The Dolly Sods Wilderness area does not allow anything Motorized. But Seneca Rocks Recreation area is not in the Dolly Sods Wilderness and it is legal to fly there. Just be aware that there are a lot of climbers and hikers. Best not to fly too close to the climbing areas during the day so as not to annoy or distract climbers. The late afternoon is a great time to fly as the sun sets over the ridge on the opposite side of the valley to the cliff face and the light quality is really good. You can fly from behind the Discovery Center or hike up the trail and continue past the viewing platform. Best not to launch from the viewing platform where the people hang out.
There is also a cliff face on the back side facing the ridge line which doesn’t get many climbers. It would be in best light mid-morning. That’s a really nice flying area as well, best launched from the top of the cliffs beyond the viewing platform. Of course, you have to hike up.
The sun rising and setting provides some really cool opportunities for cinematic shots. The top of the cliff line is great for revealing shots from the craggy cliff to sunrise/sunset. Be sure to have ND32 and 64 on hand as you’ll be flying close to objects and will need that cinematic motion blur.
I can’t wait to get back there. It’s one of the best sites for drone filming you’ll find in the mid-Atlantic.
BTW, I got an
M2P last fall to replace my P3, which took a little dip in the water at Harpers Ferry. I didn’t have time to wait for a repair before the end of the fall season and it seemed like a good opportunity to upgrade. As a result, I’ve been posting more on the Mavic forum.