The average " LAW ABIDING" Citizen commits at least 3 felonies and no telling how many penal code infractions every single day. So what is your point? It gets better because the law makers create and pass new "Laws" daily... just because your not being charged with the alleged crimes or infractions doesn't mean your not committing them as well. So why judge him for doing something that is harmless? In my opinion as long as you have not hurt someone or their property your good to go..... if everyone followed every single BS law you could not exist period. There is absolutely now way possible.
Thanks for posting a video to make safer drone pilots. For those arguing, please just respect us flying manned aircraft too. We have to worry about other aircraft but we are on with air traffic control. We have a lot of stress and it’s annoying when we come back from a flight and someone is flying their drone at pattern altitude. We follow laws too. We aren’t anti drone, we just want to know where you are at with them. We appreciate when someone lets us know they are operating a drone at this altitude off to this part of the airport. It’s not a “The government is trying to take away my freedoms” It’s about a safer environment for everyone. I don’t care if you are 2,000 feet, as long as I know your intentions and where you are at. Read the book of laws we follow. You will see you don’t have it bad at all. Sincerely, Airplane/helicopter pilot, commercial drone operator
Thanks for this Ken! This is actually really helpful because I wanted to get some clarity on the rules since I work on these towers and may need to use uav's for inspections.
@@KenHeron hi ken you have to forgive me i wasnt sure the details left out of your "400ft" video. this flying above structures 400ft applies to Part107 holders only? How bout non-part107 licensee's? Thanks Ken
Рік тому
@@spiritualwarriorhealer6154 it is not possible for Recreational purposes. Limit is 400ft always no matter what.
Just in case you were wanting to fly up real close to an FM or TV tower (ESPECIALLY a TV tower), DON'T!!! A friend of mine who works as a Broadcast Engineer at a TV station in Kansas City, Missouri (you have six choices) attempted to do a Video inspection of the station's tower - 1,100 feet of it - from a distance of less than 50 feet with a company-owned Mavic drone. This inspection was done on company time by a licensed private - and Part 107 certified - pilot. Just as he reached the bottom of the radiating TV antenna array, the drone feed was lost and the Mavic fell 1,100 feet to it's desctruction in a nearby wooded area (a clue!). The Moral here is - DO NOT fly into the near-field of a high-power, high frequency antenna array. In case you were wondering, the pilot did not lose his job. A company-wide memo was issued to all Chief Engineers pointing out the dangers of operating drones near radiating high power television antenna arrays. I hope that this helps!
JC Helped Me Big Time During Builds I Was Stuck At A Stand Still!If He Didn't Volunteer His Time And Knowledge In This Hobby Then I Would Of Quit With The Building Part Of This Sport Hobby.He Will Be Missed A lot Much Love JC
I just fill out a drone form on my cities official website I fly in that let's the tower know I'll be flying there. They clear me at only 3 miles from airport by the way land traffic at different runways and keep them away and above 2000 feet for me during the hours I plan to be there. It's fantastic. They even give me a courtesy call to go over my intentions and make a plan. It's awesome. The tower manager says by doing this if local enforcement ever gives me issues at the beach I'm at that they are even my get out of jail free card and by doing this I'm in compliance by being cleared and in contact with the tower prior. Talk about blurred lines. I practically get the right of way and my flights are 100% hobby no 107.
Ken Heron I'm in Nashville majoring in Unmanned Aerial Systems at MTSU. I'll be buying a Phantom 4 Pro in a few weeks. Hopefully I'll see ya around and you can give me some pointers!
This is the best way to encourage sustainability of the hobby. Not enough people are following this. I hope fellow drone pilots follow your example before the FAA bans all Recreational Use.
RC Ross that just shows you that if you are in compliance with Regs than nobody should hassle you. Especially when you do the right thing and contact people that need to know ie: local air traffic control. I’m sure that at some point, someone will prob hassle you just because.
Had the 1st flight today, went up 500 feet just outside a no-fly zone. Had no idea. Have the Hover app now. The cool thing is, my drone warned me about potential aircraft and I came back down right away. Cool video. :)
So glad I found your videos Ken! I'm also in the Nashville area and have had so many questions about where I can fly given that I don't see many people here with drones. I just got my mavic 2 pro. Hope to see more content soon, subscribed!
Hardwarejunky the AMA means nothing here. To are going to tell me about them being a CBO. That means nothing to non AMA members. 400 foot is not a regulation period and non AMA members don't need to follow AMA rules.
Didn't I just say it means squat? AMA doesn't have a 400ft rule, other than 3 miles radius of an airport, but what you need to look out for is your county civil codes which often defer to CBO or FAA guidelines so you do have to follow them, unfortunately in a lot of cities. Everyone forgets their local county civil codes which are far more important than this national FAA or AMA nonsense. It's the sheriff's you have to watch out for because they don't give a shit what AMA, FAA or anyone else has told you. As long as their civil code is in effect you are going to jail for flying over 400ft in their county. Best check your counties civil code because most likely they do have new restrictions. They've been sneaking them into all the major counties in my area in past few years. Here are ours codes for Los Angeles County: clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2015/15-0927_misc_09-17-2015.pdf
You said _if_ you were an AMA member that guideline means squat. That is incorrect. You don't need to be an AMA member for that guideline to mean squat (or not). Local code does not mean anything when it comes to regulating airspace. US Code specifically states that _only_ the FAA can regulate airspace. So local code cannot impose a limit on where the drone is flying. Local codes _have_ been made that state this but they are illegal laws that should be found not to be valid. Local governments are free to regulate the person on the ground but not the actual drone in the air. Notice the ordinances that you linked to (not sure it passed) keeps stating, "no person". Its an attempt to adhere to US Code in that it attempts to regulate the _person_ flying and not the drone in public airspace. At least they appear to have attempted to abide by US Code. I would not agree that the way it's written would stand up in court. Also, they can't even get #1 correct. Congress does not require authorization from an airport, only notification. Some of the people who write these local ordinances probably can't write a grocery list on their own.
