Some recent posts have made me wonder what people think of ROUTINELY breaking the 400ft/122m AGL ceiling?
Note
1) AGL ...... not the height above the home point.
2) Ignore any special provisions, where they apply, such as those for tall man made structures. Consider ONLY flights over the earth's surface.
3) I am not really thinking of small breaches, rather I am asking about attitudes towards routinely going above 500ftAGL, into 'manned aircraft aispace'.

If your country has a different ceilings then consider the question to be about your ceilings.

No. I don't think it is ok. No matter what the size of the drone is either... But I'm also a hypocrite...

This is however, a very complex topic...

When I did built my first drone, that's exactly the first thing I did... I wanted to see the world from above the clouds... Mind you I had been in aeroplanes before but this time I was in the cockpit and it also was the first FPV experience.. I think everybody tries that the first time they get their hand on a drone.. But as you grow older and you gain experience, you quickly realise that those video of clouds look all the same and they get boring quite quickly... Plus you can't really see anything from up there...

That's when you have to decide why you got a drone in the first place... I'm obviously talking about amateur level here not professional..

You want to get your adrenalin pumping? Get a small FPV and a good set of goggles and learn to fly manual...
You want to enjoy exploring places and see things that normally would be out of reach? Get a nice drone with a good camera...

What has really stopped me flying above the clouds, was thinking of a tourist plane that did crashed many years ago after being strike by birds... Imagine if your parents, your kids, your best mate, someone you really care for, was in a plane that crashed because of your drone... I simply couldn't live with that! Could you?

Happy flying....

It's not OK.

Not OK,   and I was very disappointed that a YouTuber recently suggested exceeding 400ft to avoid birds was OK.  

Never did that.
Lots of small airplanes around here and I would not want to risk a collision as they are allowed to fly quite low.

DAFlys Posted at 6-28 01:08
Not OK,   and I was very disappointed that a YouTuber recently suggested exceeding 400ft to avoid birds was OK.

I missed that one. Not that it's worth searching for

Montfrooij Posted at 6-28 01:30
Never did that.
Lots of small airplanes around here and I would not want to risk a collision as they are allowed to fly quite low.

Helicopters ( such as air-ambulance and police) can fly below 120m too so there's the additional risk to be aware of.

Blériot53 Posted at 6-28 02:01
I missed that one. Not that it's worth searching for

I wont recommend that one for sure.

Blériot53 Posted at 6-28 02:03
Helicopters ( such as air-ambulance and police) can fly below 120m too so there's the additional risk to be aware of.

Yes, they are allowed to do that. But above 120m the risk is much bigger for sure

The very first time you are flying a drone and a helicopter catches you by surprise.... you realize this is not a game.   Follow the rules or else do not entertain this hobby.  In fact, do not let your ego get out of hand.  You need to yield to manned aircraft.  No question.  Legally, morally, etc.  Those are lives you are playing with up there.

DAFlys Posted at 6-28 01:08
Not OK,   and I was very disappointed that a YouTuber recently suggested exceeding 400ft to avoid birds was OK.

i saw that one too.  It was somebody talking about the Fly update that caused a restriction....and then proposed that it was essential to go over the altitude limit to fly over birds.... lol.

Bad.  Just bad thinking, and indefensible in any kind of incident postmortem.

DAFlys Posted at 6-28 02:27
I wont recommend that one for sure.

No indeed

Montfrooij Posted at 6-28 04:45
Yes, they are allowed to do that. But above 120m the risk is much bigger for sure

Absolutely.

Blériot53 Posted at 6-28 08:17
Absolutely.

I'm sure it's safe in some situations, but I don't want to risk it.

Montfrooij Posted at 6-28 09:44
I'm sure it's safe in some situations, but I don't want to risk it.

I agree with that.

I always keep it under 400ft. Because aircraft flys 500ft a d above. I see some people here complaining about 400ft 120m limit that they can not go over it. I wouldn't want to go into aircraft airspace. I don't fly above 400ft, but I do fly beyond vlos and if anyone say they don't they are lying. These drones are so advanced having a drone come crashing down into someone is like .0001%. So I fly beyond vlos as long as I keep it under 400ft and fly in a safe manner.

djiuser_zKR5HFX3a2EC Posted at 6-28 12:31
I always keep it under 400ft. Because aircraft flys 500ft a d above. I see some people here complaining about 400ft 120m limit that they can not go over it. I wouldn't want to go into aircraft airspace. I don't fly above 400ft, but I do fly beyond vlos and if anyone say they don't they are lying. These drones are so advanced having a drone come crashing down into someone is like .0001%. So I fly beyond vlos as long as I keep it under 400ft and fly in a safe manner.

"These drones are so advanced, but having a drone come crashing down into someone it is always a possibility"

I fixed for you...

TonyPHX Posted at 6-28 05:22
i saw that one too.  It was somebody talking about the Fly update that caused a restriction....and then proposed that it was essential to go over the altitude limit to fly over birds.... lol.

Bad.  Just bad thinking, and indefensible in any kind of incident postmortem.

Seems YouTubers think that they can use tell people they are qualified and fly within the rules and that makes it OK,  and heaven help anyone that leaves a comment.   

DAFlys Posted at 6-28 21:55
Seems YouTubers think that they can use tell people they are qualified and fly within the rules and that makes it OK,  and heaven help anyone that leaves a comment.

lol, yes.  Don't try to tell anyone anything these days.  Ego's are out of control.  Youtube is a cesspool of know it alls.

