Greetings, everyone. Denver Mavic owner here. I just found this forum, and I'm so excited to learn of the local UAS clubs and Meetup groups for [new] drone pilots. Honestly, I've been too paranoid to fly my Mavic given all the regulations and restrictions. I feel better knowing there's a community of drone operators and dedicated clubs not too far from me.

denverdrone Posted at 2017-2-25 20:44
Hi Aurora here, i have been flying in National Forests . if you look on the US forest page it clearly says this:     The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (link is external) has regulatory authority over all airspace, including recreational use of airspace by model aircraft (See FAA Advisory Circular 91-57)  (link is external).  The U.S. Forest Service does not have the authority to establish any additional regulations regarding where UAS can or can’t be flown.    https://www.fs.fed.us/science-technology/fire/unmanned-aircraft-systems

Great info, thank you for the link. I would have figured that any National Park would be NFZ. I would still check at the entrance of the park for their rules and regs. Some friends of mine tried to fly at an open space area just out side of Denver and got a warning from a Park Ranger. Even though we check online and didn't see anything they had it posted by the bathrooms and we didn't see it.

Zardoz Posted at 2017-3-3 08:08
Great info, thank you for the link. I would have figured that any National Park would be NFZ. I would still check at the entrance of the park for their rules and regs. Some friends of mine tried to fly at an open space area just out side of Denver and got a warning from a Park Ranger. Even though we check online and didn't see anything they had it posted by the bathrooms and we didn't see it.

You are right, National Parks are off limits to Drones but we have National Forests and BLM land all around us and this has the best scenery. (National forests are not related to National Parks)  Hike a 13er or 14er nearby and you can get amazing footage.

Or...just go west to the nearest national forest and do some exploring. It's key to get out of the city areas.

Here's a video I took straight out of the Mavic a week after I got it with no color grading or anything like that.  (Note, this was my first Mavic that was later replace under warantty and had a camera focus issue on the right side. Still pretty good for a beginer)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpYlo43wOnw

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-3-5 09:54
You are right, National Parks are off limits to Drones but we have National Forests and BLM land all around us and this has the best scenery. (National forests are not related to National Parks)  Hike a 13er or 14er nearby and you can get amazing footage.

Or...just go west to the nearest national forest and do some exploring. It's key to get out of the city areas.

Very cool video, what altitude were you at? How did it handle? I noticed you didn't go to far from the home point and I don't blame you, lol. I hope to be taking my Mavic on some 14ers this summer.

Zardoz Posted at 2017-3-6 07:26
Very cool video, what altitude were you at? How did it handle? I noticed you didn't go to far from the home point and I don't blame you, lol. I hope to be taking my Mavic on some 14ers this summer.

I was just above 14,000 feet at the top and about 600 feet below that at the start.  It handles great.  I actually flew much further than what was shown in the video but it didn't decide to include that part.

Hey guys, Highlands Ranch ,  Thought I would get on the new Regional forums. Anyone having issues with the new firmware for the Mavic Pro.  Litchi send everyone and email with some issue they found in their application with the new firmware.  Just wondering if anyone has seen anything new.   Just updated the Mavic and will run it through it's paces here in the next little while

fansfb136c01 Posted at 2017-3-9 12:01
Hey guys, Highlands Ranch ,  Thought I would get on the new Regional forums. Anyone having issues with the new firmware for the Mavic Pro.  Litchi send everyone and email with some issue they found in their application with the new firmware.  Just wondering if anyone has seen anything new.   Just updated the Mavic and will run it through it's paces here in the next little while

No issues with the .500 firmware. I have flown a lot and I use Litchi more than DJI Go4. With Litchi, there are just a few flight modes (track, FPV with head tracking, and follow as I recall) that are affected. Litchi works great in Orbit, FPV, and Waypoint modes for me with the .500 firmware.

BentonJoyce Posted at 2017-1-15 10:13
I'm located in Boulder Colorado looking for some good places to fly it's illegal practically everywhere...

I live up in Nederland.  I am expecting my Mavic within the next day or two.  I am up for hikes into the mountains in search of good fly areas.  If you ever want to join, let me know.  There are several areas I am looking at, 4th of July trail, Moffat Tunnel, Caribou town site, Indian Peaks, Longs Peak area, etc...

Good news for me, I just moved to Elizabeth area.  Lots of room to fly around my house.
Bad news for me, I ran into my barn and repairs are now needed before flying again.

