Flying Over The ROSE BOWL!

pdmike · Dec 29, 2017

I live close to the Rose Bowl and am wondering - could I get in trouble for flying my P4 over the Rose Bowl stadium? Don't panic - I don't mean during the Rose Bowl game. I'm talking about when the stadium is EMPTY. I know there is a "rule" (whatever that means) about not flying over sporting events, but an empty stadium is not a sporting event.

Thoughts?

Fester · Dec 29, 2017

These days I'd guess probably not. Call the Stadium owners or the local FAA office if in doubt. Even if it were "legal" its going to earn you way more attention than you want. As far as some of the "three letter" Agencies are concerned, they might infer that you might be doing a recon for when the Stadium is full. And since this locale would be considered a high risk target, you'd be detected before you even got near it, and these folks absolutely DO NOT have a sense of humor...

bigblade · Dec 29, 2017

Fester said:
These days I'd guess probably not. Call the Stadium owners or the local FAA office if in doubt. Even if it were "legal" its going to earn you way more attention than you want. As far as some of the "three letter" Agencies are concerned, they might infer that you might be doing a recon for when the Stadium is full. And since this locale would be considered a high risk target, you'd be detected before you even got near it, and these folks absolutely DO NOT have a sense of humor...

I agree, however in your defense, the law does mention only EVENTS AND CROWDS.

Brother Dave · Dec 29, 2017

It’s probably best to err on the side of caution, we Drone flyers get a bad enough rap as it is. I wouldn’t want to see your mug shot on Good Morning America, as a home-grown terrorist, lol.

pdmike · Dec 29, 2017

Great advice from all of you guys. I hadn't thought about the "recon for terrorism" angle of it. I can see that happening.

There is a very large, grassy area just to the east of the Rose Bowl. It is at least several football fields in both directions. People use it for all kinds of things when there is nothing going on in the stadium - they play soccer there, pick-up football, etc. They also fly drones. I haven't gone there yet to do that, but I will in the next month or so. I assume the drone pilots there keep their quads outside of the stadium. I'll talk to them about it. Thanks again for your thoughts.

GooterPhantom4Pro · Dec 29, 2017

pdmike said:
Great advice from all of you guys. I hadn't thought about the "recon for terrorism" angle of it. I can see that happening.

There is a very large, grassy area just to the east of the Rose Bowl. It is at least several football fields in both directions. People use it for all kinds of things when there is nothing going on in the stadium - they play soccer there, pick-up football, etc. They also fly drones. I haven't gone there yet to do that, but I will in the next month or so. I assume the drone pilots there keep their quads outside of the stadium. I'll talk to them about it. Thanks again for your thoughts.

Trademarks and branding are also issues that these stadiums are concerned with... Regulations state that you can’t fly over stadiums but nothing about flying the perimeter of that said stadium. Also, VLOS is lost and should you have a technical issue, crash, etc... and it occurs over the stadium, then your SOL. They now know it’s you, it’s your sUAS, and you violated an FAA regulation. Bottom line...Be smart...be safe...know the regulations...and get authorization first before flying in controlled airspace’s...

Helihover · Dec 29, 2017

There’s currently a TFR over the stadium along with a DJI NFZ, a larger radius to the west which covers the stadium.

Your P4 won’t even spool up.

FLYBOYJ · Dec 29, 2017

Be advised that if you get authorization to fly there, the floor of Class E airspace begins at 700' AGL

daveisim · Jan 7, 2018

Helihover said:
There’s currently a TFR over the stadium along with a DJI NFZ, a larger radius to the west which covers the stadium.

There may have been a TFR & DJI zone there for activities on Jan 1, but I don't see them there any more. I see nothing on any FAA map for the Rose Bowl area.

pdmike said:
There is a very large, grassy area just to the east of the Rose Bowl. It is at least several football fields in both directions.

I think you're referring to Parking Lot H on the SE side of the Bowl as Rose Bowl Drive and Rosemount Ave on on the east side. If it were me, I'd park & launch on the west side of West Drive at the north end Parking Lot K. Google Maps show a bunch of RV's parked there.

FLYBOYJ said:
Be advised that if you get authorization to fly there, the floor of Class E airspace begins at 700' AGL

I don't understand how that would be relevant. The Bowl is about 100' high. If flying Part 107 you can be 400' above a structure when within 400' lateral - EVEN IF IT'S IN CLASS E (not surface Class E). That would put you at 500' AGL max. Yes, you're right on the edge of the BUR Class C outer shelf but that starts at 3000MSL (~2000 agl). For Part 101 you are further than 5SM from EMT & BUR so no altitude restriction is there.

FLYBOYJ · Jan 7, 2018

daveisim said:
I don't understand how that would be relevant. The Bowl is about 100' high. If flying Part 107 you can be 400' above a structure when within 400' lateral - EVEN IF IT'S IN CLASS E (not surface Class E).

The OP never said how high he was flying and never mentioned if he was flying under 101 or 107. Again read his first post.

Oh - here's part of a terminal chart. See the magenta?!?!

FLYBOYJ · Jan 9, 2018

daveisim · Jan 9, 2018

FLYBOYJ said:
Oh - here's part of a terminal chart. See the magenta?!?!

Absolutely I see it. And have flown a full size plane there too

FLYBOYJ said:
The OP never said how high he was flying and never mentioned if he was flying under 101 or 107.

Right you are. That's the reason I included both scenarios in my reply. Be not over 500' AGL for a legal Part 107 flight near the Bowl and it's VLOS height for 101. If the Bowl top were 1000' AGL, then you could fly up to 1400' AGL next to it, well into the Class E airspace. No rule against that. Note: the Class C shelf starts at around 2200' AGL there.

FLYBOYJ · Jan 9, 2018

daveisim said:
Absolutely I see it. And have flown a full size plane there too

Me too - VNY and SMO as well

daveisim said:
Right you are. That's the reason I included both scenarios in my reply. Be not over 500' AGL for a legal Part 107 flight near the Bowl and it's VLOS height for 101. If the Bowl top were 1000' AGL, then you could fly up to 1400' AGL next to it, well into the Class E airspace. No rule against that. Note: the Class C shelf starts at around 2200' AGL there.

Agree