Road trip from Boston to Seattle

TerryH · Jun 3, 2015

I plan to road trip from Boston to Seattle at the end of July, would appreciate if anybody can provide some advice about road-trip with Phantom.

Gears: Phantom 3 Pro (3 Batteries in total),
GoPro 4 Black and Silver,
An old Parrot,
Nikon D7100

Need advice over:
1. How to keep Phantom 3 Pro in good shape during long roadtrip?
2. Any necessary accessories for P3 for roadtrip?3. Is it legal to fly a drone in National Parks and what should I keep in mind when I fly drone in NP?
I did a little research and looks like people can get some sort of permission from NP (such as one day pass), but don't know the exact rules.
4. General roadtrip advice.

Thanks!

Torcan · Jun 3, 2015

first purchase, spring for a car battery charger

TerryH · Jun 3, 2015

Torcan said:
first purchase, spring for a car battery charger

Thanks! Already added it to the shipping list

I'm also looking for some sort of parachute for Phantom, just in case of falling down....

GoodnNuff · Jun 3, 2015

Yes, currently it is illegal to fly in any and all National Parks. National Forests are Ok. State Parks vary by park.

TerryH · Jun 3, 2015

GoodnNuff said:
Yes, currently it is illegal to fly in any and all National Parks. National Forests are Ok. State Parks vary by park.

Thanks for the info. I wonder whether can I apply for some sort of pass. I heard that some NP will provide one day pass to people with FAA license.

richparry · Jun 4, 2015

TerryH said:
Thanks for the info. I wonder whether can I apply for some sort of pass. I heard that some NP will provide one day pass to people with FAA license.

For all practical purposes your wasting your time, you can't fly in a National Park period. Perhaps if you are Ken Burns working on a National Geographic documentary you might work weeks or months through formal channels, but best to assume you can't.

I can't believe how often this question is asked, do a search. One member says you can lift off outside the park, fly over the park, and then land outside the park again. That is pretty silly even if it were true.

IflyinWY · Jun 4, 2015

TerryH said:
I plan to road trip from Boston to Seattle at the end of July, would appreciate if anybody can provide some advice about road-trip with Phantom.

Gears: Phantom 3 Pro (3 Batteries in total),
GoPro 4 Black and Silver,
An old Parrot,
Nikon D7100

Need advice over:
1. How to keep Phantom 3 Pro in good shape during long roadtrip?
2. Any necessary accessories for P3 for roadtrip?3. Is it legal to fly a drone in National Parks and what should I keep in mind when I fly drone in NP?
I did a little research and looks like people can get some sort of permission from NP (such as one day pass), but don't know the exact rules.
4. General roadtrip advice.

Thanks!

Welcome to the party Terry.

Smart man, planning ahead and asking good questions.

1) Don't take off from sand, dirt or very dusty locations.
Don't land in sand, dirt, very dusty locations, or in water.

2) No response

3) Do not take off or land within the boundaries of any National Park or National Monument (PERIOD). Overflights are not illegal but won't make you, or any of us for that matter, very popular. I have NOT asked to fly within a National Park. Google "drone in Yellowstone" for a better idea of just how unpopular the idea is.
FYI: Many communities are now prohibiting "drones" in certain areas. I will not address the legality of these "prohibitions". I will caution you though. I believe to "take off" or "land" within one of these areas, will most likely get your *** in hot water.

Slightly off topic, but very relevant to the discussion, I have made a friend or two at the U.S. Forest Service because I have the beautiful "Bighorn National Forest" surrounding the awesome "Cloud Peak Wilderness Area" right out my front door.

This "Drone Thing" is new to everyone, so don't expect folks to have all the correct answers... yet.
How are your diplomacy skills? I encourage you to plan and discuss your adventure with those communities you plan to visit... unless you are going to make us look bad. If you are planning that, we'll have to take you behind the woodshed and have a one-way discussion. That's called "Red-Neck Humor"
Kinda doubt you would be here if that was your intent.

4) Keep a couple days food and water in your vehicle. When you walk any distance from your vehicle, take a days food and water with you. While that may not apply in Pennsylvania, it sure as hell does here in Wyoming. It's not uncommon for towns to be 50+ miles apart.

More to offer if your interested.

This is a great way to find things in our forum.
It's Google Custom Search, enter your text in the middle of the page, not at the top.

https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=014775389315664725445:ejku2ysgyhi

Good luck

GoodnNuff · Jun 4, 2015

I'm assuming you're going to take I-90, which connects Boston and Seattle? Nice drive. Do not fly by the Space Needle with your Phantom once you arrive here in Seattle. It will land you in trouble with the powers that be, and the locals will tar and feather you. This is isn't a drone friendly region.

Arct1c0n · Jun 4, 2015

Whatever you do, dont' buzz our Space Needle with your drone, an amazon moron did that last year and got in huge trouble for it

TerryH · Jun 5, 2015

IflyinWY said:
Welcome to the party Terry.

Smart man, planning ahead and asking good questions.

1) Don't take off from sand, dirt or very dusty locations.
Don't land in sand, dirt, very dusty locations, or in water.

2) No response

3) Do not take off or land within the boundaries of any National Park or National Monument (PERIOD). Overflights are not illegal but won't make you, or any of us for that matter, very popular. I have NOT asked to fly within a National Park. Google "drone in Yellowstone" for a better idea of just how unpopular the idea is.
FYI: Many communities are now prohibiting "drones" in certain areas. I will not address the legality of these "prohibitions". I will caution you though. I believe to "take off" or "land" within one of these areas, will most likely get your *** in hot water.