Just a note on flying near broadcast towers. As a drone flyer, ham radio operator and someone that has worked in a technical capacity in broadcasting for many years...flying near high power television or radio transmitter towers is extremely foolish. RF blocking can easily occur which closes the ALC in the front end of the receiver (even if the radio of TV transmitter frequency is nowhere near that of the controller) and cause the drone to literally "not hear" the control. This is the best case scenario which will usually end in the drone doing a "go home". The worst case scenario however is that the high level of RF can cause the drone's CPU and control systems to malfunction causing a catastrophic failure of the drone. It is a must that drones are kept away from directly in front of the antennas on TV and FM transmitters as they usually have directional antennas, concentrating the signal lobe in one or two directions. Sites with multiple transmitters feeding the one tower can radiate hundreds of thousands of watts of RF which can easily cause a malfunction of the drone's control systems. The tower in this video looks to be some sort of cellular or data transmission facility which would not run such high power. But definitely something to keep in mind about high power broadcast facilities. Keep well back! Happy flying!
Where I live, there's a 50kW FM tower plus AM plus cellular and government transmitters for the FBI. The FM lobe touches ground in my front yard. It's over 120dBu here. Technically, the station is in violation of the RFR rules. But my main point is, when I wasn't thinking about it, I brought a new video camera outside to test the ND filter and the menus froze such that I had to remove the battery to restart the camera. Some laptops crash when I bring them outside in the yard. The house is Faraday shielded to -100dB from 1Mhz to 1.5GHz, so no problem indoors. Naturally, this was foremost on my mind when I took my drone up for a test flight.
@@MrKdr500 If Ken knows about this stuff then he can safely disregard that comment but the rest of us might want to keep it in mind or at least research it further
This is good information to have, but I feel that you should explain more of the reasons this is acceptable. I'm a private pilot under part 61 and the reason for 400 feet is to keep 100 feet of separation from manned aircraft. As a manned aircraft cannot fly below 500 feet around people, vessels or structures. So that allows you 400 feet AGL and the added 400 feet above a structure.
@@gordonchibroski8919 You can and will during the landing... Which can stretch for thousands of feet before the runway. The extra distance is for emergency.
You took off below the base of the tower, so the tower according to the gps reading from the drone is higher than what the tower actually is. Now a few feet here and there probably won't make any difference unless there is someone out there to get you for any little detail. Thats how my luck goes if I did what you did. Thanks for the video! Keep up the great work!
AMA is only involved at an AMA field or AMA sanctioned event. You can otherwise do as you please without interfering with full size aircraft. Choosing not to follow AMA regs (no laws) will only prevent you from accessing AMA insurance. (which is not great, your private insurance must pay first) They do not have any legal authority.
As per Sec 336 in HR 658, you have to follow a CBO's set of rules in order to be a hobbyist. Most people choose the AMA as their CBO to follow. You can choose another CBO if you wish, but you must pick one and stick to their rules.
The AMA has no power at all over non-AMA members. What Section 336 means is that local organizations can apply rules but only to those that it already had power over. For example, if you are participating in an AMA sanctioned event, the AMA can make rules governing public airspace but it only applies to those who agree to the terms of that participation. The AMA would have the ability to govern airspace, as long as it does not override Section 336 but only for it's members. Don't like you... they can only revoke your membership, nothing more. The AMA liked to broadcast the FAA's acknowledgement as it served their purpose to look more important and gain membership. You don't need to choose any CBO in any form or fashion in order to fly.
Todd Copeland would love to see your citation for that as I believe you are mistaken. Congress explicitly says in HR 658 sec 336 that in order to be a hobbyist you must operate according to a community based set of safety guidelines "AND within the programming of a CBO". Meaning that yes, you have to choose a set of CBO rules to follow. If you read FAA-2014-0396, it reinforces that the FAA interprets the law as such.
Let me see if I can put it another way. Section 336 states as follows: ; (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; We know that the AMA is a "CBO" (again, means nothing). You acknowledge that other CBO's can be follows and this is fine. So... I choose to follow the nationwide CBO called American UAV Fliers". Their set of guidelines are easy.. you can fly whenever you want. So, as long as I fly whenever I want, I'm following a national CBO's guidelines. This satisfied your statement. Makes perfect sense according to your interpretation of Section 336. If anyone wants, please feel free to follow this CBO's guidelines and you are in compliance with Section 336. Done deal.
Hello Ken....I just started flying this week and have learned so much from you....THANKS! you have also caused my gut some pain from all the laughter produced by your crazy sense of humor...I have definetley been Heron ya man...hu hu...get it ...sorry. Keep the vids coming man!
According to my calculations, the tower is 333.28373618 feet and you flew your drone 733.28373619 feet which means you went over the 400 feet limit. Ok mister, you're in trouble now!
Another beautiful instructional video.... thanks for all you do.....your personality and flying skills are always a welcome addition to my morning coffee...
Want to know how to legally fly above 400ft almost anywhere ? Don't be paid to fly the UAS. It's that simple. Section 336 is fantastic. To be honest though the 400' rule is a good rule of thumb. Alot of people are just going out and buying a Phantom from their local Best Buy and flying near airports without thinking twice.
+Michael Takemoto No. It might violate the rule against flying over moving vehicles. It's legal to fly over people in cars as long as the cars aren't moving. We have to follow the rules unless and until those rules are successfully challenged. Read the last sentence here: dronelawjournal.com/model-aircraft-operations/ "even though the language pertaining to model aircraft in Part 101 should not even exist, unless it is successfully challenged as an invalidly promulgated agency regulation, it’s the law."
Does this apply to flying over ANY moving vehicle(s). I have a friend who railfans and he was asking me about using a drone to fly over a train in motion and a rail yard. I told him NO NO on the train yard due to DHS stuff but IDK about a train out on the line..