Hi, new owner from Highlands Ranch here. I've been flying other drones for about two years, but the Spark is my first DJI product. I'm planning on getting a Phantom 4 Pro in early 2018...after I wait to see if they announce something new at CES in January.

I'm also finding it to be very difficult to find "legal" flying areas. For quite a while I was using a large parking lot about a mile away from my home; it was just my luck that the lot was recently fenced off as a huge recreation facility is being built there. Sigh. However, I joined the AMA and will start flying over at the Jeffco Aeromodelers field at Chatfield Reservoir soon. Highlands Ranch is very problematic in that our vast open spaces are all marked with signs that say "No model aircraft or rockets", and I'm sure that they'd consider any drone to be a "model aircraft". Our recreation district folks also don't seem to want to open up at least one park or area to flying, although I'm sure that would be very popular in this community.

Cheers!

Hello, I am in Evergreen and looking for places to both practice (like flat parks) and also place to fly for scenic cinematography. I am commercial certified and understand the rules regarding airspace, but what I am having trouble with is learning where I can and cannot fly in public lands (assuming airspace is good.) What parks can I fly in (like flat parks with fields), can I fly from a safe spot on the side of the road, etc. Does anyone know a central source for local rules governing drone use on public lands? Otherwise, is there a basic list I can follow? I know, for example, that National Parks are off limits.

Shadowspawne Posted at 2017-1-29 02:07
Hey,
     I am here in the Colorado Springs area as well. I have just been standing on my balcony and flying, up and down the creek/river beds, and surrounding areas. I have only dared to take it about a 1/2 mile out as of yet, still barely in sight. Anyone have any experience in flying it to get some shots when it is snowing? Or below 32 degrees fahrenheit?

I was visiting my family back in Nebraska and was flying in -4 and what I noticed was at first it was very wobbly. After a few minutes of hovering it must of gotten warmed up and flew fine afterward.

PixelRanchSteve Posted at 2017-12-11 14:23
Hi, new owner from Highlands Ranch here. I've been flying other drones for about two years, but the Spark is my first DJI product. I'm planning on getting a Phantom 4 Pro in early 2018...after I wait to see if they announce something new at CES in January.

I'm also finding it to be very difficult to find "legal" flying areas. For quite a while I was using a large parking lot about a mile away from my home; it was just my luck that the lot was recently fenced off as a huge recreation facility is being built there. Sigh. However, I joined the AMA and will start flying over at the Jeffco Aeromodelers field at Chatfield Reservoir soon. Highlands Ranch is very problematic in that our vast open spaces are all marked with signs that say "No model aircraft or rockets", and I'm sure that they'd consider any drone to be a "model aircraft". Our recreation district folks also don't seem to want to open up at least one park or area to flying, although I'm sure that would be very popular in this community.

Hi
I am also in Highlands Ranch snd wouldnt want to get into trouble fir flying where it is not allowed.
Have you guys found any good places not too far from the city to do so?
Thanks

I Loveland. Getting a Mavic Air in a few days

Hey. I'm in SW Longmont, close to Boulder. I fly a Mavic to film (mostly away from towns, and in the mountains). I'm going to go meet the people at Leaf RC in east Longmont,. but am looking for good areas to fly and film in the mountains west of Boulder and Longmont (there's a few). I'd like to see if anyone around Boulder County is into FPV flying with min whoops or cine-whoops. I'm thinking of getting the DJI Goggles. Maybe all of us around Boulder/Weld counties can find a decent time and place to meet and fly. I'll look in B4UFly and my nav charts to find us a good, accessible, public place.

BentonJoyce Posted at 2017-1-15 12:23
Do you guys no of any good locations to film where the rules are less regulated? Even the open spaces right outside of boulder don't let you fly it's really a bummer I understand it in the city considering it's near an airport and people always fly low around boulder. Colorado could be a great place for film makers and aerial photography but it's  just so regulated considering most of it is a national park...

Hi. I live in Longmont. You can fly anywhere in the National Forest. You can fly in OSMP, but you have to be physically off OSMP property...drone can go there. Same with National Parks.

If we have enough people in northern CO, maybe we can meet up Left Hand Canyon or somewhere and fly Mavics (and FPVs, too, if you guys have some)

Looks like this post went a little dormant.  I am in SE Aurora.  Fly Mavic Air 2 and an Inspire 2.  Looking forward to see if anyone is interested in a meet up.