Hello everyone, as a newbie I have a few questions that I hope you can help me with.
The references made to altitude restriction and levels - can someone give a breakdown of specific altitude zones? I've seen the 400ft reference of course, but also 700ft, 1000ft, etc.
Are there any restrictions on federal land such as parks? I was wanting to fly off of some overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend but wasn't sure of the status.
Our hobby has some parallels with another interest of mine - metal detecting. I'm not an expert on the laws but there's a similarity to the general public perception.
Metal detectors moved from the hobbyist to the general public in the late 1990's when they began to be sold at retailers such as Radio Shack and internet sites. Before that, a person walking around with one was viewed as harmless and maybe a little odd. They weren't easy to operate and I could go to most any open woodland or construction site as long as I used common sense. It was ok to detect at schools and parks where it was unusual to see someone using a detector. Often, people would approach and ask questions about what I had found. Just general curiosity.
As more people came into the hobby and detectors became easier to operate, the problems began. Newbies dug and left holes that angered landowners - even in people's yards. Others who had perhaps had more experience but were fully bitten by the treasure bug began to sneak into protected sites - I've known guys who would go to great lengths just to find a few more Civil War artifacts, just for bragging rights. Within a few years, not only did this abuse and influx of new users raise awareness of the general public, but it also created an image problem for all.
We are in a similar spot. New owners will do dumb things. Thankfully, DJI is building in basic flight restrictions that will help and I hope they continue on this course for the sake of newbies like me.
For instance, I work in a city with a number of federal buildings. I know of no published restrictions on UAV use, but I'm pretty sure if I were to fly within a couple hundred feet of a federal building that housed judicial offices or law enforcement, I'm open to at least detention and questioning. It's just common sense once you think about it, but with nothing stopping you it would be easy for a newbie to create such an incident. Similar to a news story I see from time-to-time where a metal detector enthusiast is caught and arrested on a national battlefield.
The references made to altitude restriction and levels - can someone give a breakdown of specific altitude zones? I've seen the 400ft reference of course, but also 700ft, 1000ft, etc.
Are there any restrictions on federal land such as parks? I was wanting to fly off of some overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend but wasn't sure of the status.
Our hobby has some parallels with another interest of mine - metal detecting. I'm not an expert on the laws but there's a similarity to the general public perception.
Metal detectors moved from the hobbyist to the general public in the late 1990's when they began to be sold at retailers such as Radio Shack and internet sites. Before that, a person walking around with one was viewed as harmless and maybe a little odd. They weren't easy to operate and I could go to most any open woodland or construction site as long as I used common sense. It was ok to detect at schools and parks where it was unusual to see someone using a detector. Often, people would approach and ask questions about what I had found. Just general curiosity.
As more people came into the hobby and detectors became easier to operate, the problems began. Newbies dug and left holes that angered landowners - even in people's yards. Others who had perhaps had more experience but were fully bitten by the treasure bug began to sneak into protected sites - I've known guys who would go to great lengths just to find a few more Civil War artifacts, just for bragging rights. Within a few years, not only did this abuse and influx of new users raise awareness of the general public, but it also created an image problem for all.
We are in a similar spot. New owners will do dumb things. Thankfully, DJI is building in basic flight restrictions that will help and I hope they continue on this course for the sake of newbies like me.
For instance, I work in a city with a number of federal buildings. I know of no published restrictions on UAV use, but I'm pretty sure if I were to fly within a couple hundred feet of a federal building that housed judicial offices or law enforcement, I'm open to at least detention and questioning. It's just common sense once you think about it, but with nothing stopping you it would be easy for a newbie to create such an incident. Similar to a news story I see from time-to-time where a metal detector enthusiast is caught and arrested on a national battlefield.