I am brand new to the drone family just got mine 1st DJI vision 2 plus have not flown out yet but have enjoyed your videos a mensely . They have been very informative .
@@KenHeron one more question though: is it simillar in 200ft zones? and in 0ft zones? one of the best places I could be practicing flying is my company parking lot, which is in 0ft zone. is it okay to fly below the building height, or I'd have to be 0ft away from building?
Being a private pilot and a drone owner, I can tell you that the dipshits flying their drones up high are a HUGE danger to us. Why? Because your drone is tiny, we are flying at upwards of 100+ knots, and we have no clue where to look if you don't have a transponder. It is hard enough to spot aircrafts with trained pilots, with dozens of hours of experience and clear training on what to do to avoid any mid-air collisions, then you reduce the size of a say 27' Cessna 172 to 13" and it's damn near impossible to see unless it's too late. And you might be going, "But, boo hoo, why are you so low??!" Well, 1. because we can (assuming 1000ft AGL over highest point within 2,000 feet). 2. Maybe it's because we're landing or ascending, where pattern altitude is 1,000 ft AGL. 3. We have radio communication with others around us. Furthermore, I had a much-to-close of a call with some idiot FPVer flying around 2,500 feet AGL in his/her drone, and there certainly was no 2,100 ft tall tower they were hanging around. I had to take evasive action because this bumbling idiot was flying his drone along at around 6x the limit. And, to those that don't understand the implications, striking a drone the size of a P3 or P4 could disable/fatally damage a small aircraft. That's right, your "OMG, this is so cool because I'm so high!" moment could end the life of a pilot and any passengers they may have. Which, you must realize, means the end of your life, too. Breaking the law and fatalities, along with this being a novel case, will mean you shall be spending the rest of your life either in jail or with felony charges that will forever detrimentally impact you. So, as a drone pilot, go have fun, follow regulations, and be safe. As a PP, don't fly high, and fuck those of you that haphazardly do it because you think you're cool.
Hey Ken, it's really irresponsible for you to post this video without CLEARLY stating that this is for PART 107 CERTIFICATE HOLDERS ONLY. Hobbyist are not allowed to follow this rule! Please put this in your title! Don't want a bunch of hobbyist thinking they're allowed to do this, then getting nailed by the FAA. EDIT: Through more research, hobbyists do not have a set altitude limit unless they are within 3 mi from an airport as per AMA guidelines. If the AMA is the CBO you are following and you are a hobbyist, you don't strictly have an altitude limit.
JaY BuDz Unfortunately that's a common misconception. While the 400ft rule isn't written into law anywhere, what IS written into law is that hobbyists must "Follow a community-based set of safety guidelines." Currently, there is only one of these applicable for UAS pilots, AMA's set (which is where the 400ft guideline comes from). So while you may be correct in saying that those guidelines aren't written into law themselves, it is written into law that we follow a community based organizations set of rules... And there's only one of those right now. For all intents and purposes, the guidelines are the law.
Sterling is basically correct. The FAA tends to look at guidelines and recommendations, etc as IF they were laws. They can always nail you on some general safety type violation. It's best not to challenge the FAA.
Just a question since I just passed my 107. Using FPV goggles doesn't qualify as VLOS does it? I'm not playing FAA cop here.. I'm asking because I'm curious. If you're wearing the goggles, who is keeping the drone in VLOS?
If we don't have to register our drones because of the recent court ruling that the Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 states the FAA has no authorization to make rules and regulations regarding model aircraft then why would we have to follow any of the FAA's rules or regulations regarding flying drones?
Hes kinda sorta right Ken. You do have to follow the same regulations concerning nfz's and tfr's as a hobbyist and the faa has the authority to impose penalties on any act that puts maned aircraft in danger in the nas. Their mandate is to keep the nas safe for all aircraft and persons on those aircraft but their safety guidelines are not laws and therefore not enforceable. You do however, as a hobbyist, have to follow the rules of the national CBO of your choice.
I see no flaw in the logic of my statement but I do see the flaw in yours. I cite the Modernization Act of 2012 and the recent court ruling that the FAA has no authority to make rules and regulations regarding drones, which backs up and confirms my statement, yet you say I can't ignore the rest of the regulations while providing nothing to support your statement.
Your right, you dont have to do what anybody says. You can do whatever you want. You may want to talk to the guy they just arrested for flying over a tfr area over a forest fire. I bet he would tell you different but hey man, do whatever you want. You know the law right?
The fools who always say you can't fly above 400 feet should just picture if you are at the bottom of a valley, the mountain above is 1000 feet above you, does that mean you can't fly your drone to the peak of the mountain just because its more than 400 feet above? What if you are on the mountain? Now I got you....
Joshua Perkings good job. Its stupid to think 400 is the limit. That means every drone owner cant fly his drone if he is on any terrain thats above 400ft.
AGL = above the ground level, MSL = mean sea level. If the mountain are 1000 feet you're legally to fly 1400 feet above sea level, as long as you're at the top of the mountain. (i dont know about the radius) The Ken show in thiis video start from 0 feet to 700 feet from the ground not from the top of the antenna tower.
+Tony Quiñones Thank you very much Tony! I really appreciate you subscribing to my channel. I hope you'll take some time and look at some videos in my back catalog.
good info as usual and delivered with a "heapin helpin " of humor. Also just watched your video on the new DJIII goggles and have ordered a set as well. Just one thing though, you didn't show us where to put the VHS tapes for on board recording!
Who is really going to find out that even if you fly it 1000 feet... no one is going to be standing next to you to write up a ticket. if I get a drone I am going to fly it as high as it can go..
Hey Ken, is this for hobby flyers as well? Some on the forums are claiming this is only for part 107 and inspections.. please clear its up to the best of your knowledge thanks
@@Cuber22 hey appreciate that. Yeah I did a little digging as well. Came up with the same results.. eh i guess ill just have to go to the top of the mountains.. lol fly safe always!
