Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fly?

[PhantomFanatic]

Okay, we are not supposed to fly over private property, without permission. We are not supposed to fly over people or near them.

I live in town and every flight path involves flying over private property. So, it seemed that a park might be a good place, but people go to parks!

I could go into the country and fly over a field, but that field is private property and unless I go and do research, I won't have a clue who it belongs too! Plus, I'm into aerial video and watching a flight over a field doesn't do much for me.

I'll probably get thrashed for this, but what I do is go vertically, over my property until I'm high enough (but not over our 400' self-empossed limit!) that no one could hear the drone or easily see it. Then I fly around and yes, over private property.

No one owns the air space over their house, although it would be very wrong to hover over a swimming pool at 20', filming a guy's wife! But, if I'm high enough, the only downside to flying over private property is if my P2 does a swan dive and hits someone on the head. I definately don't want to do that! I would love high altitude filming, but that violates our height rule.

So, where do you fly? What do you film? (No beach or mountains here, just flat land.)

 

[Hughie]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Okay, we are not supposed to fly over private property, without permission. We are not supposed to fly over people or near them.

I live in town and every flight path involves flying over private property. So, it seemed that a park might be a good place, but people go to parks!

I could go into the country and fly over a field, but that field is private property and unless I go and do research, I won't have a clue who it belongs too! Plus, I'm into aerial video and watching a flight over a field doesn't do much for me.

I'll probably get thrashed for this, but what I do is go vertically, over my property until I'm high enough (but not over our 400' self-empossed limit!) that no one could hear the drone or easily see it. Then I fly around and yes, over private property.

No one owns the air space over their house, although it would be very wrong to hover over a swimming pool at 20', filming a guy's wife! But, if I'm high enough, the only downside to flying over private property is if my P2 does a swan dive and hits someone on the head. I definately don't want to do that! I would love high altitude filming, but that violates our height rule.

So, where do you fly? What do you film? (No beach or mountains here, just flat land.)

Thanks for posting.
I too have been pondering this one.

Quiet beaches seems like one idea, but in the UK these are usually pretty windy all year round. Anyway I live in the middle of the island.

I try to use the local park, but this is becoming boring, and to try and make it safe I never fly at the weekend, and always before the kids come home form school. It is quiet then.

 

[Meta4]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Google Earth is a good resource for identifying likely locations within range.

 

[Buckaye]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

I think you just look for a reasonable place and be prepared to land if someone objects. In most cases, I have found people being very cool and mostly curious. If I'm respectful with them and start the conversation with something like "I hope I wasn't disturbing you", people don't make too much of an issue,

Yes... There are cases when people just get angry and vent... In those cases, apologize and pack up.

At the beach... Try to avoid people... And if your in an area with just a few people... Let them know what you'll be doing and try not to fly directly over them.

Bottom line... Avoid getting a chip on your shoulder and for the most part people are accepting...

 

[PhantomFanatic]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

I think you just look for a reasonable place and be prepared to land if someone objects. In most cases, I have found people being very cool and mostly curious. If I'm respectful with them and start the conversation with something like "I hope I wasn't disturbing you", people don't make too much of an issue,

Yes... There are cases when people just get angry and vent... In those cases, apologize and pack up.

At the beach... Try to avoid people... And if your in an area with just a few people... Let them know what you'll be doing and try not to fly directly over them.

Bottom line... Avoid getting a chip on your shoulder and for the most part people are accepting...

No chip - yet, I just wondered if others were in the same boat. I would love to film at the beach! But, that will be a bit in the future, due to finances. I really question the beach rule, where we aren't supposed to film people. People go to the beach! Do they have a right to privacy at a public beach? The law says no.

Don't get me wrong, I respect people's privacy and I have no desire to film anyone close up. But, for regular photography, the court's say that it is okay to film people in public places. This came up when Google started the satellite access. Even though the court ruled in their favor, they lowered the resolution so a guy walking into a porn store can't be identified. Yes, that was part of the lawsuit.

I say that if you are 100' up, if people happen to be where you wish to film, I see no reason to pack up and go home. Although I totally agree with you that if even one person has a problem, it is time to leave.

