Flying above 400ft is a little scary and pointless

[RocketBrew]

There is a private "airpark" (where the residents fly in and taxi to their houses on the private roads) about 2.5 miles (as the phantom flies) from my house. I am not a good judge of height due to the lack of reference points, but we regularly have small planes fly nearby that can't be more than a couple of hundred feet AGL.

That private airstrip is not on any no-fly maps I have seen so far.

I fly general aviation Cessna 172s and never fly below 1000agl until I'm on base and final plus there's restrictions on how low you can fly any way and if you loose a engine your not gonna be cruising at 200 feet agl you ain't gonna find a good spot to land plus its illegal over residential all this is over the smucks that fly 1000 feet or higher if you want to go that high stop by your local airport and take a discovery flight

 

[John N Kronyak]

So it's not OK/safe to fly past LOS, but it is OK/safe if you can barely see it LOS, and are preoccupied using the video feed, adjusting your gimbal, checking battery level, fiddling with your camera settings, chatting with the neighbor and showing him how cool it is? (AKA, not actually paying attention to the aircraft.)

Let's be honest here. Neither are "safe and responsible."

If you own a P3 and pontificate about how safe you fly, always LOS, always in a deserted area, never around people, over roads, never once endangered others, I'm liable to call you a liar And a hypocrite.

We do have live feed and GPS maps to show us where we are and how to get back. That's the fun of it. If it were only los, we wouldn't need GPS or maps to complicate things. The views from 1500' are incredible. And where I live it would be dangerous for aircraft to fly below 1500' because of the mountainous terrain, but some still do.

 

[John N Kronyak]

Why do you assume we all drive drunk and go 80MPH every day?

Perhaps you could quit insulting us first.

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Ever been on an Interstate Highway?

 

[John N Kronyak]

So for the sake of clarity "that's 400 feet above sea level"? if you are already half way up a mountain?

Good point. I live at about 1400' ASL.

 

[John N Kronyak]

In America we call those Military Operating Areas (MOAs) and they have to follow the same rules over the populated areas. Which isn't 100ft at 650 mph. I'm calling that one a big steamy pile of bull ****.

 

[Keith Lampman]

California has activated a "drone stoppers" tip line where you can report them: (844) 376-6311

 

[John N Kronyak]

In America we call those Military Operating Areas (MOAs) and they have to follow the same rules over the populated areas. Which isn't 100ft at 650 mph. I'm calling that one a big steamy pile of bull ****.

So I guess I was dreaming about the frequent low altitude passes by A-!0 Warthogs. Had two F-16's a few weeks ago come by at about 100' AGL right over my house. And then there was the C-130 years ago that crashed into powerlines buzzing a herd of deer. Nine crew members were killed and a man lost his house. Your one of the many egocentric wise asses that ruin these forums. Have a couple of more drinks.

 

[Keith Lampman]

I really think people are seeing way too many of these !

 

[Spydertoph]

We do have live feed and GPS maps to show us where we are and how to get back. That's the fun of it. If it were only los, we wouldn't need GPS or maps to complicate things. The views from 1500' are incredible. And where I live it would be dangerous for aircraft to fly below 1500' because of the mountainous terrain, but some still do.

So ignorant in so many ways...

 

[DeputyDrone]

So I guess I was dreaming about the frequent low altitude passes by A-!0 Warthogs. Had two F-16's a few weeks ago come by at about 100' AGL right over my house. And then there was the C-130 years ago that crashed into powerlines buzzing a herd of deer. Nine crew members were killed and a man lost his house. Your one of the many egocentric wise asses that ruin these forums. Have a couple of more drinks.

I don't believe that. Sorry dude, light up another doobie and check out those 100'AGL birds flying by.

 

[impilot51]

Unfortunately, you can't fix stupid.


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[ryantrax]

Is it a Law/Regulation? Or is it a Recommendation?

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It is law for sure. When you applied for your FAA UAS Registration (which hopefully you did) you agreed to fly below 400ft.