Phoenix One Productions yeah, when saw this video I was happy I could, but actually only part 107... If this info could be helpful for you, I also asked about flying at night, thay said it was fine, but I need an “anti-collision lighting visible for at least three miles”. Fly safe!
Ken ... sorry, 3 years later .. you still there? My son has a Mavic Mini 2.49 grams, just under the 2.50 grams requirement for registration as his first drone. Total hobby, how does this factor into flight height! Subscribing. Fun stuff.
Ken, I fly (2) DJI Sparks...love your videos...verry helpful. Question: what radio station do you work at? (I did morning radio for over 35 years.) ...Love your presentation (& your tats)
Hey Ken, great video. I'm a hobbyist and don't have my part 107 yet, although I plan on getting it soon for selling prints and perhaps doing aerial work for businesses like golf courses. From what I've read, this 400ft+structure height exception only applies to non-hobbyist flights (i.e. commercial drone operators). Is that true to your knowledge?
Ok, you just earned my subscription! Awesome informative video! 👍👍👍 I like those eyes stickers on your fatsharks, though!... Where did you get them?... One more thing, ... What was the name of the application that you checked before flying your drone to find out if you were in an NFZ?... Thumbs up for your video! 👍👍👍 Greetings from Douglas, Arizona...
The 113 dislikes are FAA agents
HAAA!!! Prob'ly.
Its still channel traffic!
You have absolutely no idea what your talking about do you?
The average " LAW ABIDING" Citizen commits at least 3 felonies and no telling how many penal code infractions every single day. So what is your point? It gets better because the law makers create and pass new "Laws" daily... just because your not being charged with the alleged crimes or infractions doesn't mean your not committing them as well. So why judge him for doing something that is harmless? In my opinion as long as you have not hurt someone or their property your good to go..... if everyone followed every single BS law you could not exist period. There is absolutely now way possible.
Why? It's their own regulation.
Ken, you are obviously a "towering" figure in the drone community. Keep up the good work.
ZING! --Thanks Jeffrey.
Thanks for posting a video to make safer drone pilots. For those arguing, please just respect us flying manned aircraft too. We have to worry about other aircraft but we are on with air traffic control. We have a lot of stress and it’s annoying when we come back from a flight and someone is flying their drone at pattern altitude. We follow laws too. We aren’t anti drone, we just want to know where you are at with them. We appreciate when someone lets us know they are operating a drone at this altitude off to this part of the airport. It’s not a “The government is trying to take away my freedoms” It’s about a safer environment for everyone. I don’t care if you are 2,000 feet, as long as I know your intentions and where you are at. Read the book of laws we follow. You will see you don’t have it bad at all.
Sincerely,
Airplane/helicopter pilot, commercial drone operator
LMAO at the Prozac ad. Well done!!
Hahahaha Broo
Hardy har har ! ! !
LMAO on the chopper and news feed! You rock Ken!
Kevin Hudson ii
This channel is so underrated. Love your work!
Good info thanks for making that clear everyone is like only 400 feet.
Thanks!
This is great news! I always thought this rule applied anywhere until I was studding for my Part 107. Love your videos Ken!
Thank you Tim.
Thanks for this Ken! This is actually really helpful because I wanted to get some clarity on the rules since I work on these towers and may need to use uav's for inspections.
Really glad to help.
Have fun up there!
@@KenHeron hi ken you have to forgive me i wasnt sure the details left out of your "400ft" video. this flying above structures 400ft applies to Part107 holders only? How bout non-part107 licensee's? Thanks Ken
@@spiritualwarriorhealer6154 it is not possible for Recreational purposes. Limit is 400ft always no matter what.
Always great info, well presented and great editing. Loved this one with the traffic report! :)
I am not sure why but i am addicted to your personality!
Just in case you were wanting to fly up real close to an FM or TV tower (ESPECIALLY a TV tower), DON'T!!!
A friend of mine who works as a Broadcast Engineer at a TV station in Kansas City, Missouri (you have six choices) attempted to do a Video inspection of the station's tower - 1,100 feet of it - from a distance of less than 50 feet with a company-owned Mavic drone.
This inspection was done on company time by a licensed private - and Part 107 certified - pilot.
Just as he reached the bottom of the radiating TV antenna array, the drone feed was lost and the Mavic fell 1,100 feet to it's desctruction in a nearby wooded area (a clue!).
The Moral here is - DO NOT fly into the near-field of a high-power, high frequency antenna array.
In case you were wondering, the pilot did not lose his job. A company-wide memo was issued to all Chief Engineers pointing out the dangers of operating drones near radiating high power television antenna arrays.
I hope that this helps!
Why would he lose his job for doing his job duh. Weird.
Clear, concise instructions with Demo. Great Job Ken
Your videos are so cognitive and fun to watch! Thanks Ken!
JC Helped Me Big Time During Builds I Was Stuck At A Stand Still!If He Didn't Volunteer His Time And Knowledge In This Hobby Then I Would Of Quit With The Building Part Of This Sport Hobby.He Will Be Missed A lot Much Love JC
I just fill out a drone form on my cities official website I fly in that let's the tower know I'll be flying there. They clear me at only 3 miles from airport by the way land traffic at different runways and keep them away and above 2000 feet for me during the hours I plan to be there. It's fantastic. They even give me a courtesy call to go over my intentions and make a plan. It's awesome. The tower manager says by doing this if local enforcement ever gives me issues at the beach I'm at that they are even my get out of jail free card and by doing this I'm in compliance by being cleared and in contact with the tower prior. Talk about blurred lines. I practically get the right of way and my flights are 100% hobby no 107.
That's great!
Ken Heron I'm in Nashville majoring in Unmanned Aerial Systems at MTSU. I'll be buying a Phantom 4 Pro in a few weeks. Hopefully I'll see ya around and you can give me some pointers!
This is the best way to encourage sustainability of the hobby. Not enough people are following this. I hope fellow drone pilots follow your example before the FAA bans all Recreational Use.
