drone above Statue of Liberty permission

[ribjig]

https: //www .aol.com/article/lifestyle/2015/11/25/15-drone-photos-that-leave-us-speechless/21272199/#slide=3718029#fullscreen

(make sure ENTIRE URL is used to see specific image)
(notice where I put spaces to avoid link to start of article)

This drone operator MUST have had NP permission to take
this image -- right?????!!!

 

[rexster314]

Depending on the original date of capture, the pilot could have had permission. Anytime after summer of 2015, most assuredly not

 

[lickitysplit11111]

I don't know if he had permission but if you plan on giving it a go I'd launch North of the park @ Exchange Place and do it early in the morning before anyone's on the island and before the tourist copters start buzzing around the river.
That's where I flew this morning..

 

[shockwave199]

What about launching from flag plaza on the jersey side? That's the absolute closest place I can see. The water is SFR from the surface. However it is G airspace but I'd set a 200' altitude limit in the go app. The problem isn't airports there as much as it is heliports and helicopters. I may very well have to run the process of flying there for a commercial shoot. I'll be happy to let people know how that process goes when I do it. For me personally, I won't be satisfied until ALL entities and heliports are notified. I'll be setting a drotam too of course. If you want an eye opener, take the free online faa SFR test for the hudson. In fact, I recommend it. I wouldn't recommend flying that area in most cases. You put yourself at great risk and manned aircraft even more, if something doesn't go as planned.

 

[lickitysplit11111]

What about launching from flag plaza on the jersey side? That's the absolute closest place I can see. The water is SFR from the surface. However it is G airspace but I'd set a 200' altitude limit in the go app. The problem isn't airports there as much as it is heliports and helicopters. I may very well have to run the process of flying there for a commercial shoot. I'll be happy to let people know how that process goes when I do it. For me personally, I won't be satisfied until ALL entities and heliports are notified. I'll be setting a drotam too of course. If you want an eye opener, take the free online faa SFR test for the hudson. In fact, I recommend it. I wouldn't recommend flying that area in most cases. You put yourself at great risk and manned aircraft even more, if something doesn't go as planned.

Yes thats another good spot to launch from but if you'd like to get as close as possible and still remain outside the park boundaries there's a small industrial section which is surrounded on the three sides by Liberty State Park you'll be within a few thousand ft. of the island. ( Conrad or McGovern Dr.)
Your spot on about the helicopter traffic in the area early mornings are best,
weekends mornings are better yet.
I think you might be a little low setting your limit to 200' though.
statue of liberty height - Google Search

 

[shockwave199]

200' is conservative, yes. At 399' it's getting very dicey there though. Average person that is more than likely flying beyond their capabilities for that shot? 200 would be wise just as a ceiling cap. I would also recommend that people set the extra 30% gimbal upward tilt. You'd be surprised how much more upward tilt you can get away with without getting props in the shot while flying slowly. This makes up for a lower bird altitude. Food for thought. I'll check out your take off location suggestions too. Thanks.

 

[lickitysplit11111]

200' is conservative, yes. At 399' it's getting very dicey there though. Average person that is more than likely flying beyond their capabilities for that shot? 200 would be wise just as a ceiling cap. I would also recommend that people set the extra 30% gimbal upward tilt. You'd be surprised how much more upward tilt you can get away with without getting props in the shot while flying slowly. This makes up for a lower bird altitude. Food for thought. I'll check out your take off location suggestions too. Thanks.

Oh ojk I always thought the xtra 30% was for shooting video while flying backwards ( away from the subject)

 

[shockwave199]

At a certain point you'll get props in the shot. But you can get an upward nudge. Worth a try. I've always disabled it but I enable it now because I like the look of an aerial shot nudged up a bit sometimes.

 

[kwalter]

I think you'd be really dumb trying to fly a drone over the Statue of Liberty without permission. You do know Phantoms are being used to drop bombs in Syria don't you? Good luck explaining yourself to the police

 

[lickitysplit11111]

I think you'd be really dumb trying to fly a drone over the Statue of Liberty without permission. You do know Phantoms are being used to drop bombs in Syria don't you? Good luck explaining yourself to the police

Last I checked this ain't Syria and nobody's dropping bombs,
One from when I was in the area last weekend
Lady of the Harbor... by LickitySplit11111 - Photo 216445635 / 500px

 

[ianwood]

Something that is publicly visible does not require permission to capture images of it. However, to use that image commercially may require permission.

Whether or not one can fly a drone in the area around the statue of liberty is a different matter. From an FAA perspective, you should be fine as long as you maintain LOS, fly outside of controlled airspace and follow other safety guidelines. However, where you launch from can put you at odds from local authorities.

 

[KevMo Photog]

I think you'd be really dumb trying to fly a drone over the Statue of Liberty without permission. You do know Phantoms are being used to drop bombs in Syria don't you? Good luck explaining yourself to the police

LOL! Phantoms dropping bombs! Thats a new one one me!

 

[lickitysplit11111]

Something that is publicly visible does not require permission to capture images of it. However, to use that image commercially may require permission.

Whether or not one can fly a drone in the area around the statue of liberty is a different matter. From an FAA perspective, you should be fine as long as you maintain LOS, fly outside of controlled airspace and follow other safety guidelines. However, where you launch from can put you at odds from local authorities.

