Well now, that looks pretty clear, doesn't it?! I'm going to print that out and keep on me! Is that in the link I posted?! Because there is no way I read all the way to the end!
Received letter from "United States Department of the Interior" for drone flight. (letter inside).
- Thread starter Ashmai
- Start date
Yes sir it is. Way at the bottom. So you didn't read it?
PS - were not all evil ya know.
My main concern down here is, the refuge had the drone exemption "explicitly" printed out on the back of the refuge brochures you are supposed to know. I do not remember the "exact" wording now, it was last year. I'll have to go out there tomorrow to get another one.
dirkclod
Premium Pilot
Fascinating thread. I haven't had any similar situations in but with 2 months flight experience as a hobbyist I've started planning more video and photo trips to include my P4. However, 2 issues that are still unclear came up in my reading which I went directly to the FAA to clarify (844-FLY-MY-UAS).
In the call, which I recorded, I asked:
1.) where there are boundary discrepancies between what's on B4UFLY app and the NPS website, what takes precedence? I was told the NPS website does.
2.) is there a distinction for flights above NPS parkland between takeoff/landing/operation and what flight space the UAS is located in? In other words, do NPS flight restricted areas as shown on the B4UFLY maps restrict only takeoff/landing/where the RC operator is located or also where the UAS is located in flight, aka it's airspace location? I was told that making the distinction between takeoff/landing/where RC operator is located and where the UAS is in flight would be considered quibbling (her exact words). We consider all of that 'operating' a UAS. I took this to mean the flying from outside a NPS into NPS airspace is illegal (but may have no law enforcement behind it, meaning NPS rangers can't cite you when you're not physically in the park yourself and the local police in the jursidiction wouldn't do anything about your presence).
3.) many local jursidictions, e.g. regional parks are posting policies of UAS flight restrictions, but these restrictions are not shown on the B4UFLY app maps. Can local jurisdictions restrict flight in such a manner? Yes, state and local jurisdictions may restrict UAS operation. Not all flight restricted areas are show on B4UFLY app. (in my mind: so what's the point of the stupid thing if it's necessary but not sufficient?)??
I left the call having answers but being fairly frustrated. Anyone with more legal knowledge than me who wants to chime in?
In the call, which I recorded, I asked:
1.) where there are boundary discrepancies between what's on B4UFLY app and the NPS website, what takes precedence? I was told the NPS website does.
2.) is there a distinction for flights above NPS parkland between takeoff/landing/operation and what flight space the UAS is located in? In other words, do NPS flight restricted areas as shown on the B4UFLY maps restrict only takeoff/landing/where the RC operator is located or also where the UAS is located in flight, aka it's airspace location? I was told that making the distinction between takeoff/landing/where RC operator is located and where the UAS is in flight would be considered quibbling (her exact words). We consider all of that 'operating' a UAS. I took this to mean the flying from outside a NPS into NPS airspace is illegal (but may have no law enforcement behind it, meaning NPS rangers can't cite you when you're not physically in the park yourself and the local police in the jursidiction wouldn't do anything about your presence).
3.) many local jursidictions, e.g. regional parks are posting policies of UAS flight restrictions, but these restrictions are not shown on the B4UFLY app maps. Can local jurisdictions restrict flight in such a manner? Yes, state and local jurisdictions may restrict UAS operation. Not all flight restricted areas are show on B4UFLY app. (in my mind: so what's the point of the stupid thing if it's necessary but not sufficient?)??
I left the call having answers but being fairly frustrated. Anyone with more legal knowledge than me who wants to chime in?
Hello
Welcome to the forum and the addiction er hobby
You've opened a BIG can of worms Sam If you asked these questions of 10 UAS operators you'd get approximately 10 variations of answers.
A lot of what you'll read here is "opinion" and armchair lawyers but at the end of the day the only thing that matters is what Law Enforcement are going to interpret and how far you want to push it. I fly with the idea that I don't want to push the boundaries and that works well for me and how I fly while others want to explore every aspect of this hobby and that is their decision to make.
Whatever you do fly safely
Welcome to the forum and the addiction er hobby
You've opened a BIG can of worms Sam
If you asked these questions of 10 UAS operators you'd get approximately 10 variations of answers. A lot of what you'll read here is "opinion" and armchair lawyers but at the end of the day the only thing that matters is what Law Enforcement are going to interpret and how far you want to push it. I fly with the idea that I don't want to push the boundaries and that works well for me and how I fly while others want to explore every aspect of this hobby and that is their decision to make.
Whatever you do fly safely
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