What magical city do you live in?!!
RC Ross that just shows you that if you are in compliance with Regs than nobody should hassle you. Especially when you do the right thing and contact people that need to know ie: local air traffic control. I’m sure that at some point, someone will prob hassle you just because.
Had the 1st flight today, went up 500 feet just outside a no-fly zone. Had no idea. Have the Hover app now. The cool thing is, my drone warned me about potential aircraft and I came back down right away. Cool video. :)
Very good.
Drones are fun!
Ken, you actually get me to LOL by myself at the computer sometimes 😂
So glad I found your videos Ken! I'm also in the Nashville area and have had so many questions about where I can fly given that I don't see many people here with drones. I just got my mavic 2 pro. Hope to see more content soon, subscribed!
I’ll just put 400 feet of string onto it and tie it to a pole.
Now you're talking!
Ken Heron Should I?
@@xaviation5144 yes do it
use a fishing reel for the string, much easier to spool out and reel in.
Great video. A lot of people don't understand this. Most people I talk to, have no idea that it is possible!
I'm glad to help inform.
Since "drone registration" the 400 feet thing has been basically a guideline. RC pilots have been flying above the height, for decades.
Yup and if you are an AMA member that guideline means squat.
Northern Flyer its not since the illegal registration. It's never been a regulation for hobby flight, period. This video is all wrong.
Hardwarejunky the AMA means nothing here. To are going to tell me about them being a CBO. That means nothing to non AMA members. 400 foot is not a regulation period and non AMA members don't need to follow AMA rules.
Didn't I just say it means squat? AMA doesn't have a 400ft rule, other than 3 miles radius of an airport, but what you need to look out for is your county civil codes which often defer to CBO or FAA guidelines so you do have to follow them, unfortunately in a lot of cities.
Everyone forgets their local county civil codes which are far more important than this national FAA or AMA nonsense. It's the sheriff's you have to watch out for because they don't give a shit what AMA, FAA or anyone else has told you. As long as their civil code is in effect you are going to jail for flying over 400ft in their county.
Best check your counties civil code because most likely they do have new restrictions. They've been sneaking them into all the major counties in my area in past few years.
Here are ours codes for Los Angeles County: clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2015/15-0927_misc_09-17-2015.pdf
You said _if_ you were an AMA member that guideline means squat. That is incorrect. You don't need to be an AMA member for that guideline to mean squat (or not). Local code does not mean anything when it comes to regulating airspace. US Code specifically states that _only_ the FAA can regulate airspace. So local code cannot impose a limit on where the drone is flying. Local codes _have_ been made that state this but they are illegal laws that should be found not to be valid. Local governments are free to regulate the person on the ground but not the actual drone in the air.
Notice the ordinances that you linked to (not sure it passed) keeps stating, "no person". Its an attempt to adhere to US Code in that it attempts to regulate the _person_ flying and not the drone in public airspace. At least they appear to have attempted to abide by US Code. I would not agree that the way it's written would stand up in court. Also, they can't even get #1 correct. Congress does not require authorization from an airport, only notification. Some of the people who write these local ordinances probably can't write a grocery list on their own.
Dang Ken, you produce very good videos and your comedy is spot on. I'm subscribing!
Thank you so much Dale. Welcome!
Just a note on flying near broadcast towers. As a drone flyer, ham radio operator and someone that has worked in a technical capacity in broadcasting for many years...flying near high power television or radio transmitter towers is extremely foolish. RF blocking can easily occur which closes the ALC in the front end of the receiver (even if the radio of TV transmitter frequency is nowhere near that of the controller) and cause the drone to literally "not hear" the control. This is the best case scenario which will usually end in the drone doing a "go home". The worst case scenario however is that the high level of RF can cause the drone's CPU and control systems to malfunction causing a catastrophic failure of the drone. It is a must that drones are kept away from directly in front of the antennas on TV and FM transmitters as they usually have directional antennas, concentrating the signal lobe in one or two directions. Sites with multiple transmitters feeding the one tower can radiate hundreds of thousands of watts of RF which can easily cause a malfunction of the drone's control systems. The tower in this video looks to be some sort of cellular or data transmission facility which would not run such high power. But definitely something to keep in mind about high power broadcast facilities. Keep well back! Happy flying!
Maybe you should check out what Ken does for a living before you look stupid.
Where I live, there's a 50kW FM tower plus AM plus cellular and government transmitters for the FBI. The FM lobe touches ground in my front yard. It's over 120dBu here. Technically, the station is in violation of the RFR rules.
But my main point is, when I wasn't thinking about it, I brought a new video camera outside to test the ND filter and the menus froze such that I had to remove the battery to restart the camera. Some laptops crash when I bring them outside in the yard. The house is Faraday shielded to -100dB from 1Mhz to 1.5GHz, so no problem indoors.
Naturally, this was foremost on my mind when I took my drone up for a test flight.
basspig
did you use electromagnetic radiation tester yet?
@@MrKdr500
If Ken knows about this stuff then he can safely disregard that comment but the rest of us might want to keep it in mind or at least research it further
very nice!
I had a sensible chuckle at that Prozac plug. 😜
Two big questions. Didn't know where to dig. Now answered. Thx Ken!
This is good information to have, but I feel that you should explain more of the reasons this is acceptable. I'm a private pilot under part 61 and the reason for 400 feet is to keep 100 feet of separation from manned aircraft.
As a manned aircraft cannot fly below 500 feet around people, vessels or structures. So that allows you 400 feet AGL and the added 400 feet above a structure.
Correction: you cannot fly below 1000 feet.
@@gordonchibroski8919
You can and will during the landing... Which can stretch for thousands of feet before the runway. The extra distance is for emergency.
excellent job. you got right into the video without making us watch a long intro and hearing all about your life. I'm subscribing.
Great! Thank you!
does this rule apply to only part 107 or can someone flying as hobby also fly with this rule?
107 only. This video is gonna get some hobbyist in trouble somewhere some day.