 

[Buckaye]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Yeah that was really my point... If someone complains just pack it in and try again some other day. I wasn't suggesting YOU had a chip on your shoulder... I just have seen a lot of videos where people get in arguments with people about "rights". It's not worth it, in my opinion... That's all I was saying

 

[DrJoe]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

I like to fly @150 foot minimums over private property. That is high enough to reduce the sound heard on the ground significantly, while low enough to capture amazing images and please the boys in the manned aircraft. In dense residential areas, I try and stay @200 feet, and have only received one complaint since April 2014. I NEVER hover over private property... I think that's what freaks people out (not a passing drone, a hovering drone).

I do fly lower over parks, beaches, and landmarks. I avoid people (that aren't briefed on the flight) as much as possible, with the exception of surfers (who usually ask me for where they can watch the videos of them surfing). I have filmed at lacrosse and football games by hugging the perimeter of the field and not flying over the crowd. I have flown over stadiums (not during matches). I have challenged myself to fly inside forests, through the tree trunks, or just above the canopy (some of my favorite shots). I regularly fly over water (ocean, lakes, rivers, etc). I have flown at campgrounds, and some of the best images I captured were on a fishing trip in Canada with mountains and a big lake.

Mostly, I like filming places I love from the new aerial perspective. I have gotten fantastic footage of my town (at the crack of dawn with few people around, usually).

I'm building a library of landmarks near my location. Over the past few months, I've gotten some pretty amazing shots of the local "attactions" (statues, ball fields, lighthouses, boardwalks, memorials, stadium, waterfall, parks, flying kites over the beach,etc.).

My new project will be car chases (my daughter just got her driver's license-she'll drive, I'll fly). I'd also love to figure out a way to "tow" a lighted sleigh pulled by reindeer from a 200 foot piece of fishing string... that should get some kids excited!

 

[PhantomFanatic]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Yeah that was really my point... If someone complains just pack it in and try again some other day. I wasn't suggesting YOU had a chip on your shoulder... I just have seen a lot of videos where people get in arguments with people about "rights". It's not worth it, in my opinion... That's all I was saying

I know and I didn't take it that way.

I tried to put a smiley face there, but anytime I try, I get a "general error." I don't know what is going on there, but here is the old-fashioned version:

 

[PhantomFanatic]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Well, I used the colon and parenthesis and magically a graphic version appears. Why doesn't the smiley button work? I'm on an iPad. But, this way off topic! My apologies!

I REALLY do want to hear from everyone who does aerial photography. Please .....!

 

[SteveMann]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Okay, we are not supposed to fly over private property, without permission. We are not supposed to fly over people or near them.

Feeling like Snoopy seeing "No Dogs Allowed" signs everywhere?
The only thing you got right was the "voluntary 400 ft limit". Where do you get that you can't fly over private property? Over people? (Of course there are those here who think even one person makes a crowd). There's a big difference from flying over a stadium full of people and a few people at the park throwing a Frisbee. Just go fly. You pay taxes, so that's your park, too. Someone walking a dog fifty yards away is NOT A CROWD!

 

[RichWest]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

It is difficult to fly in urban areas; people, homes and obstacles. A lot of responsibility, I don't want to be that guy in the news... I try not to fly over other people's property, if I do my camera is pointed at the road ahead. Just feels creepy looking down on unsuspecting people going about their lives even from 200'. I'm lucky to have an old high school sports complex to fly on weekends, 10+ acres maybe. If the complex is being used for youth sports, I'll reduce my flight area and practice close in maneuvers well away for others. Otherwise, I'm practicing flying at full speed around the complex or practicing flying in and around the lighting poles and other obstacles. Lot learned from the hours of flight time.

I respect others privacy and would stop a flight if someone objected. Interestingly, no one has ever been negative about my urban flying. I always have someone ask questions and smile in wonder... note to self: make card answering all the common question and act like a mute.

 

[Hughie]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Can anyone clarify (assuming that the CAA/FAA/OtherAA laws are being adhered to) what the rules are for flying over private property/land.

Please state the country/state/region this applies to.

 

[Happyflyer]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

Can anyone clarify (assuming that the CAA/FAA/OtherAA laws are being adhered to) what the rules are for flying over private property/land.

Please state the country/state/region this applies to.