That's how I look at it If a helicopter can launch at its port and come do some sight-seeing around it why can't I

 

[shockwave199]

Do you have visual line of site? Or are you just looking at your tablet screen? Be honest. I don't believe there's a single launch point close enough to have visual line of site. It's just too far away to see the bird. Remember, you have to give the right of way to manned aircraft so even though you and a helicopter are likely up to the same thing- sightseeing - they have the right of way, not you. Not to mention that's it extremely difficult not to fly the bird in strictly regulated national park airspace there. Getting close enough to the statue or flying over the dock or doing an orbit around the statue will put you in strictly regulated airspace. Look at airmaps. There's 13 heliports to consider too.

I'm not arguing against flying there but a strong argument can be made that you shouldn't unless you take the extra steps to let the heliports know you're doing it. It's a busy helicopter route and it's not a good idea to take chances. You go and fly a drone for fun and pictures and the next thing you know your life and others is in a world of hurt. And be mindful of the delineated airspace to keep yourself out if that trouble. Helicopter pilots just love following drones back to the pilots and reporting it.

 

[lickitysplit11111]

Do you have visual line of site? Or are you just looking at your tablet screen? Be honest. I don't believe there's a single launch point close enough to have visual line of site. It's just too far away to see the bird. Remember, you have to give the right of way to manned aircraft so even though you and a helicopter are likely up to the same thing- sightseeing - they have the right of way, not you. Not to mention that's it extremely difficult not to fly the bird in strictly regulated national park airspace there. Getting close enough to the statue or flying over the dock or doing an orbit around the statue will put you in strictly regulated airspace. Look at airmaps. There's 13 heliports to consider too.

I'm not arguing against flying there but a strong argument can be made that you shouldn't unless you take the extra steps to let the heliports know you're doing it. It's a busy helicopter route and it's not a good idea to take chances. You go and fly a drone for fun and pictures and the next thing you know your life and others is in a world of hurt. And be mindful of the delineated airspace to keep yourself out if that trouble. Helicopter pilots just love following drones back to the pilots and reporting it.

Why do you always fly within VLOS ? I didn't think so and neither do I. I launch/ launched about 6:00 am on the weekend before the tourist copters are buzzing around the river its about 8-9000 ft away but there are spots outside the park where you can and be about 3000 away ( white buildings top right in pic ). But I agree with you about it being very busy tourist copter spot but that don't start till later in the day The only air traffic you may see early on weekend morning is military copters flying a couple thousand ft up cruising the river.

 

[kwalter]

Believe me, it's true. They use them to drop grenades, and I'm sure the US intelligence service is well aware of it.
That's why I don't think it's a good idea flying a drone over such a sensitive area without permission.

 

[tcope]

Believe me, it's true. They use them to drop grenades, and I'm sure the US intelligence service is well aware of it.
That's why I don't think it's a good idea flying a drone over such a sensitive area without permission.

Point is, the comment is meaningless as it does not pertain to any of this thread. Cars are used to deliver bombs... I guess we should all just stop driving our cars. Discussion (appears to be.. .I can't see the image and OP never made it clear) is if the person took a legal photo with a drone. Because someone _can_ do something with a drone does not make all flights illegal or even suspect. But putting all of that aside, why would anyone drop a grenade on the Statue of Liberty? Dropping that in a place such as a stadium would have a much greater affect. Or even _leaving_ a much larger bomb some place would. As mentioned above, Syria is a different situation.

 

[John Locke]

I saw a guy flying his drone from the south side of liberty park at the water's edge. A ranger told him it wasn't allowed, so he immediately brought the drone in, but it was after flying about 15 min. He got a warning and the pilot got his video. I spoke with the pilot, he said the ranger was very nice about it. So I decided to fly lady liberty early the next morning after finding a secluded launch site in the bushes, complete with shelter and seat which had clear view of the statue, looking east. This was a year ago.


This particular area isn't patrolled by liberty park rangers because of its seclusion. Flying south of liberty island is outside airport 5 mi zones, but you still have to watch for tour planes and helicopters which start up around 9am. Lady is about 300' high, all of the manned craft I saw the day before stayed at or above 500'. I saw no craft around lady liberty early in the morning, 7am

 

[Raptorman0909]

No mater what the rules are I'd never risk such a flight given the risk to the MANY helicopters that fly in and around the area and at almost any height and time. Tourist copters may not be about at 6AM, but you had better believe the NYPD copters are.

The closest you can get, from the Jersey side, is a bit more than half a mile and at that distance you'd be hard pressed to convince the FAA or NYPD that you had the bird in sight at all times. Mind you, I've flown a number of flights beyond that distance but always in MUCH more secluded areas in the desert. I don't want to be the guy who's drone hits the rotor blade of a copter bringing it down and killing all on board! I don't want to be the guy that get drones banned for good!


Brian

 

[Capo]

I don't think a rotor blade of a helicopter hitting a drone would even feel the damage. The drone would shatter though. But just having commercial aircraft seeing a drone within a couple miles of them is enough to hit the news these days, let alone a strike. This is never good for us. In Canada we are banned from flying in most places due to this unreasonable fear.