@@digicana 😂
hobbyists can fly over 400ft
You took off below the base of the tower, so the tower according to the gps reading from the drone is higher than what the tower actually is. Now a few feet here and there probably won't make any difference unless there is someone out there to get you for any little detail. Thats how my luck goes if I did what you did. Thanks for the video! Keep up the great work!
AMA is only involved at an AMA field or AMA sanctioned event. You can otherwise do as you please without interfering with full size aircraft. Choosing not to follow AMA regs (no laws) will only prevent you from accessing AMA insurance. (which is not great, your private insurance must pay first) They do not have any legal authority.
587OO7 spot on. Thank you.
As per Sec 336 in HR 658, you have to follow a CBO's set of rules in order to be a hobbyist. Most people choose the AMA as their CBO to follow. You can choose another CBO if you wish, but you must pick one and stick to their rules.
The AMA has no power at all over non-AMA members. What Section 336 means is that local organizations can apply rules but only to those that it already had power over. For example, if you are participating in an AMA sanctioned event, the AMA can make rules governing public airspace but it only applies to those who agree to the terms of that participation. The AMA would have the ability to govern airspace, as long as it does not override Section 336 but only for it's members. Don't like you... they can only revoke your membership, nothing more. The AMA liked to broadcast the FAA's acknowledgement as it served their purpose to look more important and gain membership. You don't need to choose any CBO in any form or fashion in order to fly.
Todd Copeland would love to see your citation for that as I believe you are mistaken. Congress explicitly says in HR 658 sec 336 that in order to be a hobbyist you must operate according to a community based set of safety guidelines "AND within the programming of a CBO". Meaning that yes, you have to choose a set of CBO rules to follow. If you read FAA-2014-0396, it reinforces that the FAA interprets the law as such.
Let me see if I can put it another way. Section 336 states as follows:
;
(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;
We know that the AMA is a "CBO" (again, means nothing). You acknowledge that other CBO's can be follows and this is fine. So... I choose to follow the nationwide CBO called American UAV Fliers". Their set of guidelines are easy.. you can fly whenever you want. So, as long as I fly whenever I want, I'm following a national CBO's guidelines. This satisfied your statement. Makes perfect sense according to your interpretation of Section 336. If anyone wants, please feel free to follow this CBO's guidelines and you are in compliance with Section 336. Done deal.
Hello Ken....I just started flying this week and have learned so much from you....THANKS! you have also caused my gut some pain from all the laughter produced by your crazy sense of humor...I have definetley been Heron ya man...hu hu...get it ...sorry. Keep the vids coming man!
Wow thanks for mentioning the Hover App. It's a lifesaver. Great video too man
Glad to help!
1640 feet is my favorite altitude that I love to fly my Mavic Mini at....
😁
Awesome content as always Ken buddy...
Great info and even better humor! You just got another subscriber.
"You're a riot Alice". "Zip-Zoom, to the moon!" -Jackie Gleason
James Ryan - Hardy har har !!!
Thanks for making these pieces. Was this over Madison? (I lived in Tusculum, Inglewood, Donelson and Hermitage...Now in NEFL)
According to my calculations, the tower is 333.28373618 feet and you flew your drone 733.28373619 feet which means you went over the 400 feet limit. Ok mister, you're in trouble now!
I want my lawyer.
@@LinusDropTips next time you go take a piss look down.
Another beautiful instructional video.... thanks for all you do.....your personality and flying skills are always a welcome addition to my morning coffee...
Want to know how to legally fly above 400ft almost anywhere ? Don't be paid to fly the UAS. It's that simple. Section 336 is fantastic.
To be honest though the 400' rule is a good rule of thumb. Alot of people are just going out and buying a Phantom from their local Best Buy and flying near airports without thinking twice.
They made the 400' rule because general aviation min alt is 500' It's a good rule to follow, breakable if you're not in GA air space.
Great video Ken...thanks for sharing that info on the height limitations!
Would flying over the freeway be against the rule to not fly over people?
Yes. Flying over roads is a no-no.
+Michael Takemoto No. It might violate the rule against flying over moving vehicles. It's legal to fly over people in cars as long as the cars aren't moving.
We have to follow the rules unless and until those rules are successfully challenged. Read the last sentence here: dronelawjournal.com/model-aircraft-operations/
"even though the language pertaining to model aircraft in Part 101 should not even exist, unless it is successfully challenged as an invalidly promulgated agency regulation, it’s the law."
Does this apply to flying over ANY moving vehicle(s). I have a friend who railfans and he was asking me about using a drone to fly over a train in motion and a rail yard. I told him NO NO on the train yard due to DHS stuff but IDK about a train out on the line..
ElfNet Gaming I've done both and haven't had any issues. Lmao
you didn't get caught in other words XD
I am brand new to the drone family just got mine 1st DJI vision 2 plus have not flown out yet but have enjoyed your videos a mensely . They have been very informative .
Welcome to the drone community! You'll find most of us are very friendly and helpful.
Thank you for clarifican, Ken! Now I feel more confidence to do it recreationally next time. Much appreciated and it's very helpful.
You bet! Happy flying!
@@KenHeron one more question though: is it simillar in 200ft zones? and in 0ft zones? one of the best places I could be practicing flying is my company parking lot, which is in 0ft zone. is it okay to fly below the building height, or I'd have to be 0ft away from building?
thank you, does this apply in Canada too with flying DJI mini 1/mini SE/ mini 2 or mini 3 drone flight regulations?
Being a private pilot and a drone owner, I can tell you that the dipshits flying their drones up high are a HUGE danger to us. Why? Because your drone is tiny, we are flying at upwards of 100+ knots, and we have no clue where to look if you don't have a transponder.
