Flying in San Francisco

[elsenor]

I've looked around here for previous threads but didn't seem to find exactly what I was looking for, apologies if I missed something on point.

I'm hoping to take a few photos/videos while returning to the Bay Area after living there years ago and am fairly aware of the airspace and parks rules (bans). But now have a P4P!

Above 37°45 on the peninsula and avoiding all lands of GGNRA it appears one could fly, yes? Specifically areas near all of those forbidden, including Marina, Outer Richmond, North Beach, etc. I'm not talking about a 2pm Saturday flight over pier 39. I also have no interest in flying over/near the GGB, over the Presidio, etc. I'm essentially looking for a launch, ascend, marginal horizontal flight if any, photo/video, land. All early morning hours.

Am I missing anything?

 

[Crack The Sky]

I've looked around here for previous threads but didn't seem to find exactly what I was looking for, apologies if I missed something on point.

I'm hoping to take a few photos/videos while returning to the Bay Area after living there years ago and am fairly aware of the airspace and parks rules (bans). But now have a P4P!

Above 37°45 on the peninsula and avoiding all lands of GGNRA it appears one could fly, yes? Specifically areas near all of those forbidden, including Marina, Outer Richmond, North Beach, etc. I'm not talking about a 2pm Saturday flight over pier 39. I also have no interest in flying over/near the GGB, over the Presidio, etc. I'm essentially looking for a launch, ascend, marginal horizontal flight if any, photo/video, land. All early morning hours.

Am I missing anything?

Interestingly, FAA law does not so much come into play in your chosen area of flight, (providing you remain below the Class B & C). Your deal breaker is as follows:
The entire coastal area from Lake Merced north around the peninsula, and east through the Presidio, to North Beach is a US Fish & Wildlife Service Area, and as such all flights are requested to "Maintain a minimum of 2000 feet above the surface".
"Take-off and landing are Prohibited except, "in emergency's".
The designated area is identified by the dark blue line surrounding the dark blue dots, all along the coastal areas.
Impossible place to fly legally there, unless you are willing to disregard the formal "request" to maintain 2000 agl. Even so, take off and landing are "prohibited".
See the link I have provided to the current SFO-TAC chart:
Scroll around to see the area, and read the requirements in the chart legend.
http://aeronav.faa.gov/content/aeronav/tac_files/PDFs/San_Francisco_TAC_90_P.pdf

 

[elsenor]

Interestingly, FAA law does not so much come into play in your chosen area of flight, (providing you remain below the Class B & C). Your deal breaker is as follows:
The entire coastal area from Lake Merced north around the peninsula, and east through the Presidio, to North Beach is a US Fish & Wildlife Service Area, and as such all flights are requested to "Maintain a minimum of 2000 feet above the surface".
"Take-off and landing are Prohibited except, "in emergency's".
The designated area is identified by the dark blue line surrounding the dark blue dots, all along the coastal areas.
Impossible place to fly legally there, unless you are willing to disregard the formal "request" to maintain 2000 agl. Even so, take off and landing are "prohibited".
See the link I have provided to the current SFO-TAC chart:
Scroll around to see the area, and read the requirements in the chart legend.
http://aeronav.faa.gov/content/aeronav/tac_files/PDFs/San_Francisco_TAC_90_P.pdf

Sorry if i was not clear, but i understand that most of the area that extends out from the coast/land is, as i mentioned originally, part of the Golden Gate National Rec Area and off limits to drone flying. I don't want to or intend to fly there.

I'm talking about areas over land that don't include GGNRA or state parks. For example, say outside of the Presidio or near Golden Gate Park. Not over, not launched from, but outside of those areas.

 

[Crack The Sky]

Sorry if i was not clear, but i understand that most of the area that extends out from the coast/land is, as i mentioned originally, part of the Golden Gate National Rec Area and off limits to drone flying. I don't want to or intend to fly there.

I'm talking about areas over land that don't include GGNRA or state parks. For example, say outside of the Presidio or near Golden Gate Park. Not over, not launched from, but outside of those areas.

I never mentioned the GGNRA. Look at the chart link I sent you. The US Fish & Wildlife land I indicated extends into the city limits in much of the entire area that I mentioned. There appears to be a bulge in their designated area, just west of the Presido to the western most point of land, that has its inner limit offshore. If I were going to attempt to fly there I would contact US Fish & Wildlife to obtain a large scale map, that would allow you to really pinpoint that small location. That area looks to be owned by the San Francisco VA Medical Center. I have no idea about surface access or permission to fly from that private property.The rest of the entire area from Lake Merced to North Beach is clearly off limits by US Fish & Wildlife rules, unless you are willing to disregard the formal "request". I have no idea about rules for flying with-in the city limits, but if you were south of the Presido, in the city, you're OK by all other rules, unless you bust the Class B & C bottoms.

