Top 5 ways to fly your drone almost anywhere
Drone view of daffodils in Skagit Valley Washington State
When I bought my first drone I didn't really understand all the rules regarding flying drones in the USA. Now that I have been flying for a few years I have a better sense of things. The first thing to understand is flying a drone is affected by two distinct areas, the ground and air. You need a place (ground) that you can legally take off from and secondly once in the air you need to follow the FAA rules.
This is a guide to help you understand drone rules but does not in any way authorize you to fly your drone. As a drone pilot in command it is up to you to determine whether it is legal to fly in a particular spot.
When flying there are a few areas you can't fly like National Parks, over Stadiums with people, airports and such. You also need permission to fly in certain airspace. I use Aloft app on my iPhone first thing when I am at a location. This way I know if there are any limits and if I need permission. I feel like if you have a part 107 license you can handle the airspace part.
I feel like the part that gets complicated is the ground part. Here are my five tips for a successful flight anywhere legally in the USA.
Do fly from public property, don't fly from private unless it is your own. You generally won't get into trouble if you are on public property. If it is legal to stand in a spot there is a good chance you can take off from there. Be aware of local regulations. I live in Washington State and you can't fly from state parks but can fly over them. Some cities also ban drones in public parks, like Seattle and Bellevue in Washington State. Before you fly anywhere do your research. Empty sidewalks are a great place to take off from. Make sure you have control of the space meaning you have clear sight lines for pedestrians and no one is around. If you have someone with you have them help you perform a safe take off and landing.
Do fly in the morning. My favorite time to fly is Sunday morning. This is when most businesses are closed, people aren't working and most people are still in bed. This time of day can give you access to normally impossible locations. This may also give you the benefit of flying during blue hour or sunrise. An added benefit is people you see are generally more pleasant as they begin their days.
Do go up and away. When I take off I typically will go up to at least 200 feet maybe more after a quick hover check. I prefer to be as innocuous as possible and not draw attention. Drones can be irritating and noisy. Once up and away you can get your bearings and survey the landscape. I rarely have people asking me what I am doing as my drone is out of sight except during take offs and landings. I flew with a friend who had a bad habit of going up 50 feet and hovering. Multiple times people walked up to him and wondered what he was doing. I think this is fine if you want to chat or get into trouble, but bad if you are trying to not draw attention to yourself.
Do fly over water. Living in Seattle we have lots of lakes and Puget Sound. I love to take off from shore and fly out over the water. Flying over water means nothing blocking my signal. The other advantage is I can clearly see what I am flying over so can be careful of people and boats.
Do fly safely. There are times when it is a bad idea to fly. You show up at a location after driving an hour to get there but it does not seem safe for some reason. There are too many people, the airspace is closed for a game at a stadium or your take off location is too busy. Sometimes the wind comes up suddenly or it starts raining. It is ok to pass on flying. There is always another time. Best to play it safe. This will allow you to research the location and come back at a different time.