Second day of flying - and its over the Grand Canyon

JoeC · Jul 9, 2013

After flying over Bryce Canyon and crashing - then hiking down into the Canyon to get my Phantom - My second day of flying went much better. I probably would have had to take a mule down to get it if it crashed here.

http://youtu.be/fay1fPGu254

-Joe

gardenroute · Jul 9, 2013

Very nice, but be careful, Copters (and other flying models) are in Grand Canyon National Park is strictly prohibited and threatened seizure of aircraft and memory cards ...

jLake · Jul 9, 2013

Nice view! How about the video from Bryce? I think Bryce and Zion are my favorites, I'd love to fly there.

JoeC · Jul 9, 2013

I'm editing the video from Bryce - it's probably one of the most spectacular crashes of a phantom. I'll post it when its ready.
-Joe

mblitch · Jul 20, 2013

nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload/2013-grca-supt-compendium.pdf

Operating unmanned aircraft at Grand Canyon National Park is illegal.

Spork · Jul 20, 2013

mblitch said:
nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload/2013-grca-supt-compendium.pdf

Operating unmanned aircraft at Grand Canyon National Park is illegal.

That doc says that you can use "toy class" within the area of residential places, so maybe he's ok since it looks like that's next to a resort.

Not sure i'd want to challenge that one in court, though

JoeC · Jul 20, 2013

I walked right through the Lodge with it - no one said anything. Its not like they're going to extradite me back to Arizona for flying my toy there.

Perfdavid · Jul 20, 2013

JoeC said:
I walked right through the Lodge with it - no one said anything. Its not like they're going to extradite me back to Arizona for flying my toy there.

Amen. If it is already "illegal" then you got away with it and with some good video. Not like they are gonna make quads any more illegal. But, it seems like the legality is questionable and I guarantee it is probably just a misdemeanor if they even would write a ticket...and who cares if it is federal property..... They'd probably just ask you to stop. Quads aka DRONES (as the media labels them) already have a bad name, look at that Colorado shoot em down ordinance. What are we gonna do, adopt a highway to warm up to the community??? They are always gonna hate uav's. Good job JoeC! Good video.

tmcgowan · Jul 21, 2013

Just don't sell the video footage. That's illegal too!

gardenroute · Jul 21, 2013

TBS group there last year confiscated memory cards ... (!)

Audaciter · Jul 21, 2013

TBS group there last year confiscated memory cards ... (!)

They are always getting into trouble. Video of the Costa Concordia was excellent.

htownphantom · Mar 9, 2014

Nice video! I just took mine to the Grand Canyon also,your flying skills are much better than mine,im not very smooth.I was afraid to take mine out over canyon very far because ive had recent problems with eclips coming off and phantom crashing to the ground.Its only done it with the 2 battery setup,so I dont know if motors were overheating with 2 batteries or what,but its got me gun shy now.
I dont have a gimbal on mine and the first day it was windy as hell,so video will be shaky Im sure.You could hear the phantom fighting it,so it was making me pretty nervous something might happen.When I flew at the watchtower at the Grand Canyon I went inside and asked the guy working inside if I could fly it there and he said no problem.He wasnt a ranger but hey I asked.Also when I flew it over the Wupatki ruins I asked permission there and got it.

jondrew · Mar 10, 2014

tmcgowan said:
Just don't sell the video footage. That's illegal too!

Or charge someone for editing the "free footage"

Lithium12.6 · Mar 10, 2014

Can I show you my result?
I don't encourage anybody to do it and I won't do it again promise.
Would not want to see this place littered with broken copters either.

htownphantom · Mar 12, 2014

Heres my video,no gimbal so its a little shaky.Also I just noticed in video I say this is the north rim but its actually the south rim
Edit:I cannot get the video to load on here no matter what I do posting the url inside the youtube icons so youll just have to click link to watch it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1l6BzF1Wxc

Lithium12.6 · Mar 12, 2014

htownphantom said:
Heres my video,no gimbal so its a little shaky.Also I just noticed in video I say this is the north rim but its actually the south rim
Edit:I cannot get the video to load on here no matter what I do posting the url inside the youtube icons so youll just have to click link to watch it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1l6BzF1Wxc

Hi Htownphantom, you said in youtube you got permission, did you get it from the ranger?
In my video above, one of my flight was in sight of this tower.

htownphantom · Mar 12, 2014

Lithium12.6 said:
htownphantom said:

Heres my video,no gimbal so its a little shaky.Also I just noticed in video I say this is the north rim but its actually the south rim
Edit:I cannot get the video to load on here no matter what I do posting the url inside the youtube icons so youll just have to click link to watch it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1l6BzF1Wxc

Click to expand...

Hi Htownphantom, you said in youtube you got permission, did you get it from the ranger?
In my video above, one of my flight was in sight of this tower.

I dont think he was a Ranger although I thought I passed one on the way in carrying it.Then a girl walked up when I was about to take off and said how cool it was and she was wearing a park outfit,dont know what she was.I asked the guy working inside the watchtower,he said no problem,that was good enough for me

htownphantom · Mar 12, 2014

Quadzilla. said:
Food for thought:

http://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/upload ... endium.pdf (page 3)

Already seen this numerous times,its on the first page of the thread.I asked and received permission,its over and done with

htownphantom · Mar 12, 2014

Quadzilla. said:
htownphantom said:

Already seen this numerous times,its on the first page of the thread.I asked and received permission,its over and done with

Click to expand...

I realize that you ready flew there and posted the really, really bad video above.

Posting the regs again was for other folks who might be considering flying in the GC and are weighing the risk vs. reward.

If they choose to ignore the ban hopefully they have better flying skills/camera/a gimbal/editing skills, etc. so their video is actually interesting and watchable.