 

[elsenor]

I never mentioned the GGNRA. Look at the chart link I sent you. The US Fish & Wildlife land I indicated extends into the city limits in much of the entire area that I mentioned. There appears to be a bulge in their designated area, just west of the Presido to the western most point of land, that has its inner limit offshore. If I were going to attempt to fly there I would contact US Fish & Wildlife to obtain a large scale map, that would allow you to really pinpoint that small location. That area looks to be owned by the San Francisco VA Medical Center. I have no idea about surface access or permission to fly from that private property.The rest of the entire area from Lake Merced to North Beach is clearly off limits by US Fish & Wildlife rules, unless you are willing to disregard the formal "request". I have no idea about rules for flying with-in the city limits, but if you were south of the Presido, in the city, you're OK by all other rules, unless you bust the Class B & C bottoms.

Unless it's my new contacts prescription... those areas are mostly the same and not where i want to be flying. Maybe it's entirely (partially?) coincidental that the area I think you're talking about mirrors almost identically to the GGNRA. The area just inside where I outlined in red?

If that is what you mean, I understand that is no flying area. I don't want to fly there. I'd like to fly elsewhere, basically wherever I can and not be in the wrong. For example, where I placed green stars on my attachment.

edit* Your last sentence is basically what I was inquiring about originally, although in hindsight, maybe I failed to do a sufficient enough job to make that clear. Thank you for your insight.

 

[Crack The Sky]

Unless it's my new contacts prescription... those areas are mostly the same and not where i want to be flying. Maybe it's entirely (partially?) coincidental that the area I think you're talking about mirrors almost identically to the GGNRA. The area just inside where I outlined in red?

If that is what you mean, I understand that is no flying area. I don't want to fly there. I'd like to fly elsewhere, basically wherever I can and not be in the wrong. For example, where I placed green stars on my attachment.

edit* Your last sentence is basically what I was inquiring about originally, although in hindsight, maybe I failed to do a sufficient enough job to make that clear. Thank you for your insight.

Oh yea buddy. That helps a lot. I know nothing about SF city ordinances, city park rules, etc, but as far as the FAA rules go, you're good to go in that area if you stay below 400 AGL.

 

[elsenor]

Oh yea buddy. That helps a lot. I know nothing about SF city ordinances, city park rules, etc, but as far as FAA goes, you're good to go in that area

That's what I thought (except for the parks part, they're banned). I haven't come across any other posts, forums, online news articles, etc on other flying prohibitions so that's probably a good sign (not like Stanford where I quickly came across articles on their University-wide no drone policy for 3rd parties).

Anyone else with insight into flying in the city?

 

[dangerd]

I flew in SF near the Palace of Fine Arts in the marina district last week. There are places to fly within the FAA laws. Make sure to notify heliports etc. Seems like you already know most places to stay away from. I recommend checking airmap.io
online or the app for notification numbers.

I've looked around here for previous threads but didn't seem to find exactly what I was looking for, apologies if I missed something on point.

I'm hoping to take a few photos/videos while returning to the Bay Area after living there years ago and am fairly aware of the airspace and parks rules (bans). But now have a P4P!

Above 37°45 on the peninsula and avoiding all lands of GGNRA it appears one could fly, yes? Specifically areas near all of those forbidden, including Marina, Outer Richmond, North Beach, etc. I'm not talking about a 2pm Saturday flight over pier 39. I also have no interest in flying over/near the GGB, over the Presidio, etc. I'm essentially looking for a launch, ascend, marginal horizontal flight if any, photo/video, land. All early morning hours.

Am I missing anything?

 

[kgrowney]

I flew in SF near the Palace of Fine Arts in the marina district last week. There are places to fly within the FAA laws. Make sure to notify heliports etc. Seems like you already know most places to stay away from. I recommend checking airmap.io
online or the app for notification numbers.

With regard to flying near Palace of Fine Arts, if I want to film some friends kitesurfing off of the St. Francis Yacht Club. Can I launch from Palace of Fine Arts or somewhere outside of restricted area and fly over the National Park restricted area? Please see the attached flight plan.

 

[dangerd]

With regard to flying near Palace of Fine Arts, if I want to film some friends kitesurfing off of the St. Francis Yacht Club. Can I launch from Palace of Fine Arts or somewhere outside of restricted area and fly over the National Park restricted area? Please see the attached flight plan. View attachment 95703

I don't think that would be a problem as long as you had line of sight for the flight and did not fly over people or moving vehicles. That launch area is outside the park boundary and you can fly over the national park area. Be aware though that if you land in the park that the rangers/ police can take your aircraft and fine you.