Slightly off topic, but very relevant to the discussion, I have made a friend or two at the U.S. Forest Service because I have the beautiful "Bighorn National Forest" surrounding the awesome "Cloud Peak Wilderness Area" right out my front door.

This "Drone Thing" is new to everyone, so don't expect folks to have all the correct answers... yet.
How are your diplomacy skills? I encourage you to plan and discuss your adventure with those communities you plan to visit... unless you are going to make us look bad. If you are planning that, we'll have to take you behind the woodshed and have a one-way discussion. That's called "Red-Neck Humor"
Kinda doubt you would be here if that was your intent.

4) Keep a couple days food and water in your vehicle. When you walk any distance from your vehicle, take a days food and water with you. While that may not apply in Pennsylvania, it sure as hell does here in Wyoming. It's not uncommon for towns to be 50+ miles apart.

More to offer if your interested.

This is a great way to find things in our forum.
It's Google Custom Search, enter your text in the middle of the page, not at the top.

https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=014775389315664725445:ejku2ysgyhi

Good luck

Thank you for the extremely useful advice!!
Just finish my first fly this morning, cant believe how amazing it is!

TerryH · Jun 5, 2015

Arct1c0n said:
Whatever you do, dont' buzz our Space Needle with your drone, an amazon moron did that last year and got in huge trouble for it

Thanks! A lot of friend mentioned about Space Needle, sounds like a forbid zone for drone flyer

TerryH · Jun 5, 2015

GoodnNuff said:
I'm assuming you're going to take I-90, which connects Boston and Seattle? Nice drive. Do not fly by the Space Needle with your Phantom once you arrive here in Seattle. It will land you in trouble with the powers that be, and the locals will tar and feather you. This is isn't a drone friendly region.

Actually I plan to visit 4 "corners" of US mainland: Boston, Key west, South CA, Seattle. "Never Fly Around Space Needle", definitely gonna keep in mind.

IflyinWY · Jun 6, 2015

You're quite welcome Terry. Here's a place to consider if you're into a little detour off I90, if you take that route. I've never seen a shot of this from directly above... might be cool.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_center_of_the_United_States

Suwaneeguy · Jun 7, 2015

richparry your scenario of flying over a National Park while not being inside it physically, is 100 percent legal.
LEO's of the park have no jurisdiction outside the park. The law of the park can not extend beyond the park's boundaries.
Airspace is goverened by the FAA, not the NP.

Let's say I stood on the public state road just outside the park and launched.
Even though a park ranger watches me do it, there is nothing he can do about it.
I am not in his territory.

GoodnNuff · Jun 7, 2015

'

Suwaneeguy said:
richparry your scenario of flying over a National Park while not being inside it physically, is 100 percent legal.
LEO's of the park have no jurisdiction outside the park. The law of the park can not extend beyond the park's boundaries.
Airspace is goverened by the FAA, not the NP.

Let's say I stood on the public state road just outside the park and launched.
Even though a park ranger watches me do it, there is nothing he can do about it.
I am not in his territory.

But what would the point be? Just to be an *** and test a loophole? And the park ranger wishes to be an *** as well and decides that your flight is harassing the wildlife who seek sanctuary in the security of the park's boundaries and decides to prosecute you for that, whether the harassment was real or imagined?
The law also requires that your drone be kept within visual line of sight at all times, so you can fly into the park using FPV, but as soon as you loose visual line of sight, you could be facing charges. Again, what is the point?
The law reads that a drone cannot be launched, landed or operated within park boundaries. The theory is that if you stand outside the park, you are not operating within the park. Despite the fact that you physically are not in the park, your drone is, and is operating within the park.
I'd like to see someone with deep pockets actually test this theory and see how the courts interpret that language.

TerryH · Jun 8, 2015

Torcan said:
first purchase, spring for a car battery charger

Hi! Ple

IflyinWY said:
Welcome to the party Terry.

Smart man, planning ahead and asking good questions.

1) Don't take off from sand, dirt or very dusty locations.
Don't land in sand, dirt, very dusty locations, or in water.

2) No response

3) Do not take off or land within the boundaries of any National Park or National Monument (PERIOD). Overflights are not illegal but won't make you, or any of us for that matter, very popular. I have NOT asked to fly within a National Park. Google "drone in Yellowstone" for a better idea of just how unpopular the idea is.
FYI: Many communities are now prohibiting "drones" in certain areas. I will not address the legality of these "prohibitions". I will caution you though. I believe to "take off" or "land" within one of these areas, will most likely get your *** in hot water.

Slightly off topic, but very relevant to the discussion, I have made a friend or two at the U.S. Forest Service because I have the beautiful "Bighorn National Forest" surrounding the awesome "Cloud Peak Wilderness Area" right out my front door.

This "Drone Thing" is new to everyone, so don't expect folks to have all the correct answers... yet.
How are your diplomacy skills? I encourage you to plan and discuss your adventure with those communities you plan to visit... unless you are going to make us look bad. If you are planning that, we'll have to take you behind the woodshed and have a one-way discussion. That's called "Red-Neck Humor"
Kinda doubt you would be here if that was your intent.

4) Keep a couple days food and water in your vehicle. When you walk any distance from your vehicle, take a days food and water with you. While that may not apply in Pennsylvania, it sure as hell does here in Wyoming. It's not uncommon for towns to be 50+ miles apart.

More to offer if your interested.

This is a great way to find things in our forum.
It's Google Custom Search, enter your text in the middle of the page, not at the top.

https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=014775389315664725445:ejku2ysgyhi

Good luck