 

[ianwood]

Anyone ever hover at 10ft and the GO App says 30+ feet or vice versa? Just saying that there barometer in the P3's aren't the most accurate devices.

Ground hover has a lot going on that can cause the barometer to read poorly. They are usually accurate to within 15ft excluding external factors.

It is law for sure. When you applied for your FAA UAS Registration (which hopefully you did) you agreed to fly below 400ft.

Registration has no bearing on what is or isn't enforceable. They ask you to acknowledge their guidelines and by doing so, you only lose your ability to claim ignorance which isn't a defense anyway. It doesn't change the nature of other regulations.

 

[fvader]

We do have live feed and GPS maps to show us where we are and how to get back. That's the fun of it. If it were only los, we wouldn't need GPS or maps to complicate things. The views from 1500' are incredible. And where I live it would be dangerous for aircraft to fly below 1500' because of the mountainous terrain, but some still do.

So ignorant in so many ways...

why because YOU say so?

i didn't spend > $1600 so i could buzz around in my back yard.
i had a $50 toy QC that did that just fine.
i purchased this so i could fly high-ish and far away.
that is why it has GPS that is why it has the range that it does.
not so you can fly 50 feet up in your back yard.

 

[m0j0]

Light plane can flock around down near 500', where they become a hazard to themselves. A few P3's at 600' would not be cool. .

So in truth the pilot of the LIGHT PLANE should not be flying near 500' in the first place. I occasionally see helicopters flying from the hospital around 500' but i think it is pretty irresponsible for a LIGHT PLANE pilot to be that low as well.

 

[Keith Lampman]

These fly below 500ft all the time

 

[impilot51]

Over unpopulated areas, a lot of basic pilot training goes on at around 500' AGL. If your not a pilot you have no real idea how the airspace is used. Google 'turns about a point". Taught between 500 -1000 ft. That's one of many reasons why UAS are to stay below 400 feet AGL. But there is so much ignorance and unwillingness to understand that this stuff does occur at these altitudes. But all these non-pilots know it all.


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[m0j0]

Over unpopulated .

Exactly... So if the pilot is "drawn" to fly under 500 feet over a populated area he is more of a danger than the guy flying at P3 at 400'.. My point being that a plane should not be flying closer to the ground over a populated area because the pilot "wants to..."

Some accountibility for the pilot as well maybe.

Google 'turns about a point". Taught between 500 -1000 ft.

None of which would be done over a populated area..

But there is so much ignorance and unwillingness to understand that this stuff does occur at these altitudes.

I agree, people really need to be careful and respectful of the rules. I can see no reason to fly higher than recommended limit. Others may though. There are ways to express opinions where people will respect the message.

But all these non-pilots know it all.

There are also a bunch of judgmental, self-righteous pilots that think they are the Emperors of the skies...

 

[impilot51]

No. Pilots just have spent a lot of time putting their lives in the hands of everyone using airspace as designated. While each pilot is tasked with flying safe, the system has an exceptional safety record because most everyone that is a pilot follows the rules. By doing so, they are not only protecting themselves but everyone else using the airspace. It's when we have all the noobs not following the regs because they are of the opinion that FAA regs are not laws and don't apply to them that accidents will happen.


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[m0j0]

No. Pilots just have spent a lot of time putting their lives in the hands of everyone using airspace as designated.

Then you agree with my point. If a pilot is flying under the limit they are as responsible possibly even more so than the dude flying the $1000 drone. After all.... They should know better and the potential danger is greater for the exponentially larger aircraft.

It's when we have all the noobs not following the regs because they are of the opinion that FAA regs are not laws and don't apply to them that accidents will happen.

Being new has nothing to do with irresponsibility. I'm new and have no inclination to do anything that would be outside the rules. I just think it is just as egregious possibly even more so for a pilot to be flying lower than the recommended limits. Especially over populated areas unless you are affiliated with the police or a hospital. The whole idea that somehow the guy flying the phantom is the idiot in a scenario where both the plane and the phantom are at 500 ft is just a bit short sighted.

That is all. I'm done.