P3 Spots Plane

[olof Ekbergh]

Helicopters are exempt from the 500' altitude and distance from property or persons. I have to check, but I think the wording is "causing no danger to persons or property". This is because they are so maneuverable. And also there are a lot of FAA registered Heliports in residential areas. As well as many hospital Heli landing pads. Air ambulance helis are also except and can land anywhere, this is usually coordinated with local FP and PD.

Here is the Rule:

 

[bobmyers]

Helicopters are exempt from the 500' altitude and distance from property or persons. I have to check, but I think the wording is "causing no danger to persons or property". This is because they are so maneuverable. And also there are a lot of FAA registered Heliports in residential areas. As well as many hospital Heli landing pads. Air ambulance helis are also except and can land anywhere, this is usually coordinated with local FP and PD.

Here is the Rule:

View attachment 36815

That reg pretty well rules against drone excursions over populated cities, beaches, and tourist attractions that pop up in daily in public video's for everyone to see.

 

[Chris Vedeler]

The best way to judge altitude is with the horizon. Here is a video of a helicopter that was no more than 150 feet up. It actually flew between me and my P3. Made me nervous for sure but my P3 was about a mile away so no real danger. It was a military helicopter so I don't know if the FAA rules apply. I had to look both ways flying home. Luckily they make enough noise to hear from pretty far away.

 

[olof Ekbergh]

That reg pretty well rules against drone excursions over populated cities, beaches, and tourist attractions that pop up in daily in public video's for everyone to see.

Yes and I think this is why the FAA is coming on strong with new registrations and education of users of MRs. They are operating in the national airspace but not conforming with the rules that govern aircraft.

It is very clear it is against regulations to fly within 500' of any person or property unless it is an emergency or you have an exemption from the rules.

I think there will be a whole new set of rules soon. And they will allow you to fly closer than 500' to persons or property, and allow for autonomous operation, just like self driving cars will be allowed in the future. But as of now it is not allowed.

My point again is if you are the first person to have collision with a GA or commercial plane and you are caught the FAA, NTSB and FBI will be in your hair very quickly. So bear in mind that you don't want to be the first example and fly safe. And understand the rules that apply to you.

 

[bobmyers]

Yes and I think this is why the FAA is coming on strong with new registrations and education of users of MRs. They are operating in the national airspace but not conforming with the rules that govern aircraft.

It is very clear it is against regulations to fly within 500' of any person or property unless it is an emergency or you have an exemption from the rules.

I think there will be a whole new set of rules soon. And they will allow you to fly closer than 500' to persons or property, and allow for autonomous operation, just like self driving cars will be allowed in the future. But as of now it is not allowed.

My point again is if you are the first person to have collision with a GA or commercial plane and you are caught the FAA, NTSB and FBI will be in your hair very quickly. So bear in mind that you don't want to be the first example and fly safe. And understand the rules that apply to you.

exactly

 

[Mario_SB]

Regardless of altitude doesn't an airplane (human) have the "right of way" and therefore it is the drone pilots responsibility to see/hear that's it's coming and lower it's altitude. Seems to mean this would be common sense.

 

[witold]

It is very hard to judge altitude, particularly for unfamiliar objects.

Sometimes at my local RC field, we will try to guess P3/etc altitude. At first, everyone is terrible. Once people get a visual idea of what X item looks at X altitude, everyone gets better pretty quickly.

Same idea applies to planes and helis of various sizes, flying at various speeds. Our first guesses will often be terrible.

 

[jaywils]

I have always questioned the 400' limit in the UK for drones. Last weekend I had to be careful as there were 2 light aircraft and a paraglider all flying below 400'. Then of course we get lots of military aircraft flying in the mountains around where I live - sometimes below the level of my house!

I have my max altitude set at 400' but that's relative to the launch point. If I'm on top of a hill and fly out horizontally, it's 400' plus whatever...so be aware of that.

 

[jaywils]

I have a question for those of you who are good at guessing altitudes.

