Phantom 3 Drone Photos

[JerseyGuy]

Here's a video I took mid summer when I first got the Phantom 3 Professional. It starts out looking across Wentworth Cove at Governors Island with Saunders Bay on the right. I then rotated it 180 degrees CCW viewing The Governor's Island bridge along the way. Then I brought it back and landed it on our deck. My biggest fear was that I was going to put it into the lake but it was actually fairly easy to fly. Every time I view it it reminds me of those wonderfully warm, still mornings on our beautiful Lake.

I posted it here on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4OatXZklNU

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by JerseyGuy

Here's a video I took mid summer when I first got the Phantom 3 Professional. It starts out looking across Wentworth Cove at Governors Island with Saunders Bay on the right. I then rotated it 180 degrees CCW viewing The Governor's Island bridge along the way. Then I brought it back and landed it on our deck. My biggest fear was that I was going to put it into the lake but it was actually fairly easy to fly. Every time I view it it reminds me of those wonderfully warm, still mornings on our beautiful Lake.

I posted it here on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4OatXZklNU

I'm so impressed by how stable that video is--thanks for sharing!

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

I'm so impressed by how stable that video is--thanks for sharing!

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

The gimbles that the Phantoms use to hold the camera are a work of art! I was very impressed with how well they work to keep the camera steady!

Dan

[webmaster]

Originally Posted by JerseyGuy

Here's a video I took mid summer when I first got the Phantom 3 Professional...I posted it here on Youtube:

Just a caution based on a lot of research I did about using a drone to shoot some videos for this site. My understanding is that you may use a drone for personal use if you register with the FAA ($5 fee) and stay within the restrictions. However, ANY monetization of those videos requires that you have a FAA commercial license. That includes adding ads to your Youtube video.

Since I run ads on my site I can not post drone videos that I made without being commercially licensed by the FAA. If this is wrong please correct me but it came from several good sources.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by webmaster

Just a caution based on a lot of research I did about using a drone to shoot some videos for this site. My understanding is that you may use a drone for personal use if you register with the FAA ($5 fee) and stay within the restrictions. However, ANY monetization of those videos requires that you have a FAA commercial license. That includes adding ads to your Youtube video.

Since I run ads on my site I can not post drone videos that I made without being commercially licensed by the FAA. If this is wrong please correct me but it came from several good sources.

I believe that is correct.

However, if you had somebody else come shoot the video and they happened to charge you an 'editing' or 'transfer fee' it might be a way around that?

[Phantom]

I am Soooooo jealous .......

Due to my proximity to the Laconia airport I don't dare get one

Also, loved the shadow of the Phantom3 on the grass & deck as you were landing.



.

[JerseyGuy]

I recently registered my drone. $5 for a 3 year registration. Here's the rules cut and pasted off of my registration form:

For U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain non-citizen U.S. corporations, this document constitutes a Certificate of Registration. For all others, this document represents a recognition of ownership.
For all holders, for all operations other than as a model aircraft under sec. 336 of Pub. L. 112-95, additional safety authority from FAA and economic authority from DOT may be required.
Safety guidelines for flying your unmanned aircraft:
• Fly below 400 feet
• Never fly near other aircraft
• Keep your UAS within visual line of sight
• Keep away from emergency responders
• Never fly over stadiums, sports events or groups of people
• Never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Never fly within 5 miles of an airport without first contacting air traffic control and airport authorities

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by JerseyGuy

I recently registered my drone. $5 for a 3 year registration. Here's the rules cut and pasted off of my registration form:

For U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain non-citizen U.S. corporations, this document constitutes a Certificate of Registration. For all others, this document represents a recognition of ownership.
For all holders, for all operations other than as a model aircraft under sec. 336 of Pub. L. 112-95, additional safety authority from FAA and economic authority from DOT may be required.
Safety guidelines for flying your unmanned aircraft:
• Fly below 400 feet
• Never fly near other aircraft
• Keep your UAS within visual line of sight
• Keep away from emergency responders
• Never fly over stadiums, sports events or groups of people
• Never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Never fly within 5 miles of an airport without first contacting air traffic control and airport authorities

This one is the rub for me !

