FAA UAS Facility Grid Data Question?

[Telecam]

Hello,

I have to take a few shots of Louisville, KY KFC center. According to the FAA UAS Facility Grid Data, it's located in a "0" cell but right outside Louisville's international controlled airspace. When looking at Airmap, the "0" cell doesn't go pass the limit of the controlled airspace. Am I allowed to fly north of the KFC center to film it? See both screen grabs attached (FAA and Airmap) with the KFC center marked with a red cross.

 

[BigAl07]

First of all keep in mind the GRID system is just a reference to help you make decisions on how/when to submit for Airspace Approvals.

If your location is outside of the airspace (horizontally and vertically) then you are good to fly. The FAA Sectional is the BIBLE and what you should go by. With that being said, I'd be VERY careful flying that close to "0" AGL area.

Have you tried using LAANC to get approval in that grid? Maybe ask for something like 75'AGL? The reason I suggest this is because that's a "0"AGL section for a good reason and you're playing with fire if you're not "in the system".

Do you have contact information for ATC? It might be worth a "courtesy call" and let them know your intentions and location... just to CYA.

Allen

 

[Telecam]

Thanks Allen for your advice,

As long as I stay north of the KFC Center and that my flight radius doesn't encroach on SDF's controlled airspace, Airmap gives me the green light. No need to obtain an airspace authorization. I just wanted to make sure Airmap interprets the "0" cell properly. I find the FAA's UAS grid system to be super helpful for flight planning purposes. Much easier to read at the city scale than the sectional charts.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Have you tried Chartbundle? It overlays sectionals over Google Earth. I love it.

Your source for Aviation Digital Raster Charts.

 

[R.Perry]

As BigA said, the sectional is the bible. Personally I would contact ATC, let them know where you are flying, altitude and that you are basically on the boarder of the 0 grid but outside it.

 

[Al Bee]

Have you tried Chartbundle? It overlays sectionals over Google Earth.

For small UAV operators, the FAA sectionals can be sometimes difficult to interpret. I recently discovered that I can use Google Earth to combine the Chartbundle KML with the 3dairspace KML, and visualize the airspace in 3D. Although this is definitely no substitute for reading the FAA sectional charts, it does serve me as a great interpretation and visual aid.