I have two tall trees in my yard, both about 65 feet. Perhaps 2-3 times per month a helicopter flies right over my house and blows the leaves on my two tall trees. It is also crazy loud and I can feel it wherever I am in the house.

Ever since I have had a P3, I've guessed that these helicopters are flying well below 400 feet. So far I haven't been fast enough to get a good look at them (for identification) or get a picture. Even if I did, I have no idea who to call or if anyone would even care.

Is there an exception for helicopters regarding altitude in a residential area? Also, how low would a helicopter need to be flying for it to blow the leaves on my trees?

I have seen blue and white helicopters on multiple occasions flying pretty low in Santa Cruz, my guess < 400'. I found out they were PG&E copters conducting some kind of gas pipe remote sensing.

 

[olof Ekbergh]

I have seen blue and white helicopters on multiple occasions flying pretty low in Santa Cruz, my guess < 400'. I found out they were PG&E copters conducting some kind of gas pipe remote sensing.

Helicopters are often exempt from the 500' FAA rule. Both emergency and utility work is very standard exceptions, as are many private heliports. All Aircraft VFR (Visual Flight Rule) flying is up to pilots to keep separation by scanning the sky. Seeing how MRs are so tiny it is really up to MR pilots to stay out of the way of larger aircraft. Sound is the easiest way to know if there is a Heli or low flying aircraft in your vicinity.

This is one major reason MRs should only be flown in visual range. And that is the FAA rule for all model aircraft. And FPV flight is against the rules unless you have a safety pilot always keeping you in line of sight w/o help of binoculars only corrective lenses allowed.

Just think of how vulnerable you are if you are flying FPV a couple miles out and a low flying heli comes up from behind, they are much faster, you would never see it and the pilot would very likely not see you either especially if he is inspecting power lines, helis are a very common way of inspecting power lines and power lines are often in the middle of nowhere as are pipe lines...

 

[Bert OConnor]

On occasion I will see either a plane or helicopters that appear to be below the 400ft altitude mark. You know since you have been flying your P3 you have a better idea what altitude height levels are just by looking in some cases.

A week or so ago I was making some test flights near my usual fly area. I could hear a plane off in the not too far distance as it was getting louder. I walked around to the side of the house and I was finally able to see the plane. Right away my 1st thought was this plane is going down. Nobody flies this low. Then I realized I needed to try and catch this on video using the P3 and being a little shook up I did my best to get it in view as soon as I could.

So there my aircraft was at 190ft, you can see the plane was maybe 90ft higher. One of the neighbors said he also saw it and said it looked like someone was trying to fly below the radar. Anyway, I did manage to get a little of it on video.

Wow and the first response is, "gee, pilots always fly by the rules, he couldn't have been that low". Attaboy, stick up for your fellow pilot just like doctors do with fellow docs accused of malpractice. Clue this old old descriptor: Pilot Error
I live under the local airport's flight path, I've seen a lot of stupid dangerous stuff near my home where airliners were well within a few thousand yards of each other and only a couple hundred feet alt difference. BTW, been around tons of military aircraft, know of what I speak, Air Force brat to an Air Force pilot.

 

[Illina]

Heck, I have a plane that passes through about every month or so and just clears the tree tops. He runs the lines of an underground pipeline checking it for problems. Between him and the crop dusters, they get my utmost respect.

 

[RoyVa]

I too had a pilot flying to low. How do I know that, well when I can see in the cockpit and tell that he's wearing sunglasses then I know he's to low. He was flying circles on a left hard banked turn. If I had been flying my Phantom he could have hit me. All I could do was shake my head , I might read bad press about him tomorrow for buzzing the neighborhood.

 

[Don Wilson]

On occasion I will see either a plane or helicopters that appear to be below the 400ft altitude mark. You know since you have been flying your P3 you have a better idea what altitude height levels are just by looking in some cases.

A week or so ago I was making some test flights near my usual fly area. I could hear a plane off in the not too far distance as it was getting louder. I walked around to the side of the house and I was finally able to see the plane. Right away my 1st thought was this plane is going down. Nobody flies this low. Then I realized I needed to try and catch this on video using the P3 and being a little shook up I did my best to get it in view as soon as I could.