I am about 500 FEET (or so it seems some days) from the runway


.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by JerseyGuy

I recently registered my drone. $5 for a 3 year registration. Here's the rules cut and pasted off of my registration form:

For U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain non-citizen U.S. corporations, this document constitutes a Certificate of Registration. For all others, this document represents a recognition of ownership.
For all holders, for all operations other than as a model aircraft under sec. 336 of Pub. L. 112-95, additional safety authority from FAA and economic authority from DOT may be required.
Safety guidelines for flying your unmanned aircraft:
• Fly below 400 feet
• Never fly near other aircraft
• Keep your UAS within visual line of sight
• Keep away from emergency responders
• Never fly over stadiums, sports events or groups of people
• Never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Never fly within 5 miles of an airport without first contacting air traffic control and airport authorities

The last guideline should really be clarified and say major airport as that is the law. For example, there is no air traffic control nor is there even a tower or anyone for that matter to direct planes landing and taking off at the Laconia airport. Planes come and go simply by self radio alert and nothing else. You can in fact fly a drone within 5 miles of the Laconia airport legally...

Dan

[ishoot308]

Here a good no fly reference chart for drones...

https://www.mapbox.com/drone/no-fly/

Dan

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Here a good no fly reference chart for drones...

https://www.mapbox.com/drone/no-fly/

Dan

Great reference. I was worried I may be to close to Pease, but I am in the clear

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

The last guideline should really be clarified and say major airport as that is the law. For example, there is no air traffic control nor is there even a tower or anyone for that matter to direct planes landing and taking off at the Laconia airport. Planes come and go simply by self radio alert and nothing else. You can in fact fly a drone within 5 miles of the Laconia airport legally...

Dan

Actually, while there is no control tower at LCI, there is Air Traffic Service provided into and from LCI by Boston Approach Control. I wouldn't want to hang my hat on no tower, therefore no problem (hopefully )

the map referenced in a second post seems to be not from an official cite, and it says you can add other locations that aren't on the map.

Also, a call to Laconia Airport Authority could also provide and answer, but not sure how helpful they would be.

[Denis D]

Actually, the FAA does not appear to distinguish between large and small airports. They require you to get permission from the airport operator or control tower before flying within 5 miles of any airport. This seems to make sense since I can't imagine it is OK to endanger aircraft flying out of a small airport but not a large airport. The passage below is from the FAAs webpage on the special model aircraft operating rules:

According to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 as (1) the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use; (2) the aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization; (3) the aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered by a community-based organization; (4) the aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; (5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower…with prior notice of the operation; and (6) the aircraft is flown within visual line sight of the operator.

Denis D

[Sal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/st...&nlid=37662218

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Denis D

Actually, the FAA does not appear to distinguish between large and small airports. They require you to get permission from the airport operator or control tower before flying within 5 miles of any airport. This seems to make sense since I can't imagine it is OK to endanger aircraft flying out of a small airport but not a large airport. The passage below is from the FAAs webpage on the special model aircraft operating rules:

According to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 as (1) the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use; (2) the aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization; (3) the aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered by a community-based organization; (4) the aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; (5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower…with prior notice of the operation; and (6) the aircraft is flown within visual line sight of the operator.

Denis D

Actually Dennis they do. What you have quoted is a very broad overview of the actual law. The words that are missing are "where applicable" And "if the airport has a tower". If an airport does not have a tower to contact the rule is not applicable.

If the rule meant every airport there would be no place to fly a drone or any model / hobby airplane. Heck even Alton Bay would be off limits. That simply is just not the case.

Dan

[Denis D]

Being a very long time R/C modeler having flown aerobatic competition for many years, and being a very long time full scale pilot and aircraft owner, I have dogs in both sides of this fight.

I wanted to get the definitive answer to this issue so that if I am wrong, I will have the correct information and if I am right we can correct any misinformation and help people avoid any potential problems.

