Borrego State Park is the largest in California, just west of the Salton Sea. The desert is vast. It is a huge seemingly empty place. I thought for sure that I would be able to fly my DJI F-450 quad copter here. If motorcycles and four wheel drives can fly up and down the dirt roads I certainly did not see how my copter could be offensive. Not to mention there are few people around. I am not leaving a tire track or foot print.
As I stated in the video I did not see that this area was on the drone no-fly map. My question on this situation is this. Is it law that I cannot fly there, or is it just that the authorities would prefer that I did not? If I am flying within the bounds of the FAA, is there anything that says I can't?
It is really getting frustrating. How did this hobby or sport get such a bad name that everywhere I go I get grounded. I could understand if I was flying in city where it is frowned on, but out in the wilderness with no one around. No people. No animals.
I am a general aviation pilot. Single engine land. I also have a Sport pilot ticket to fly Powered Parachutes. I know all too well about the FAA. If we as drone pilots are waiting for a decision, as are the parks, get comfortable, it will be a while. I have also learned that when the rule is imposed, as it was with Powered Parachutes, it will be ridiculous and expensive to fly legally. An RC pilot does not need to know the majority of what is learned in piloting an aircraft. Airspace rules I can understand but little else. The law enforcement officer commented on maybe I would need a pilots license in the future.
I see a difficult row to hoe ahead for us.
It seems to me that the park systems could impose a set of rules of their own right now. That way they would know who is flying and where. At least we could fly and they would have some control. As it stands today, if you take a look at the videos folks are posting, it is happening behind their backs and will continue to be that way as long as they sit on their hands.