It is hard enough to spot aircrafts with trained pilots, with dozens of hours of experience and clear training on what to do to avoid any mid-air collisions, then you reduce the size of a say 27' Cessna 172 to 13" and it's damn near impossible to see unless it's too late. And you might be going, "But, boo hoo, why are you so low??!" Well, 1. because we can (assuming 1000ft AGL over highest point within 2,000 feet). 2. Maybe it's because we're landing or ascending, where pattern altitude is 1,000 ft AGL. 3. We have radio communication with others around us.
Furthermore, I had a much-to-close of a call with some idiot FPVer flying around 2,500 feet AGL in his/her drone, and there certainly was no 2,100 ft tall tower they were hanging around. I had to take evasive action because this bumbling idiot was flying his drone along at around 6x the limit. And, to those that don't understand the implications, striking a drone the size of a P3 or P4 could disable/fatally damage a small aircraft. That's right, your "OMG, this is so cool because I'm so high!" moment could end the life of a pilot and any passengers they may have. Which, you must realize, means the end of your life, too. Breaking the law and fatalities, along with this being a novel case, will mean you shall be spending the rest of your life either in jail or with felony charges that will forever detrimentally impact you.
So, as a drone pilot, go have fun, follow regulations, and be safe. As a PP, don't fly high, and fuck those of you that haphazardly do it because you think you're cool.
I had the exact same experience as you, but in a glider, fucked it was scary.
That news bit just earned you a like.
Thanks bud!!
Hey Ken, it's really irresponsible for you to post this video without CLEARLY stating that this is for PART 107 CERTIFICATE HOLDERS ONLY. Hobbyist are not allowed to follow this rule! Please put this in your title! Don't want a bunch of hobbyist thinking they're allowed to do this, then getting nailed by the FAA.
EDIT: Through more research, hobbyists do not have a set altitude limit unless they are within 3 mi from an airport as per AMA guidelines. If the AMA is the CBO you are following and you are a hobbyist, you don't strictly have an altitude limit.
Sterling Ralph 400' is suggested max height for hobbyists, not an all out rule
JaY BuDz Unfortunately that's a common misconception. While the 400ft rule isn't written into law anywhere, what IS written into law is that hobbyists must "Follow a community-based set of safety guidelines." Currently, there is only one of these applicable for UAS pilots, AMA's set (which is where the 400ft guideline comes from). So while you may be correct in saying that those guidelines aren't written into law themselves, it is written into law that we follow a community based organizations set of rules... And there's only one of those right now. For all intents and purposes, the guidelines are the law.
nah Ken is a Savage
Sterling is basically correct. The FAA tends to look at guidelines and recommendations, etc as IF they were laws. They can always nail you on some general safety type violation. It's best not to challenge the FAA.
Well.......I bet you're really fun at parties 🎉
Im so glad you posted this .
I'm glad you enjoyed it Damian!
Every single time I fly my drone I fly at 800 to 1640 feet. But I'm over no where southeast Kansas. NO where near a airport or tall building or hills.
You rebel.
LOL I don't know about that. Like your videos though. Love downtown Nashville.
Christopher Collinsworth you better look at a Sectional Chart! You are flying illegally.
Paul Kassner I have and I am not. No airports close and nothing flies that low around me.
It is irresponsible people like you that make it harder for the rest of us to fly legally. You are flying illegally.
Just a question since I just passed my 107. Using FPV goggles doesn't qualify as VLOS does it? I'm not playing FAA cop here.. I'm asking because I'm curious. If you're wearing the goggles, who is keeping the drone in VLOS?
Have a visual observer. 👍
If we don't have to register our drones because of the recent court ruling that the Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 states the FAA has no authorization to make rules and regulations regarding model aircraft then why would we have to follow any of the FAA's rules or regulations regarding flying drones?
Your logic is flawed. Just because one aspect of the FAA rules has been dismissed, doesn't mean you can ignore the rest of them.
Hes kinda sorta right Ken. You do have to follow the same regulations concerning nfz's and tfr's as a hobbyist and the faa has the authority to impose penalties on any act that puts maned aircraft in danger in the nas. Their mandate is to keep the nas safe for all aircraft and persons on those aircraft but their safety guidelines are not laws and therefore not enforceable. You do however, as a hobbyist, have to follow the rules of the national CBO of your choice.
Michael Takemoto
LMAO!!!!
I see no flaw in the logic of my statement but I do see the flaw in yours. I cite the Modernization Act of 2012 and the recent court ruling that the FAA has no authority to make rules and regulations regarding drones, which backs up and confirms my statement, yet you say I can't ignore the rest of the regulations while providing nothing to support your statement.
Your right, you dont have to do what anybody says. You can do whatever you want. You may want to talk to the guy they just arrested for flying over a tfr area over a forest fire. I bet he would tell you different but hey man, do whatever you want. You know the law right?
Good one ...
Like very much your sense of humor Ken....
Like#6.4......
I do this hard mod called not giving a F about FAA bs.
You are now my hero! I love your sarcasm! I wanna shake your hand someday!
Gladly!
The fools who always say you can't fly above 400 feet should just picture if you are at the bottom of a valley, the mountain above is 1000 feet above you, does that mean you can't fly your drone to the peak of the mountain just because its more than 400 feet above? What if you are on the mountain? Now I got you....
Joshua Perkings that’s a good way to put it.
Joshua Perkings good job. Its stupid to think 400 is the limit. That means every drone owner cant fly his drone if he is on any terrain thats above 400ft.
Logically, since GL is rising as the drone moves toward the mountain peak , we could conclude that you can continue to be legal by staying
AGL = above the ground level, MSL = mean sea level. If the mountain are 1000 feet you're legally to fly 1400 feet above sea level, as long as you're at the top of the mountain. (i dont know about the radius) The Ken show in thiis video start from 0 feet to 700 feet from the ground not from the top of the antenna tower.
I love the way you did this video, so entertaining and funny. Good job man. I'm a new subscriber. Keep the good work, congratulations.
+Tony Quiñones Thank you very much Tony! I really appreciate you subscribing to my channel. I hope you'll take some time and look at some videos in my back catalog.
