Over on the Professional Pilots Network (PPRUNE), there is quite some concern about the risk that drones represent to airliners.

On p46 of the Inspire User Guide, it describes how the Inspire is prevented from flying near airports.  Across on PPRUNE the question was asked "What happens if you take off outside a restricted zone and then fly towards it?"  Anyone have the answer?

You can see the discussion on PPRUNE here.

I have yet to try it out, but my understanding is that there is a "fence" around the restricted area and the inspire will not allow you to fly into that airspace.

I work about 5 miles from a major airport, I could find a place right on that edge of that fence and test that theory out. (keeping the inspire within a few feet of the ground of course.

See the attached page from the I1 Manual (pg 48).
I'm speaking form P2V+ experience and reading the manual.
My I1 has not shopped to me yet.  
I have never tested the airport flight limit feature due to the serious nature of such an experiment.
If you take off and fly into the 1.5mi radius No Fly Zone, the I1 will switch to P mode and land.

Zeebadoo Posted at 2015-1-21 22:30
I have yet to try it out, but my understanding is that there is a "fence" around the restricted area ...

Please ... don't test.  I'm reassured by Gilbert's append of p48 of the manual and, regardless of how the I1 flies you may find the local law does not look on you kindly.

Roger that. I won't do any tests.

Yes. Especially don't test it in the US. You will get arrested and the drone laws are blurry as they are already.

I could put the drone in the back of my truck, turned on, no props, then drive into a restricted zone and see what happens.. It would be a way to verify the airspace failsafe without violating any laws.

I've flown my Inspire at the airport where I keep my plane. I did so as a licensed pilot, and only after I notified the airport manager. I kept well away from all aircraft in motion and monitored the local frequency for traffic. The Inspire did fly in what would be a no-fly zone, the airport's airspace (F46).

I believe the no-fly zones, as depicted above, only work with the ground station feature, as they did on my Phantom 2.

wolftj.email Posted at 2015-1-22 01:11
I've flown my Inspire at the airport where I keep my plane. I did so as a licensed pilot, and only a ...

It depends on the airport you are flying near.  Here in Las Vegas, a class A airport, a descending cone starting 5 miles out and then no flights within 1.8 miles.  Class B airports have a cylinder rather than a cone.

Thanks Ed. Not to argue the point but; I've flown into McCarran and North Las Vegas. McCarran would be an ICAO class B since you can fly into and out of it VFR (and you can to almost any airport in the U.S.) but require an ATC clearance to operate in it's airspace which goes all the way to the surface around the airport. North Las Vegas would be an ICAO class E since the airspace above doesn't require contact with ATC other than the control tower when it's open. You could fly into North Las Vegas without ever entering the overlying class B airspace, therefore you could fly in VFR as long as you had a mode C transponder (altitude reporting) inside the 30 mile mode C veil.

Yikes. Pretty technical, huh? The U.S. doesn't really have an ICAO class A airport, or does it? Well, ever since 911 the "DC 3" airports as they are called are effectively treated that way. You have to have a discreet code, have taken a course, and have been prescreened by TSA to fly in or out of the 3 airports inside the Washington DC area.

Any of you flight instructors or fellow pilots are welcome to correct me if I erred in any detail.

I feel this just made this whole thread less clear. Bottom line is there is some sort of no-fly zone around some airports apparently. Not sure how we would know exactly what the no-fly zone looked like at a particular field.

I'd really be interested to know how they define their restrictions. And by no-fly, are these things going to automatically know they can't fly over dodger stadium during a game? What about Disneyland? TFR's automatically get updated? What about flight restrictions for presidential visits?

I guess my biggest question is how fluid are these areas defined and redefined and where is that information best found? If US law dictates these all come out of the sky, will system updates automatically ground us anywhere in US airspace?

Blip Posted at 2015-1-22 00:11
Yes. Especially don't test it in the US. You will get arrested and the drone laws are blurry as they ...

Don't test in the US or your will get arrested? Where did you hear this garbage fear mongering stuff. The rule is just don't be stupid and flying in restricted areas.

If he flies a drone at an airport, he will be detained.

Blip Posted at 2015-1-22 08:19
If he flies a drone at an airport, he will be detained.

Not true. A broad statement that might be true in some, but not all circumstances.

This post is for USA Only:

Just a note on the restrictions around airports:  If you look at the DJI pilot App and zoom out you will see a red restricted area around an airport.  For example KPBI has the restriction on it which is a class C airport compared to F45 which is Class D.  Hope that helps.
As for flying at or near an airport you are asking for trouble.  All airports are under federal law and even private airports have to adhere to federal rules.  With that said flying at or near an airport you are taking a chance that you will be detained and fined as well as having a pissed off pilot hunt you down and beat you over the head with your inspire.  But if you are a pilot, which I am, you will understand the rules and stay safe with your UAS at or near airports.


Fly safe

drklion Posted at 2015-1-22 09:44
Just a note on the restrictions around airports:  If you look at the DJI pilot App and zoom out you  ...