As many of you may know, The Academy of Aeronautics (AMA) is the governing body in the U.S. for Model Aviation and has been intimately involved with the FAA in these matters. So I contacted my long time acquaintance, Dave Mathewson who is the Executive Director of the AMA and asked him to provide a definitive answer to this question. I have posted his reply below:

So below is the exact language in 336 relative to notification requirements when operating within 5 miles of an airport. The requirement is that you notify both the airport operator AND the tower IF the airport is a towered facility. If there is not tower you still have to notify the airport authority. We were involved in drafting the language in 336 so I know that this was the intent.

(5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation (model aircraft operators flying from a permanent location within 5 miles of an airport should establish a mutually-agreed upon operating procedure with the airport operator and the airport air traffic
control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport)).


The new reauth bill is being introduced in Congress probably in the next 2 to 3 weeks and we hope to clarify this a bit with some minor language edits.

Hope this helps.
Dave


Dave Mathewson
Executive Director
Academy of Model Aeronautics

I hope this helps clarify the issue. Happy flying

Denis D

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Denis D

Being a very long time R/C modeler having flown aerobatic competition for many years, and being a very long time full scale pilot and aircraft owner, I have dogs in both sides of this fight.

I wanted to get the definitive answer to this issue so that if I am wrong, I will have the correct information and if I am right we can correct any misinformation and help people avoid any potential problems.

As many of you may know, The Academy of Aeronautics (AMA) is the governing body in the U.S. for Model Aviation and has been intimately involved with the FAA in these matters. So I contacted my long time acquaintance, Dave Mathewson who is the Executive Director of the AMA and asked him to provide a definitive answer to this question. I have posted his reply below:

So below is the exact language in 336 relative to notification requirements when operating within 5 miles of an airport. The requirement is that you notify both the airport operator AND the tower IF the airport is a towered facility. If there is not tower you still have to notify the airport authority. We were involved in drafting the language in 336 so I know that this was the intent.

(5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation (model aircraft operators flying from a permanent location within 5 miles of an airport should establish a mutually-agreed upon operating procedure with the airport operator and the airport air traffic
control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport)).


The new reauth bill is being introduced in Congress probably in the next 2 to 3 weeks and we hope to clarify this a bit with some minor language edits.

Hope this helps.
Dave


Dave Mathewson
Executive Director
Academy of Model Aeronautics

I hope this helps clarify the issue. Happy flying

Denis D

Thanks for the somewhat clarification....however just out of curiosity why doesn't the rule (5) state what you say above in your personal statement above that??...What you quoted in section (5) is exactly what I have read and as stated... "When an air traffic facility is located at the airport". Why doesn't it say if no air traffic facility is located at the airport you must somehow contact the airport manager even though there is no phone number to the airport tower or a tower for that matter no matter what! It doesn't say that and anyone who reads this would never comprehend it that way.

So can you fly a drone near Alton Bay?? It is considered an airport even if seasonal? The guideline does not distinguish between seasonal and non seasonal airports?? So what's the deal there? Confusing or what??

As far as I am concerned until section (5) is clarified there is no legal issue at least not one that would ever hold up in court, with using common sense and flying your model airplane / drone / whatever at reasonable heights for personal fun / enjoyment 4 miles away from Laconia or Alton Bay.

Sheesh, how come you can parasail in Paugus Bay, fly ultralights all within 1/2 mile from the airport but heaven forbid you fly a drone 4 miles away....ridiculous! Trust me when I tell you that local ultralight users do NOT contact Laconia airport for permission to fly. I know a couple of them and they take off and fly when they want! They are well below any height that would ever affect any plane coming or going.

Thanks for the info and please share any further clarifying guidelines.

Dan

[ishoot308]

Denis D,

One other question I have...when you do call any airport tower are you simply informing them you are flying your model plane / drone or are you asking them for their permission??...

Thanks!

Dan

[8gv]

To reiterate my previous comment...charlie foxtrot!

A UAV flown in the wrong place at the wrong time could kill my passenger and me!