Don't know about other countries but the FAA in the USA is working on that right now.
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I have flown in various places. One I like when testing for distance is at the Lake Michigan beach. Only 2-1/4 miles away. Acres and acres of state park land. So if quad goes down, I don't have to beg permission to go get it. Lots and lots of sand dunes to walk over. I stay away from the populated camping and swimming areas or where and when the birdies are nesting at the beach. An endangered birdie. Too chicken to fly over much water. Try to go to areas early so not too many people there yet. Right now just wishing Winter would end so I can fly without frozen fingers.

 

[dmagnus]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

I'm really lucky. I live out in the country and my good friend and neighbor owns all of the land around my property except for three houses to my south. I have permission to overfly their property - in fact they want me to. We live on a small river and the land around us is largely wooded - about 60 acres. There is 40 acres of natural prairie right across the road and my brother's house 1/8 mile down that road with another 10 acres.
Then there is the 200 acres of farm adjacent to his land. Due East of my land is more river and open land for another probably 100 acres. Lots of scenery that I haven't even begun to capture.
I am within 5 miles of a small airport, but I'm far enough off the approaches that I could go much higher than 400' if I wanted to. I've been up there and I'd rather shoot video from between 150' and 300'. I'm a pilot and know the airport manager who says no problem flying as long as I stay away from the runways.
I have flown across the little river and shot video of the neighbor on the other side. Now they all want video. I took my Phantom to another neighbor's house north of my place last fall. I had it in the back of my Ranger and they asked what it was. So I took it out and did a little demo. Now there are three more neighbors who want me to take video of their places. I've got enough "work" to last me all next summer. :lol:
I'm waiting for a good snow cover so I can get winter shots of everybody and the neighborhood in genera. I have extended invitations to anyone in my area to come on out and fly - just let me know when!
Go ahead and Google Map me - coordinates are in my location. As you can see, virtually everything within a half mile radius or so of my actual property is fair game - I know most of the owners. The word has gotten around the neighborhood.
I also have a boat on the St. Croix River, which separates Minnesota from Wisconsin. It is a National Scenic Riverway, which makes it off limits for flying. However, I have a couple of friends who regularly fly their Phantoms over the river. I don't have the guts to try that yet, but I probably will some day. I want to get those special shots of my boat.
Like I said, I consider myself VERY lucky to live where I do.

 

[PhantomFanatic]

Re: Where in the heck do I fly? Where in the heck do you fl

I like to fly @150 foot minimums over private property. That is high enough to reduce the sound heard on the ground significantly, while low enough to capture amazing images and please the boys in the manned aircraft. In dense residential areas, I try and stay @200 feet, and have only received one complaint since April 2014. I NEVER hover over private property... I think that's what freaks people out (not a passing drone, a hovering drone).

I do fly lower over parks, beaches, and landmarks. I avoid people (that aren't briefed on the flight) as much as possible, with the exception of surfers (who usually ask me for where they can watch the videos of them surfing). I have filmed at lacrosse and football games by hugging the perimeter of the field and not flying over the crowd. I have flown over stadiums (not during matches). I have challenged myself to fly inside forests, through the tree trunks, or just above the canopy (some of my favorite shots). I regularly fly over water (ocean, lakes, rivers, etc). I have flown at campgrounds, and some of the best images I captured were on a fishing trip in Canada with mountains and a big lake.

Mostly, I like filming places I love from the new aerial perspective. I have gotten fantastic footage of my town (at the crack of dawn with few people around, usually).

I'm building a library of landmarks near my location. Over the past few months, I've gotten some pretty amazing shots of the local "attactions" (statues, ball fields, lighthouses, boardwalks, memorials, stadium, waterfall, parks, flying kitesurfing, over the beach,etc.).

My new project will be car chases (my daughter just got her driver's license-she'll drive, I'll fly). I'd also love to figure out a way to "tow" a lighted sleigh pulled by reindeer from a 200 foot piece of fishing string... that should get some kids excited!

Thanks for sharing. What was the one complaint?
As for towing, I ran across an eBay seller that makes flags and the attachments to a Phantom. He displayed a Phantom towing an American flag. The flag was a good distance below the Phantom. So, maybe a flat reindeer and you add LED lights around the image. The tow wires could be the power lines for the LEDs.

If you manage to do this without crashing, you have to post the picture here! Personally, I would want an extra channel that would allow me to drop the flag, if I got in trouble. With no wind, perhaps it is possible!