It's not ok and it's particularly not ok to exceed your max height in a grid.  it really bugs me when i see drones flying super high in places around town that i know are 50, 150, and 200.  and as mentioned, the 400 rules is always violated.  i don't see the point in flying that high since it doesn't really help with your videos or photos, stuff is too tiny.

You may be flying under 400 ft then you come across a medic chopper flying under 200 ft.  That would make you $hit a brick.

Devil's advocate...Counterpoint.. and I know that you will trash me for this. Your M3 drone weighs about 2 lbs. Most commercial or civilian aircraft would suffer a mild scratch with a collision. Now if there were about 200 M3's in a massive aerial synchronized display going into the intakes of Chestly Sullenberger's US Airways jetliner engines...then maybe that's an issue.

That said, I have never flown above 400 feet. I am not into travelog videos. I like low altitude actions ones with people. Once I tried a 400 foot travelog type and fell asleep from boredom while the drone did an emergnecy RTH landing on it's own ;-)

Lucas626 Posted at 7-1 18:03
You may be flying under 400 ft then you come across a medic chopper flying under 200 ft.  That would make you $hit a brick.

Possibly the drone becomes the proverbial "brick" then.

GaryDoug Posted at 7-1 20:48
Devil's advocate...Counterpoint.. and I know that you will trash me for this. Your M3 drone weighs about 2 lbs. Most commercial or civilian aircraft would suffer a mild scratch with a collision. Now if there were about 200 M3's in a massive aerial synchronized display going into the intakes of Chestly Sullenberger's US Airways jetliner engines...then maybe that's an issue.

That said, I have never flown above 400 feet. I am not into travelog videos. I like low altitude actions ones with people. Once I tried a 400 foot travelog type and fell asleep from boredom while the drone did an emergnecy RTH landing on it's own ;-)

I wouldn't like to see what a drone could do to a jet's engine.
There is a video of a crash test against a small plane's wing, the test may or may not be particularily accurate but still ......

I believe it really depends on your flight parameters.  I routinely fly above the 400 AGL,  other wise I would crash into the sides of a many of a mountain.

These pictures were taken 1800 feet from home point that is as far as I had VLOS for this flight and I was flying at times 900 feet agl,  500 feet above 400feet agl's home point  yet still only 50 feet above the tree tops  allowing the mavic 3 avoidance system to  follow the terrain.  But as I said the drone was in VLOS at all times.
so yes with certain flight pentameters I believe you can fly over the 400 feet agl safely.

Ms Ivy Posted at 10-23 08:11
I believe it really depends on your flight parameters.  I routinely fly above the 400 AGL,  other wise I would crash into the sides of a many of a mountain.

These pictures were taken 1800 feet from home point that is as far as I had VLOS for this flight and I was flying at times 900 feet agl,  500 feet above 400feet agl's home point  yet still only 50 feet above the tree tops  allowing the mavic 3 avoidance system to  follow the terrain.  But as I said the drone was in VLOS at all times.

Nice photos !
BUT
You are confused about terminology.
AGL is the height of the drone ABOVE THE GROUND directly beneath the drone.
AGL has nothing to do with height relative to the take off point UNLESS the drone is over the take off point.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 10-23 08:19
Nice photos !
BUT
You are confused about terminology.

I am sorry I must have confused the question.

Ms Ivy Posted at 10-23 08:23
I am sorry I must have confused the question.

I don't think you misunderstood the question but I do think you are confusing the different vocabulary used.
In the USA, for a hobby drone pilot, it is legal to fly to any height-relative-to-the-take-off-point providing the drone is no more than 400ft * above the ground directly beneath the drone, and this you seem to be doing. And you seem to be complying with that rule. * that assumes there are no other height restrictions applicable to the location.

AGL can be imagined as the length of a piece of string required to reach from the drone to the ground directly beneath the drone. AGL has no relationship with the "height relative to the take off point", unless the drone is over the take off point.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 10-23 08:57
I don't think you misunderstood the question but I do think you are confusing the different vocabulary used.
In the USA, for a hobby drone pilot, it is legal to fly to any height-relative-to-the-take-off-point providing the drone is no more than 400ft * above the ground directly beneath the drone, and this you seem to be doing. And you seem to be complying with that rule. * that assumes there are no other height restrictions applicable to the location.

Thank you for taking time to explain it to me that was very nice, and I appreciate it alot

You are welcome.

Incidentally I think you should start you own thread for the photos you have posted here, they will get buried as this thread sinks, and your photos warrant being looked at.
Perhaps in the "works / nature" nature forum.

Thank you for the advice  

It's not OK.

djiuser_zKR5HFX3a2EC Posted at 6-28 12:31
I always keep it under 400ft. Because aircraft flys 500ft a d above. I see some people here complaining about 400ft 120m limit that they can not go over it. I wouldn't want to go into aircraft airspace. I don't fly above 400ft, but I do fly beyond vlos and if anyone say they don't they are lying. These drones are so advanced having a drone come crashing down into someone is like .0001%. So I fly beyond vlos as long as I keep it under 400ft and fly in a safe manner.

Locally I have seen STOL aircraft below 400feet on several occasions. We have a LOT of personal aircraft in Alaska with a grass strip right down the rural road from me and another two or three within 10 or so miles.  I was flying my drone at about 100feet watching my wife and dog and following them when I looked to my left and there was a small STOL aircraft flying VERY slowly and VERY low...probably under 200feet and not more than 60mph I'd guess. I was quite surprised. It was less than 1/4 mi away...much less. I brought my drone down to about 15 feet an flew back. I was only a few hundred feet away but was really quite shocked that the plane was almost silent. This is a reasonably rural area but plenty of small planes around with low flying planes not all that uncommon.