Above the Inversion

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Hi everybody, after some great discussion in this thread, Breaking rules to fly above Fog? I went out for a flight. This is at Bear Lake, Utah, right on the Idaho border.

Enjoy

Here's a short clip:

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And a longer clip

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I am parked on the road shown in the first sample clip
OK thanks, if I was driving in that location with my P4, then I would definitely fly, I am too scared to fly up through an inversion, but the reward for such a flight would be amazing.
I often go running in the mountains in the UK, and climbing through the clouds into clear air is a unique experience.
Thanks for posting.
 
I'd be reluctant to risk it -- being able to see your drone is important, but more important, IMHO, is being able to see the airspace around where your drone is to make sure nothing else is in the same airspace. Even with the drone quite close if you take your eyes off it you can have trouble picking it back up again but usually that's not a problem so long as you know about where it is and that the airspace around it is clear. Though, technically, you need to have your eye on it at all times. That's kind of a problem given the need to at least periodically check your instruments (Go 4 app). Many of the rules are a 'best effort' but not quite adequate and therein lies the opportunity to not follow them.

Actually, the rules are pretty strict about cloud cover and how far away from and below any clouds you need to be. Fog is in most cases low clouds though the inversions we get in SLC area are also a mix of clouds and pollutants.


Brian
 
Actually, the rules are pretty strict about cloud cover and how far away from and below any clouds you need to be.

That's the problem, you'll see I asked this specific question in the thread mentioned above, and it was quite difficult to get a solid answer.

Thanks for your feedback though
 
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That's the problem, you'll see I asked this specific question in the thread mentioned above, and it was quite difficult to get a solid answer.

Thanks for your feedback though

There are a lot of problem with the rules not only because they are often poorly worded leaving lots of room for interpretation, but also because many of us chose to interpret in the way that best suits us. I've made the point repeatedly about applying common sense but too often common sense isn't too common and still others chose to ridicule the very idea of common sense and instead prefer to interpret the rules to suit there wishes.

The additional problem is that there are different rules for different classes of drone pilots and with hobbyists the list of rules is limited and assumes most are basically fathers playing with drones with there kids kind of thing when in fact a lot of hobbyists go much beyond the playing in the park with your kids kind of operation. You could learn and obey the rules for part 107 pilots but if you go to all the trouble to become fully conscious of the part 107 rules you might as well become a remote pilot.

Hobbyists are a segment the FAA just hasn't fully wrapped there heads around.


Brian
 
You didn’t fly directly through the fog, well at least hat your video suggests. Could you see it at all or 99% if the time? If so then for me I’d say that is fine but I’m unaware of the rules in the US are different to the UK which I don’t believe they are too different it at all.

I wouldn’t fly through inversion personally as there’s a chance of it getting wet as it is essentially water and wouldn’t want it getting inside the drone.
 
I will admit though, as I was flying, for a brief moment the fog had blown up the hill over me, so I started heading back to land, which I've got a clip of that too, it looks pretty cool but I'll see if I can get around to editing it.
 

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