WHY?

[Amit Dunsky]

I'm on a photographic trip to the USA, with my Mini 3 Pro. Again and again, I see many place where you can't fly drone. Why is this country so non drone friendly?

 

[shb]

Can you specify what places?

 

[tokertm]

I'm a Brit and over the last 6 years I've never taken my drone to the USA or Canada simply for the stupid excessive amount of people over there who detest drones and get upset for flying it within 100 miles of them.

 

[shb]

I'm a Brit and over the last 6 years I've never taken my drone to the USA or Canada simply for the stupid excessive amount of people over there who detest drones and get upset for flying it within 100 miles of them.

I'm an American but I live in the Philippines. I've never gone to America since I started flying drones. But people not liking drones are all over the world. One guy in the Netherlands made some YouTube videos about it. And on this forum, I've read about this happening all over the world. Here in the Philippines, the local people don't complain.

 

[tokertm]

Where I live, most people don't mind either but I always fly away from people, just not willing to deal with any issues in America or Canada even though the countries are both amazing and have amazing vistas to capture.

 

[buddb55]

I live in NE Illinois and fly all the time. Never had a problem.

 

[Amit Dunsky]

Can you specify what places?

The majority of the national parks and reserves. You simply not allowed, for no good reason. I can understander not flying over wilderness, as to not upset the animals, but why am I not allowed to fly in an amazing locations such as the one in the picture: Valley of fire, in NV? You can park motorhomes there, you can put a tent, but drones... oh no.

 

[Yaros]

The majority of the national parks and reserves. You simply not allowed, for no good reason. I can understander not flying over wilderness, as to not upset the animals, but why am I not allowed to fly in an amazing locations such as the one in the picture: Valley of fire, in NV? You can park motorhomes there, you can put a tent, but drones... oh no.

Okay, want to get shocked? Check Spain's no fly map, 24km no-fly zone around airports. You can't fly in any forest because of something called “bird protection area”, but worse of all, DJI Aeroscope everywhere, so if you try to fly in a no-fly zone in Spain, you will get caught immediately!
Also, there are so many people here who hate drones! Check this thread about a confrontation I had or my negative interaction with local Spanish police…

 

[shb]

The majority of the national parks and reserves. You simply not allowed, for no good reason. I can understander not flying over wilderness, as to not upset the animals, but why am I not allowed to fly in an amazing locations such as the one in the picture: Valley of fire, in NV? You can park motorhomes there, you can put a tent, but drones... oh no.

As an American I agree about the parks. Seems the park service is anti drone. I could see not wanting a lot of noise, but once you get up to 400 feet there's not much noise. As I've said previously, I'm against almost all drone restrictions except around airports.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

National and state conservation parks are the same here in MOST Australian states.
But we have 2 states out of 8 (and a relatively easy state / territory permit system) that allows drones, when flown to CASA rules and not annoy people or wildlife.
The rest, pretty much forget it.

I can understand how hard it would be to allow drones under some conditions etc, but it obviously takes up so much time and pretty much require some sort of dept personnel to oversee it, it's too hard in the tough budget / low personnel environment they operate on . . . so in general there is a blanket ban.

Even RePL (part 107 equivalent) holders find it too hard to apply in most states, unless it's some big production with loads of time / $ / person to apply etc.

Some of our state parks have made efforts over the years to get anything man made, introduced, out of 'their' parks, seemingly early settlement history or recreational activity not in line with this natural environmental policy is on limited time for public use.

We have parks with such remote locations here in SA (South Australia), desert regions that would be awesome to cross and film by drone, still there is no special permissions granted even though there are virtually no others around 99% of the time.
Such a shame as SA, Tasmania, Victoria, NSW / ACT have some similarly fantastic National Parks areas that are no drone.

 

[Bob in Savannah]

I'm on a photographic trip to the USA, with my Mini 3 Pro. Again and again, I see many place where you can't fly drone. Why is this country so non drone friendly?

Not sure where you're trying to fly but I can fly ANYWHERE I want around here in the south Eastern US with the exception of National Parks. Not sure where you might be.
Hell, I fly up to several miles out in all directions.
Obviously, I stay within FAA guidelines but I haven't seen ANY restrictions like you're mentioning.

I can tell you right now Savannah, GA is 100% drone friendly as well as OneWheels, scooters, electric skateboards and electric bikes all over our streets. Couldn't ask for more freedom around here!!


Maybe way up north where they like to tell people how to live its different but we still enjoy our freedom in the dirty south.

 

[Hawkwind]

Not sure where you're trying to fly but I can fly ANYWHERE I want around here in the south Eastern US with the exception of National Parks. Not sure where you might be.
Hell, I fly up to several miles out in all directions.
Obviously, I stay within FAA guidelines but I haven't seen ANY restrictions like you're mentioning.

I can tell you right now Savannah, GA is 100% drone friendly as well as OneWheels, scooters, electric skateboards and electric bikes all over our streets. Couldn't ask for more freedom around here!!


Maybe way up north where they like to tell people how to live its different but we still enjoy our freedom in the dirty south.

And you cannot fly in GA state parks...

 

[Bob in Savannah]

And you cannot fly in GA state parks...

Obviously, I know that. lol
I think I said National Parks. Obviously, State Parks are included.

My point is that Im not being restrained in hardly any way. There is just so much real estate for me to fly without any worry that the two tiny state Parks around here would be like trying to fly indoors.

I would venture to say that I, personally, have more freedom here in Savannah (or the equal) to fly (and do whatever else I please) compared to anyone else in the world inside a city limit.

 

[Hawkwind]

Obviously, I know that. lol
I think I said National Parks. Obviously, State Parks are included.

Not obvious when State Parks are not universally restricted. No restrictions in Alabama State Parks, thankfully.

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Not obvious when State Parks are not universally restricted. No restrictions in Alabama State Parks, thankfully.

Fair enough. Your point is made.

 

[Daytona500]

It depends on what you want to photograph you know Natl and state parks a no no but theres millions of other place just as beautiful with no restrictions. I've flow from AZ To NH got all kinds of great photos and videos. The US is drone friendly if you seek out your spots.

 

[rickmurray1989]

I live in NE Illinois and fly all the time. Never had a problem.

I live in Middle Tennessee and I have also not had any issues. In fact, many of the local media outlets (TV and print), and local chambers of commerce, are frequent purchasers/sharers of my aerial images.

 

[Amit Dunsky]

Not sure where you're trying to fly but I can fly ANYWHERE I want around here in the south Eastern US with the exception of National Parks. Not sure where you might be.
Hell, I fly up to several miles out in all directions.
Obviously, I stay within FAA guidelines but I haven't seen ANY restrictions like you're mentioning.

I can tell you right now Savannah, GA is 100% drone friendly as well as OneWheels, scooters, electric skateboards and electric bikes all over our streets. Couldn't ask for more freedom around here!!


Maybe way up north where they like to tell people how to live its different but we still enjoy our freedom in the dirty south.

That picture was taken at the Valley of fire, NV. Believe me: it hurt to leave the drone at the car.

 

[Amit Dunsky]

Can you specify what places?

Valley of fire, NV.
But the same goes for Lake Mead, NV, and Horseshoe Bend, AZ.

 

[Bob in Savannah]

That picture was taken at the Valley of fire, NV. Believe me: it hurt to leave the drone at the car.

Yea, the closer you get to California, the worse the infringing laws get. lol.

Seriously, tho, you shouldn't have a problem flying around out in the desert in the west... thats all good flying area. You just went straight to where your travel book said. nothing wrong with that but you could drive a mile into the desert and fly that thing forever!

Thats BIG WIDE OPEN country out there...