Great info. Thank you so much for sharing!
I'm a drone pilot. I only wish I had an ex girlfriend
good info as usual and delivered with a "heapin helpin " of humor. Also just watched your video on the new DJIII goggles and have ordered a set as well. Just one thing though, you didn't show us where to put the VHS tapes for on board recording!
HAA!! Thanks James. VHS? --I'm a Beta man.
Who is really going to find out that even if you fly it 1000 feet... no one is going to be standing next to you to write up a ticket. if I get a drone I am going to fly it as high as it can go..
Old Timer, just don't get hit by a plane. :(
So your one of the asshats that make it difficult for everyone else by purposely ignoring the rules. Is that what you're saying? Good on ya mate.
Charles Johnson, *you're
Old Timer you probably have a rebel flag too!
Charles Johnson *you're
Brilliant tip! And lived the paddle threat LOL scared me enough that I subscribed :)
Thank you for subscribing!
Hey ken! I just bought a p3s, and I have been watching drone videos for the past month. your videos are so funny and they teach a lot too!
Congrats on the new drone!
Welcome to the channel!
Thanks for the information I live very close to a radio station with a very tall tower now I can check it out up close!
Your channel is very entertaining & this video was useful. 🙏🏻 thank you Ken!
Glad to help!
Hey Ken, is this for hobby flyers as well? Some on the forums are claiming this is only for part 107 and inspections.. please clear its up to the best of your knowledge thanks
This is only for part 107. Just got an answer from the FAA about it
@@Cuber22 hey appreciate that. Yeah I did a little digging as well. Came up with the same results.. eh i guess ill just have to go to the top of the mountains.. lol fly safe always!
Phoenix One Productions yeah, when saw this video I was happy I could, but actually only part 107... If this info could be helpful for you, I also asked about flying at night, thay said it was fine, but I need an “anti-collision lighting visible for at least three miles”. Fly safe!
@@Cuber22 thanks for the advice! I been meaning to order a strobe for some night flying! Cant wait!
Great info, now you are liable for all my flights over 400 ft👍🏼
I've got you covered. Unless you:
crash, burn, scratch anything, trespass, hurt anyone, damage anything, or irritate the FAA.
Ken ... sorry, 3 years later .. you still there? My son has a Mavic Mini 2.49 grams, just under the 2.50 grams requirement for registration as his first drone. Total hobby, how does this factor into flight height! Subscribing. Fun stuff.
Still here!
Even hobbyists need to follow FAA regulations. Registered or otherwise.
Thanks for the sub!
there's. Mr. Ken
so awesome videos my brother.
Good stuff Ken, I am now a Subscriber :)
Great videos , thanks. Great picture and video quality .
Thank's for the info Ken. Was a great video once again.
first time watching one of your videos, you seem like a cool guy with good content, and because I like drones as well, I will subscribe!
Hey Jake! Thank you. Welcome to the channel!
Love the traffic copter audio. Where did you find that to use on your video. I wanna borrow that.
Does this apply to a recreational flyer also?
The chopper report earned you a new sub.
HAA!! Thanks a bunch Lorenzo!
Subscribed and congrats on 100k subs
Thanks so much, Philip!!
Is the topography or ground considered a "structure" in the law?
Hey ken whats the max height limit on mini2 in feet? up, up, up? How much would you have to come down if you move back?
Good question.
You’re a riot. “Up is down, down is up. Prozac!”
Ken, I fly (2) DJI Sparks...love your videos...verry helpful. Question: what radio station do you work at? (I did morning radio for over 35 years.) ...Love your presentation (& your tats)
Man I love your videos...informative and entertaining.
Awesome info & footage! Traveled I65 many many times from Muscle Shoals to Nashville even in the snow,lol good times.
Great video Ken.
I think that this rule only applies to part 107 pilots. Heavy one else including myself can only go to 400'
Correct.
Correct.
Thanks for the video. Being that close to Nashville are you not in a class b flight zone? Flying in Memphis is difficult for that reason alone.
Hey Ken, in 2021 is this FAA rule still in effect?
The helicopter thing is hilarious. Love your videos. Thanks Ken!
Glad you liked it!
Made my day Ken! Great soundtrack btw.
I rarely sign into my account to make a comment and subscribe but this was a great video and deserves a sub!
Thank you so much!
The sub and the comment are greatly appreciates!
That was an great video! Thank you for making this, I didn't know that, but now I do.
My goal is to inform and entertain, Carlos.
That's good. The video was entertaining, and funny at the same time as well.
sweet video
Thanks.
Thanks for the info! Nice chopper effects ! Hey we are neighbors, I’m in Bowlinggreen.
Hey Ken, great video. I'm a hobbyist and don't have my part 107 yet, although I plan on getting it soon for selling prints and perhaps doing aerial work for businesses like golf courses. From what I've read, this 400ft+structure height exception only applies to non-hobbyist flights (i.e. commercial drone operators). Is that true to your knowledge?
Correct. This would only be for commercial pilots.
@@KenHeron Thank you!
Hi.. thanks for all the great videos! Mind if I ask what you record the audio with and what you use to sync the audio?
You're crazy!!! Love your videos
Ok, you just earned my subscription! Awesome informative video! 👍👍👍
I like those eyes stickers on your fatsharks, though!... Where did you get them?... One more thing, ... What was the name of the application that you checked before flying your drone to find out if you were in an NFZ?...
Thumbs up for your video! 👍👍👍 Greetings from Douglas, Arizona...
Thanks for subscribing!
Get eyes here:facebook.com/cutworxgraphics/
The Hover app on Playstore.
Still DYING over here!!! Hahahahaha! Great one, Mr. Heron!
@ 3:20 Brought to you by PROZAC!!!
Thanks Casey.🤪
@@KenHeron if you come to Chattanooga area, let me know.
Thanks! Watch my Instagram to see where I'll be. Then DM me!
Thanks Ken that is a very good rule to remember.