Recent content by Jim West

I'm basically a still photographer and suck at video, but for what its worth: I'd try to find an undamaged part of the house--front door if possible--and start at ground level and slowly ascend and pull back to show the "hilarity" of this situation.

Was it for editorial use or commercial/business/advertising use? And did they charge you a fee?

Looks like it doesn't apply to visitors to Washington unless they stay 90 days or longer.

Although I would love to fly around in national parks and photograph the great scenery, when I'm backpacking or enjoying nature, I'm really happy that there aren't lots of drones buzzing around. Keeping some places wild is really important. There was a big issue many years ago about the...

I also use: ArcGIS Web Application

https://skyvector.com/

My COA only gave the phone number of the tower, and they were happy to talk on the phone. (I have a radio scanner only, cannot transmit.) Whichever way you contact them, keep it short and don't chit-chat.

I used Drone Zone this spring to get authorization to fly 3,000 feet from the end of the runway at Detroit City Airport. They have LAANC, but this was in a 0 area on the grid. I asked for 50 feet to photograph the demolition of a building that was about that height. It took only a few days, and...

Sure. You don't want to fly too close to cattle. Just like people, they'll get upset. But to call a feedlot "critical infrastructure" like it was a nuclear power plant is bizarre. I think the real reason is they don't want people to see the crowded conditions cattle are kept in at feedlots.

The more worrisome thing rather than an individual security guard is those states that have specifically outlawed flying over or near "critical infrastructure," which often includes such things as cattle farms and communications towers. Your local cop can then point to the state law, and even...

I got 98% on the exam, which I thought was pretty good. But it scared me because they said you need 100% to pass. Turns out they tell you what you got wrong and let you go back and fix it. So it seems to only way to fail is just to fail to complete the course and exam.

I don't request COA's very often, but those that I have requested are generally granted in a couple of days, and for more than just one day. I asked for 100' in a small part of a 0 grid near the Class D DET, and they gave me authorization for two weeks.

I had no problem flying my M2P less than an hour before the beginning of a sports stadium-related TFR in Detroit. I needed, and got, LAANC authorization at that time because of a nearby airport.

Is there a Home Depot near you? They take rechargeable batteries up to 11 pounds. Info: Call2Recycle: The Home Depot Recycles Ten Million Pounds of Rechargeable Batteries An internet search will turn up other options.

I'm pretty careful about charging the RC fully, though I've noticed that sometimes it won't charge to 100% - it stops at about 98%. That seemed ok to me, but I'm wondering now if there's some flaw in the battery.