So there my aircraft was at 190ft, you can see the plane was maybe 90ft higher. One of the neighbors said he also saw it and said it looked like someone was trying to fly below the radar. Anyway, I did manage to get a little of it on video.

I took my P3 down to the family La Jolla, Ca housing area, along the cliffs to the ocean. Holly crap! What a hostile environment! Here I thought I could get some great ocean / cliff shots and low and behold, there are private planes flying like 300 feet over the water, and sometimes well below the street level of the cliffs. Then they break out and cut up over the houses well into my 400' altitude range. I think we should have a lobby to petition the FAA (since we are members now) to enforce the low flight rules, especially over houses and people!

Then, if the planes were not enough of a hazard, as soon as I got in the air, I was harassed by at least 10 SeaGulls chasing me. Now that will really test your pilot skills to fly and not get tangled up with these guys. If they swoop, they will hit your props and flip over your aircraft in a heart beat.

I also visit the East County of San Diego (Alpine) and fly from there. Come to find out, this is where all the student pilots learn about engine failures and setting up for an emergency landing. So there they are, over my girlfriends house, low and at IDLE, as they loose altitude and get right into my flight path. These private pilots should be at least at pattern altitude of 1400 feet. You know for a fact when a plane hits one of us, they WILL blame the drone.

 

[mrcrane2u]

On occasion I will see either a plane or helicopters that appear to be below the 400ft altitude mark. You know since you have been flying your P3 you have a better idea what altitude height levels are just by looking in some cases.

A week or so ago I was making some test flights near my usual fly area. I could hear a plane off in the not too far distance as it was getting louder. I walked around to the side of the house and I was finally able to see the plane. Right away my 1st thought was this plane is going down. Nobody flies this low. Then I realized I needed to try and catch this on video using the P3 and being a little shook up I did my best to get it in view as soon as I could.

So there my aircraft was at 190ft, you can see the plane was maybe 90ft higher. One of the neighbors said he also saw it and said it looked like someone was trying to fly below the radar. Anyway, I did manage to get a little of it on video.

What app do you use ?

 

[Bert OConnor]

I took my P3 down to the family La Jolla, Ca housing area, along the cliffs to the ocean. Holly crap! What a hostile environment! Here I thought I could get some great ocean / cliff shots and low and behold, there are private planes flying like 300 feet over the water, and sometimes well below the street level of the cliffs. Then they break out and cut up over the houses well into my 400' altitude range. I think we should have a lobby to petition the FAA (since we are members now) to enforce the low flight rules, especially over houses and people!

Then, if the planes were not enough of a hazard, as soon as I got in the air, I was harassed by at least 10 SeaGulls chasing me. Now that will really test your pilot skills to fly and not get tangled up with these guys. If they swoop, they will hit your props and flip over your aircraft in a heart beat.

I also visit the East County of San Diego (Alpine) and fly from there. Come to find out, this is where all the student pilots learn about engine failures and setting up for an emergency landing. So there they are, over my girlfriends house, low and at IDLE, as they loose altitude and get right into my flight path. These private pilots should be at least at pattern altitude of 1400 feet. You know for a fact when a plane hits one of us, they WILL blame the drone.

You have to keep in mind that the FAA feels that fixed wing and rotary wing manned aircraft have an exemplary safety record and going to the FAA to petition them in regards to the occurrences you wrote about will be like spitting in the wind. In regards to student pilots practicing recovery from various issues like stalls, magneto switching, fuel tank switching, over houses, especially if they're flying relatively low, is inviting disaster.

I have buzzard, hawk, and eagle issues I have to watch out for in my neck of the woods.

 

[NormanNormal]

How did you get the camera to pan up past the horizon like that? I have not found a way to do that. Please tell me.

 

[Bert OConnor]

Not sure if you're asking me but there is a gimbal adjustment that allows you to tilt the camera up further than horizon level. The problem with that is the two front props can/will show up in the shot.

 

[Bert OConnor]

By the way, I see you're from FloRiDuh like me.