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Flying near non-towered airport where Class E starts at 700 feet but it’s in DJI restricted zone

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RickMC

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So there’s a small non-towered airport very close to an area where I have a potential commercial job. But when I check a sectional chart it’s in class E airspace that starts at 700 ft. There’s no surface airspace restrictions or any kind of grids when I check the UAS maps. However, where I want to fly is located in the DJI red restricted geo zone. So how do I go about flying in this area. I can’t get LAANC or any other FAA authorization since it’s Class G up to 700 feet. Not sure how I can fly here because DJI locks me out. Do I call the airport even though there’s no control tower?
 
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No...

There is a way to do this...but I’d really like to know what airport so I can look at it on a sectional.

Just want to be sure it’s Class E7, not E2 per the FAA Memorandum regarding authorizations.

It’s not uncommon for the flying monkeys at [email protected] to get it wrong.

If for some reason you don’t want to post the location you could PM me...I won’t steal your job.
 
IF you are not in a Class E surface area:

Submit a request to [email protected].
Explain - in detail - your launch point, altitude and operational radius.
Include a screen shot of the sectional chart (take one off vfrmap.com), the UAS facility map showing the altitude grid (or in your case the LACK of one) and a screenshot of their red zone.
Remind them that US regulations permit operation in Class G airspace (even with overlying E airspace at 700’) and does not require FAA approval. Include the Memorandum I posted above...
They should be able to do a custom unlock for 6 months to a year.
In addition, insist they correct their database in the next update.

I’ve done this before, in addition to getting closed airports removed from the database (with a custom unlock in the meantime).

Make sure you include your flight controller serial number for the unlock to avoid an additional delay.

They may be doing this to cover their butts as the overlying Class E(7) is directly associated with an airport, as you can likely go to 500m if you set up your controller correctly...but none of the non-towered airports near me with E7 airspace has any DJI red zones...
 
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I have a similar situation near by with a much simpler solution. As I don’t fly things with restrictive software near airports I just asked the airport manager her thoughts on the situation. Her response; why ask me? If you stay below 400’ and we (manned aircraft) stay above 500’, where’s the problem?
 
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PatR said:
I have a similar situation near by with a much simpler solution. As I don’t fly Things with restrictive software near airports I just asked the airport manager her thoughts on the situation. Her response; why ask me? If you stay below 400’ and we )manned aircraft) stay above 500’, where’s the problem?
Click to expand...
Right. This wouldn’t be any problem if DJI didn’t have their restricted GEO zone in place. Perhaps I should look into other drone companies whose software doesn’t have restrictions like this.
 
Having just gone through this where I was outside (just) a non-towered airport zone and DJI wouldn't let me fly until I did the unlock process, I now tether my non-cellular-network-connected iPad to my phone whenever I think there might be an issue - saves the hassle of having to stop and open the phone, connect it to the RPA, and go through the whole setup from scratch again. (It seems, from my experience at least, that the DJI authorisation isn't device specific, so I could get the authorisation on the phone, reconnect the iPad and unlock there too.)
 
I love not having to deal at all with geo restriction software and asking a manufacturer for permission. At my age it’s a bit late to be asking “Mommie, may I?”
 
However, I think the point is that we can't trust many drone owners to fly legally - or even to get enough aviation education to know the difference. I'm fine unlocking through the manufacturer of it means I won't have to encounter the general public irresponsibly flying where they shouldn't.
 
I had a similar experience trying to inspect a 900 ft broadcast tower . [email protected] showed it in the approach path of a little used runway but it was not in FAA restricted airspace. My first contact with Flysafe got a reply that requested documentation from a "responsible authority" as part of the unlock application. I went to the local FSDO and talked to a FAA representative who was familiar with drone regulations/operations. He said, "I can't give you authorization for something that is legal" so I thought I was in a Catch 22 situation. I decided to submit the application to Flysafe anyway and included a screenshot of the Flysafe geofence (with the tower site and coordinates shown) and a screenshot of the site from the faa.maps.arcgis site (ArcGIS Web Application). showing no restrictions and was granted the unlock document within a few minutes. Problem solved. I don't object to DJI geofenceing functionality (especially if they respond this quickly) because I think it is for the good of the industry long term.
 
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As there appears to be a consensus that in order to assure people fly safely those flying must be monitored, it becomes logical to prohibit flight until first passing an aero knowledge and safety course. No course, no pass, no buy, no fly. Of course that would prohibit internet sales of drones as proof of certification and identity prior to sale would have to be assured. Make it a criminal offense to buy and fly without certification.

But doung that would reduce drone unit sales...

Now, how to eliminate the possibility of people flying model airplanes and helicopters from flying in the wrong places. But that’s never been much of an issue, so perhaps banning autopilots might be a more appropriate course of action. Remove the ability to fly for people that don’t know how to fly to prevent their participation and the airspace conflict issue is suddenly minimized.

Passing control of when and where you fly to an outside entity is a slippery slope. Once on it there is no control over where it stops.
 
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There seems, of course, to be little interest on the part of TC or the FAA actually to enforce the regulations. Only after some pressure were fines given to Drake for his entirely irresponsible behaviour in Toronto earlier this year. But what is $7500 to someone in his position?
 

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