Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta?

launchpad26 · Mar 13, 2016

Some of my greatest flights with my powered paraglider were with the balloons. I communicated with them closely but flew with sensible distance. I always kept in mind that they were in the air for an experience that I could easily spoil and any unexpected incident could take a terrible turn for the worse. I would suggest a great distance from any balloons at the festival and if you want some good balloon footage then set something up face to face with the balloon captain at a less busy time. I'm sure you both would appreciate a great well planed flying date.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Omniround · Mar 13, 2016

Patrick said:
I've been flying and seen balloons come my direction many times. if it happens it happens, just keep your distance and don't actively fly toward them, yield to the manned craft and your fine. same rules as for a helicopter coming your way. They're just slower

But now that you mention it what is the safe distance, if you did want to actively follow or film it?

What if you have a phantom 4 with obstacle avoidance following it? is that safe?

Likewise, not being familiar with these cameras, I don't know how near you would be to capture something worthwhile but more importantly, I would like to know what the FAA has to say, i.e. what they would consider a safe distance. Seems to me if you were a mile away you could fly to a distance a half mile away and not be perceived as "dive bombing" them

It seems reasonable to be able to fly towards them, especially when talking some distance away...1000s of feet for instance. I have no idea how close you would need to be to have something resembling a good picture or video.

Emailed my friend who said he would be seeing his son-in-law next weekend when he is in PA judging a dog show. His S_I_L has even launched a balloon in the Astrodome... That would have been fun to shoot with a drone.

Omniround · Mar 13, 2016

launchpad26 said:
Some of my greatest flights with my powered paraglider were with the balloons. I communicated with them closely but flew with sensible distance. I always kept in mind that they were in the air for an experience that I could easily spoil and any unexpected incident could take a terrible turn for the worse. I would suggest a great distance from any balloons at the festival and if you want some good balloon footage then set something up face to face with the balloon captain at a less busy time. I'm sure you both would appreciate a great well planed flying date.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

I could certainly arrange something with a specific pilot and the might even want some footage for their promo purposes. The whole point of shooting Balloon Festival is to shoot hundreds at a time, not just one solo balloon.

CaptainDrone798 · Mar 13, 2016

Omniround said:
Like this morning, was just one balloon in my area. I very well could have been out flying and the balloon came by. And what is the difference between the balloon happening to come by vs. me seeing the balloon and flying up to film it? I am new at this so I am trying to learn what is the law, what is tradition, and by seeing other videos, what others are doing, like filming balloons.

Right. My only advice for safety & possible laws in your area (which I'm not familiar with) is to not exceed the stipulate drone altitude.

Omniround · Mar 13, 2016

CaptainDrone798 said:
Right. My only advice for safety & possible laws in your area (which I'm not familiar with) is to not exceed the stipulate drone altitude.

I have read that they are supposed to fly at 1000+ feet in populated areas, but many of them don't, in fact, most don't. They like to do touchdowns in the river and other low-flying antics. At a safe distance the camera ought to be able to capture from the height of the balloons, down to the ground.

CaptainDrone798 · Mar 13, 2016

We have an annual balloon festival here as well. I find that in very early morning the balloons fly silently very low... maybe 200 feet. One year one of them was within inches of my chimney.

Patrick · Mar 13, 2016

this was taken from the north valley at sunrise, balloons are still by the launch area, but on many occasions I've been flying and seen them go by , maybe within a half mile or so. nothing too close

I'm curious what the safe following distance would be. a month or so ago i was at about 400 ft and saw one landing about a half mile away, it was pretty tempting to fly over and point the camera down, but cautiousness got the better of me.

Omniround · Mar 13, 2016

CaptainDrone798 said:
We have an annual balloon festival here as well. I find that in very early morning the balloons fly silently very low... maybe 200 feet. One year one of them was within inches of my chimney.

