Is there anybody that lives in Hawaii that could tell me about drone usage on Maui and the Big Island
Drones in Hawaii
- Thread starter NineFive
- Start date
I'll be watching this thread also. My wife and I are planning our retirement trip to Hawaii and it would be great if I could bring one of my drones.
Well to start off with, FORGET about launching and landing in State Parks. Doesn’t mean you can’t fly over them.
Division of State Parks | Hawaiʻi State Park Rules
Division of State Parks | Hawaiʻi State Park Rules
I was in Maui last year, so I can share some insights on Drone use. We didn’t get over to the big island, so I can’t speak to the rules there.
We stayed at a high end resort / timeshare that a friend of mine owns and they were completely ok with my drone. Several other visitors had them, I met a young couple with a Maverick and a guy with a P4. We were able to get some really nice beach video, sunsets, etc. Common sense applied of course, stay away from other visitors, don’t buzz the pools or golf courses, but for the most part staff and other guest were more curious then anything.
North side of the island is really windy, so flying was a risk. But worth it to get a shot of the big waves coming in, along with all the surfers. Acid pools and the big blow hole made for some great video. As did most our stops along the Road to Hana.
State Parks and nature preserves were off limits, and there are some areas the natives are sensitive about that I didn’t fly over. No “official”notices were up, but a hand made sign asking visitors to show some respect was enough to keep me away.
So for the most part no issues.
We stayed at a high end resort / timeshare that a friend of mine owns and they were completely ok with my drone. Several other visitors had them, I met a young couple with a Maverick and a guy with a P4. We were able to get some really nice beach video, sunsets, etc. Common sense applied of course, stay away from other visitors, don’t buzz the pools or golf courses, but for the most part staff and other guest were more curious then anything.
North side of the island is really windy, so flying was a risk. But worth it to get a shot of the big waves coming in, along with all the surfers. Acid pools and the big blow hole made for some great video. As did most our stops along the Road to Hana.
State Parks and nature preserves were off limits, and there are some areas the natives are sensitive about that I didn’t fly over. No “official”notices were up, but a hand made sign asking visitors to show some respect was enough to keep me away.
So for the most part no issues.
I'm originally from Oahu and my immediate family is there. I do travel to the other islands to visit family though. Was recently on the Big Island (Aug and Oct) and Maui (Jan).
There's a lot of open space to fly on Maui and Hawaii. @skymonkey and @bhartwell pretty much summed it up. Pay attention to the winds if flying over the water, make sure you have enough juice to get back. Be aware of the culturally sensitive sites. Don't harass the wildlife. Check your UAS Maps.
There's a lot of open space to fly on Maui and Hawaii. @skymonkey and @bhartwell pretty much summed it up. Pay attention to the winds if flying over the water, make sure you have enough juice to get back. Be aware of the culturally sensitive sites. Don't harass the wildlife. Check your UAS Maps.
