone" but it's been used by LA Police to prosecute reckless drone flyer who hit a helicopter a few years back. The Drone is still and "aircraft" so the law applied.

Municipal Ordnance LAMC 63.44 section (b) (8)

"No person shall land, release, take off or fly any balloon, except children toy balloons not inflated with any flammable material, helicopter, para kite, hang glider, aircraft or powered models thereof, except in areas specifically set aside therefore. No person shall engage in any voluntary parachute jump LAMC 63.44"

Park Information: Municipal And Penal Codes
Thanks for the link
 
What I was kinda stating is that even in Los Angeles city, not all the parks are under the control of Parks and Rec. If you go the their website at Parks the list of facilities does not encompass all of the (green) parks shown on the map,
I see what you mean but very few. And of those that I have seen, they fall under someone else's control like Palos Verdes who has their own very strict anti-drone laws. What parks do you think are NOT part of LA City safe to fly in?
 
That law or actually its an ordnance that they may quote is from the 70's. Way before drones were in the sky. But they dug it up about 5 years ago to prosecuted some guy who hit a police helicopter in Hollywood so now it's been resurrected as a drone law. They were successful in court because it had the word "aircraft" is in the wording. Now every park ranger seems to have copy in his back pocket.
 
Well I am sad to learn that. I drove by there some time ago and I did NOT see any drone prohibiting signs and put that place on my todo list. I wanted too long - sad. That said a launch from a nearby public street would be legal unless there is a citywide ordnance or fee (like Redondo Beach). Thanks for the update.
Doug
Hi Doug, As for Redondo Beach, is there a fee like in Hermosa? What about Torrance Beach?

Scott
 
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