The FAA has left this too wide open. I can imagine the call...

"Hello LCI? I intend to fly my toy within five miles of the airport today."

Tell me, what in the hell happens next that mitigates the potential unsafe situation?

LCI's weather broadcast is automated, thus there is no warning there. Do we expect one of the FBO's to give us a warning about UAV traffic when we call in our position reports (which are not required anyway)? Even if a warning is given, what is the pilot going to do?

There is ZERO chance of a pilot seeing a tiny UAV and any last second maneauvering to avoid one could cause a crash.

Keeping these hazards to aviation below 400' is only half the solution. A no fly zone around ALL airports needs to be instituted.

Looking at the "No Fly map" it seems that, in addition to the DC SFRA there are restrictions around towered airports. LCI has no tower. A look at the ramp areas on a race weekend or most summer weekends will tell you that there are some decent sized jets with many passenger seats parked there. LCI is not a "little airport".

Pilots' lives matter!

[Denis D]

If you go to the FAA website and look up HR 658-67, section 336 titled Special Rule for Model Aircraft, you will see that Dave's reply to me included the exact wording the rule contains. I don't see any ambiguity as it clearly states that you are required to notify the Airport Operator in all cases, and the Control Tower if there is one.

The rest of my responses below are my opinions based on my knowledge and understanding of the issues.

Regarding Alton Bay, it is only an FAA recognized airport when it is opened by NOTAM (Notice To Airmen) which is done by the airport operator when the ice is thick enough.

Since the rule specifies that you must NOTIFY the airport operator and does not mention seeking permission, then I would not expect permission is necessary. I don't know how much latitude the operator has in imposing some time requirement on you. I plan on calling my Airport Manager this week to find out what if any guidance they have received in this matter.

8GV - I agree with your sentiment, I do not want my life endangered by someone not following the rules. I suspect that everyone on this forum is sensible and intelligent enough to not put anyone in danger, but it is the yahoos who don't educate themselves and could care less that worry me.

Regarding how pilots are notified, that is a good question. I would expect that NOTAMs would be issued where possible. At a non-towered field, it could be recorded in the comments section on the AWOS (Automated Weather Observation System) and could be posted at the FBO.

As I said, I will be contacting my Airport Manager to see if he has answers to questions like:

Is there a minimum time between notifying the airport and when you can start flying your model?

Do you need to notify them when finished the Model activity?

How are full scale pilots notified?

Can they deny permission to operate the models?

One last comment, in the approximately 80 years we have been flying Model Aircraft, it has never been a significant problem with invasion of privacy, interference with full scale operations, operating over populated areas and other problems that have occurred since the introduction of multi rotors. If you abide by the rules of the FAA and the AMA safety rules, you won't have to worry.

Safe Flying,

Denis D

[Denis D]

The FAA released an App for Iphones and Ipads last month called B4UFLY. I have posted a link to an article about it below. The app lets you know if it is OK to fly based on your location at the time. Great information and a good start by the FAA. The app will be available for Android devices later in the year.

http://ipadpilotnews.com/2016/01/han...Essential+Tips

Cheers,

Denis D

[Phantom]

Be great if you could punch in KLCI and see what come up


.

[Pineedles]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Be great if you could punch in KLCI and see what come up


.

It's listed on the map. Laconia Airport with GPS coordinates.

[DUSTOFF]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Actually Dennis they do. What you have quoted is a very broad overview of the actual law. The words that are missing are "where applicable" And "if the airport has a tower". If an airport does not have a tower to contact the rule is not applicable.

If the rule meant every airport there would be no place to fly a drone or any model / hobby airplane. Heck even Alton Bay would be off limits. That simply is just not the case.

Dan

I normally fly into Laconia at least once, if not several times a week. They may not have a tower, but they do have an airport operator.

I think (and hope) the FAA's intent is to require notification to fly drones within 5 miles of both towered and non-towered airports.


I also fly what the FAA considers "drones" and while phantom, myself and many others may have the maturity and judgement to keep our drones clear of actual aircraft - there are probably others who do not.