Was watching the news last night and they reported a drone was spotted by a airliner at 5300 feet over LA. Is that possible? I know your are not allowed to fly over 400 feet by FAA regs but can a drone really fly that high? Don't like the bad press.
ABC nightly news reports a drone at 5300 feet
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Is that possible? Yes .. some drones could fly that high but not many ready to fly models could.
But was it really a drone? .. Maybe not.
Once upon a time pilots used to report UFOs, now it's drones.
The news people love anything about drones and if it's dramatic with the potential to hit an airliner, even better for them.
But the FAA database (that was used to justify the need for registration) is full of dubious reports like this.
Most of them are not drones.
Here are a couple I picked out as an example.
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Most drones are good for maybe 30 mph. An aircraft is flying a minimum of 150 mph. So passing something at a relative minimum of 120 mph(Assuming the object is following them and not approaching head on or at a vector) and often much faster they are able to identify what some thing is? And how can they identify something BELOW them? Beats me.Is that possible? Yes .. some drones could fly that high but not many ready to fly models could.
But was it really a drone? .. Maybe not.
Once upon a time pilots used to report UFOs, now it's drones.
The news people love anything about drones and if it's dramatic with the potential to hit an airliner, even better for them.
But the FAA database (that was used to justify the need for registration) is full of dubious reports like this.
Most of them are not drones.
Here are a couple I picked out as an example.
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That is what I thought. Like I said too much press. I wish they would do some fact checking before running a story like that. Thanks all for confirming what I already believed.
As a private pilot I can tell you many single engine aircraft fly much slower then 120 MPH. You are taught in flight school to always be visually be looking for other aircraft. This use to refer to full size aircraft this however is no longer the case.
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I have a question for you. As a private pilot what are the rules on how low you can fly? I live in the hills out in the country and small planes fly over my home all the time. We are required to fly under 400 feet, is there a danger of us have problems occupying the same air space? And no I don't live within 5 miles of a airport and do not live or fly in a NFZ.
It depends on where you're flying... If your in controlled airspace your altitude is dependent on air traffic control and direction. In general you fly 1000 feet higher then the nearest obstacle and in a 2000 foot radius from other aircraft.
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For this conversation, small fixed wing are mostly limited to 500' and above except when landing/taking off.
Generally you are required to fly safe and high enough to have some glide time in order to not plunk into a neighborhood if the donkey quits. There is also the flight above uncongested/populated reg and the lateral distance from people,etc.
Rotary wing, because they have unique landing capabilities can operate and do operate lower than 500' sometimes.
Generally the heavier the rotor mass the more inertia and the more autorotate time. So the thinking there is one might can operate lower safer.
Generally you are required to fly safe and high enough to have some glide time in order to not plunk into a neighborhood if the donkey quits. There is also the flight above uncongested/populated reg and the lateral distance from people,etc.
Rotary wing, because they have unique landing capabilities can operate and do operate lower than 500' sometimes.
Generally the heavier the rotor mass the more inertia and the more autorotate time. So the thinking there is one might can operate lower safer.
It is hard for me to judge but it seems that some of the planes are flying lower then 500 feet. I sure don't want anyone to get hurt so is there some way I can find out how low they are flying? And can I notify anyone that I am in the air space as a warning to other air craft in the area? Just want to be safe.
If you are flying in a very rural area there most likely won't be a tower operator or even a tower for that matter at your nearest airport. But that is who you should contact.
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I am about 6 miles form a controlled airport that just handles private aircraft so that might be a place to start. If I do call them will they notify the pilots that I am here?
Here, they fly extremely low(50-150') over the lake. Sometimes they land and sometimes they don't.
I have to be really careful as they come from 8-9 miles down the lake.
I have to be really careful as they come from 8-9 miles down the lake.
The airport is due east and the runway (only one) runs north and south. So I think they are just joy riding and viewing the beautiful land scape. Just guessing.
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