No Fly Zones

wheeliesteve · Feb 10, 2016

I know the FAA B4UFLY is the only map to worry about when it comes to no fly zones in the US. I have a question though about the DJI map at DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography. This map shows a red circle around a small local airport but the circle isn't even a 1/4 mile in diameter. So I have no issues flying around here. However, the B4UFLY app shows that airport with a 5 mile radius and also shows two other airports with 5 mile radiuses that both overlap my house. Those 2 other airports don't even exist. Never have the 40 years I've been around here. So if DJI ever syncs their NFZs with the FAA, I pretty much have a $1000 paper weight. Am I pretty much correct?

tcope · Feb 10, 2016

You should at least be able to fly/over-ride the airport circle down to 3 miles.

Are you limited to fly only next to those airports? You can't somehow get to any other locations to fly?

Mark The Droner · Feb 10, 2016

Airports radius areas are not no-fly zones. There is a rule that we must notify the tower or management if we wish to fly within five miles. And then we can fly. So it would be silly for DJI to shut our crafts down in those areas. Seems to me the worst thing they would do is force us to self-certify. And then we can fly. But this seems to be an evolving situation and things may change. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

wheeliesteve · Feb 10, 2016

tcope said:
You should at least be able to fly/over-ride the airport circle down to 3 miles.

Are you limited to fly only next to those airports? You can't somehow get to any other locations to fly?

The airports that show up on the FAA app or map doesn't show up on the DJI map. At least the two that overlap my house don't. The other one that is a real airport shows on the FAA map and has a 5 mile radius that covers the local Aircraft club's flying field at the lake. However, on the DJI map it only shows a circle with a radius of about an 1/8th of a mile. So doesn't cover the lake. Everything is good for now. I'm just thinking about the "what ifs" in the future.

wheeliesteve · Feb 10, 2016

Marknmd said:
Airports radius areas are not no-fly zones. There is a rule that we must notify the tower or management if we wish to fly within five miles. And then we can fly. So it would be silly for DJI to shut our crafts down in those areas. Seems to me the worst thing they would do is force us to self-certify. And then we can fly. But this seems to be an evolving situation and things may change. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

My local miniature air craft club has an agreement with the city and the airport that allows us to fly at the lake at a designated place where they have a take off strip for planes and and a covered pavilion for spectators.

alokbhargava · Feb 10, 2016

If you are within 5 miles of a major airport, please don't fly your P3. Forget about the inaccuracies of the maps.

wheeliesteve · Feb 10, 2016

alokbhargava said:
If you are within 5 miles of a major airport, please don't fly your P3. Forget about the inaccuracies of the maps.

It's not what I would call a major airport. It's a very small municipal airport and the owners are okay with the aircraft club here flying at the lake which is a couple of miles away. They actually have a deal with the local city and the parks and wildlife manager and have part of the lake gated off and dedicated to this club. It's called COR-MAC. They've been flying here since 1985. I actually had a small fixed wing airplane that I flew back in the 90s here.

DeputyDrone · Feb 10, 2016

I'm a GA pilot as well as drone pilot and airports with controlled airspace have a 5 nm radius around them.

wheeliesteve · Feb 10, 2016

What is "nm"? nanometers? If so, 5 nm would be about 3.1 miles. The miniature aircraft club's location at the lake is probably 3 miles from the airport.

generaltso · Feb 10, 2016

wheeliesteve said:
What is "nm"? nanometers? If so, 5 nm would be about 3.1 miles. The miniature aircraft club's location at the lake is probably 3 miles from the airport.

Actually, 5 nanometers would be 5 one-billionths of a meter. I'm pretty sure he meant nautical miles.

wheeliesteve · Feb 10, 2016

Shows to be 3.7 miles from the airport to the clubs airstrip on google maps.

James Stout · Feb 10, 2016

I am 3.25 miles from a international airport, I emailed the Tower guy with an email domain of FAA.GOV. He gave blanket permission to fly any time at my home just so long I stay at tree height or less. Maybe you could do the same for your situation. Cheers