I'm no pilot but have worked in Aviation for over 33 years! Anything from F-14's to 787's I don't fly anywhere even close to any airport! Why would anyone? That's like driving drunk your gonna kill someone!!!! There are sooooooo many places to fly why even think about it?

Mike

Speaking with over 25,000 hours in the hot seat, I cannot understand why anyone would want to fly in, around, or near any airport. It creates  an extremely dangerous environment for pilots of departing and arriving aircraft. Bird strike has been one of our biggest headaches in low altitude flying, however, drones are fast becoming even more dangerous. Don't risk your freedom or the lives of innocent people just so you can fly close to an airport. If you really want to experience flying at its best, get a pilot license and do it right. As one of the above posts claimed; with so many beautiful places to fly our drones, why would anyone want to fly around a boring airport...  

How about flying indoors? Before you laugh read this:

I want to take a shooting in a very large structure INSIDE an airport. I haven't arranged anything with anyone in the management of the airport, as i would like to know what is going to happen before i even attempt such a thing.
So... lets say we are INDOORS and even better INSIDE the airport. That airport is designated as class A.
Since we are indoors, i suppose the GPS lock wont work, so my Inspire1 will not know if it is anywhere close to the airport.
I guess i will have to fly in A-mode? Should i fly it in P-mode, in order the Opti do its great job?
Will that work? Will I be able to do my flight in there?
What if for some reason, my Inspire gets a GPS lock for a second (or maybe for 5)? will it land it self? Will i be able to take off again after that?

Excuse any mistakes made in my English.. i am not native

Picture a funnel with the tip being the Airport. Your DJI Quad will not work at the tip. As the funnel goes up  and gets wider it is reaching out in distance to create a no fly zone and I believe that your Quad will automatically return to home if it enters that area. I believe it is within 5 miles of the Airport. You will not be able to enter the air space within that distance as the aircraft is descending to land. I have never tried it nor will I. I am in between an Air National Guard Base and a small Lake and close to that is a large Sand Bank. The Air Guard, both Army and Air Force use the Lake and Sand Bank for training with Black Hawks and C 130's. The C 130's will fly at about 200 feet above the tree tops to practice radar evasion. If I hear the least bit os activity from them I don't fly my Quads at all.

Watch this DJI video for an explanation: http://www.dji.com/fly-safe/category-mc

We have RC demonstrations at the local air show.  My first build was flown and was a big hit.  I'm guessing this cannot be done with the I1.  My question is, are the I1's restrictions based on the map thru the app?  Could you fly it LOS without using the app or mobile device?

Would it be possible for DJI to provide an unlock code for specific commercial applications and Licensed Operators close to Airports provided the request was obviously supported and proposed flights were approved by the local ATC .

I may be wrong, but I don't think this feature has been implemented on the Inspire as of yet?  If so they would have released a firmware update when they released the Phantom update that added Washington DC as a "No Fly Zone".  In a press release I read someplace DJI stated that soon this flight restriction software would be implemented across their entire product line?

Again, I could be wrong (not the first time), but at this time I don't think the Inspire has this capability activated...

What is the FAA doing to coerce DJI into doing their job for them? Remember a Cessna flew into the White House years ago, they didn't make Cessna block the aircraft from flying in no fly zones? The FAA is obviously taken an oppositions approach to UAV's, they don't want them & don't understand them. If the FAA was doing their job we wouldn't have the issues & bugs we have relating to the props flying off or the IOS ground station not being supported. In reality the FAA is only compounding the problems were having.

This is reality, traditional aviation is going to have to give up some space for the UAV's it's not traditional aviation space to begin with!! As soon as the FAA stands in the middle between the two as an objective mediator instead of huddle together with pilot's assoc.'s & aircraft mfg.s we'll get some forward progress. Otherwise, the FAA's position towards UAV's will only lead to it removal of authority over them. You can not regulate something you oppose, that's called Prohibition & we tried it once before with horrible results!

I was just on the outskirts of a warning zone of an airport and it wouldn't let me go any farther than 150 ft Distance. Didn't test the height, it was kinda da windy. Had the dji spark with controller

argykaraz Posted at 2015-2-3 05:39
How about flying indoors? Before you laugh read this:

I want to take a shooting in a very large structure INSIDE an airport. I haven't arranged anything with anyone in the management of the airport, as i would like to know what is going to happen before i even attempt such a thing.

Good luck with that and let us know what happens. Sounds boring though- I would rather go to a spot with a vista.  BTW Class A Airspace begins at 18,000Ft.  Most airports are designated as Class B or C

fans1fdd3df0 Posted at 2018-1-14 10:08
Good luck with that and let us know what happens. Sounds boring though- I would rather go to a spot with a vista.  BTW Class A Airspace begins at 18,000Ft.  Most airports are designated as Class B or C

This is a very old post but the DJI no-fly zone is from ground level regardless of the class of airspace.

Mark G.