You say silently so those must have been helium balloons

Like this morning, I was laying in bed, waking up, still noddy. But the "shh shh" pulled me out of what remaining sleep in me. Pull on my pants and stepped into the back yard to see the balloon somewhere around a mile away. Close enough to wake me up...not saying loud, but not silent

Omniround · Mar 13, 2016

Patrick said:
this was taken from the north valley at sunrise, balloons are still by the launch area, but on many occasions I've been flying and seen them go by , maybe within a half mile or so. nothing too close

I'm curious what the safe following distance would be. a month or so ago i was at about 400 ft and saw one landing about a half mile away, it was pretty tempting to fly over and point the camera down, but cautiousness got the better of me.

Did they go north that morning so they didn't get closer to you? We should stake them out some morning...one of us north, one south, they won't get away

Patrick · Mar 14, 2016

you got it, I'll be there!

jlazz447 · Sep 19, 2016

I will be attending the festival this year for the first time and will be bringing along my Phantom3S. Since I am not from the state I have been reading about the rules and laws for this area. I've read there's a 3 mile NFZ from the take off point. Does anyone else have any insight besides this and stay away from the balloons (common sense flying procedures)???

GreggC · Sep 19, 2016

I would be EXTREMELY careful how and where you fly during the Balloon Fiesta, the skies are filled with balloons.
IMO the last thing we need is a balloon pilot filing a complaint due to a drone.
My house is miles and miles away from the balloon park and I have balloons over my house every year.
For me, Im not planning to fly.

WilsonFlyer · Sep 19, 2016

I am a balloon pilot. Please don't fly around us.

GMack · Sep 19, 2016

jlazz447 said:
I will be attending the festival this year for the first time and will be bringing along my Phantom3S. Since I am not from the state I have been reading about the rules and laws for this area. I've read there's a 3 mile NFZ from the take off point. Does anyone else have any insight besides this and stay away from the balloons (common sense flying procedures)???

Here is some info on the balloon festival: http://balloonfiesta.com/uploads/pdfs/2016 AIBF Waiver 9-9-2016.pdf

Page 7 #29 "Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Demonstrations are not authorized under this CoW."

Then looking at their flying area on the next page it looks like they'll operate from surface to 9,500 feet in a restricted area of 25nm out from the Albuquerque, NM VORTAC bounded by the 320 degree radial to the 190 degree radial from 5:30AM to 8PM. Pretty large area around the southern and western side of the VORTAC. I'd wager this area will be the NFZ when the NOTAM goes live.

Patrick · Sep 19, 2016

WilsonFlyer said:
I am a balloon pilot. Please don't fly around us.

i'm a phantom pilot, i fly nearly every day in the same location.. please don't fly your balloon near me, haha.

in all seriousness remember all manned aircraft have the right of way. use caution and don't stray into the NFZ and you'll be fine!

jlazz447 · Oct 4, 2016

@Patrick @GMack I'm a bit confused... we aren't able to fly within 25miles of the festival? even if no balloons are near us?

GMack · Oct 4, 2016

jlazz447 said:
@Patrick @GMack I'm a bit confused... we aren't able to fly within 25miles of the festival? even if no balloons are near us?

You are not supposed to fly within the Restricted area period, or whatever shows up in the NOTAM, when it goes live. Think of the entire balloonist's area like a restricted military area. That or try and get a waiver which might be pointless too as it sounds like the event people have this wrapped up and drone waivers might take some time and need some sort of oversight safety supervision.

No doubt it could be 25nm since that's likely where they will float off too and land and why such a large area. If they go out 5 miles to the sides, then it pretty much is a "No drone zone" at all worth shooting in.

If I were a balloonist, I'd worry about the balloon's thin silk or polyester and the drone's blades interaction. Add to how these drones - or their owners - often have a mind of their own to do odd things. I think they have the right idea to ban them, imho. Just take your still camera and a telephoto and enjoy the event.

jlazz447 · Oct 4, 2016

@GMack yeah I completely understand. i'll be driving from vegas so maybe ill see some along the way

jlazz447 · Oct 12, 2016

so I made it to the balloon festival at 9pm Saturday night during the rain. checked into my hotel and was up before the balloons were sunday morning. unfortunately I didn't fly that day... only because I WAS MY OWN DRONE! I was able to take a flight in one of the balloons and see the festival from the sky. WOWWWW! pics to come...

was anyone else there?