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Over the decades, Los Angeles has been limiting areas where one can legally fly drones. The set laws inhibit you from flying drones in L. A living you with few areas to fly the drone. It is illegal to fly the drones on major airports, military bases, groups of people, and national parks among other areas otherwise you risk being arrested and pay a fine of at least $1K or face imprisonment.
Drone operators within airports should maintain a 5-mile radius rule enforced by the FAA. The rules apply to specific cities and you should check the drones flying set of rules and laws of the current city you’re in to avoid any troubles with the law.
The FAA rules require drone operators to;
- Fly at speeds less than 100 mph
- Fly at an altitude ceiling of 500 feet
- Fly drones with payloads of 55 pounds and below
- Fly during the daylight.
Places to fly drones in L.A:
1. Sepulveda dam: You can legally fly your drone along the intersection of the 405 and 101 freeways near the Sepulveda Basin. You will have a lot of fun there.
2. Hollywood Hills: You can fly the drone at the L.A Hollywood Hill and capture an aerial view of the hills or some live streaming shots of the area.
3. Santa Monica pier: You can fly your drone on the coastal views of the beach. The farther you go along the coastal highway, you can legally fly the drone there.
4. Lancaster: Lancaster is another city which has approved the use of unmanned aerial surveillance. Although it is only restricted to public places with few people. You only need to seek permission and licensing with the federal government.
5. Simi Valley: Simi Valley is a great place to fly the drone as long as you fly within the FAA rules. The FAA has also granted commercial drone flights over the land to survey roads, pipelines, and equipment. Non-commercial drones should seek permission to fly in the area.
6. Along the lake in MacArthur Park: The L.A’s downtown skyline offer a pretty nice place to fly the drone at taking nice shots of the lake background as long as staying away from populated areas.
7. Apollo XI Field Airfield: San Fernando Apollo XI airport is a small remote control aircraft field. It has a separate helipad area and an open field at the south side of the airport set aside for flying drone up to a height of 400m. So many professional drone operators go to that place to practice with their drones. Make sure you don’t fly your drone towards the airfield area.
8. Rose Bowl Stadium- Lot H: Lot H in Rose Bowl allows you to safely fly your drone. Although you’re not allowed to fly the drone within the stadium but the area around the Rose Bowl in a great place to fly the drones. If you’re learning the basics on how to fly the drone, this is the place to be.
The only challenge is you can’t fly the drone when there is an event going on at the Rose Bowl or there is a large number of people.
9. Venice Beach: The area around Venice beach is great for practising with your drone and take nice shots of the surrounding area. You have to be there very early before people start to stream into the beach.
10. Torrance Beach: This is another place you can fly your drone. Always remember not to play the drone over people in these public places.
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Wow – great list – thank you. I’m new to flying a drone and I can’t seem to get a LAANC for the Apollo XI Field Airfield area unless I select “commercial.”. My drone won’t let me fly in areas without previous permission. Any Advice on what I can do?
I understand your frustration, but don’t worry! There are a few things you can try to resolve the issue.
First, make sure you have registered your drone with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and obtained your Part 107 certification if required. This will ensure that you are flying your drone legally and can access certain airspace.
Next, check if there are any temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) in place for the Apollo XI Field Airfield area. TFRs are temporary restrictions imposed by authorities for reasons like security, emergencies, or special events. If there is a TFR, it may prevent you from flying in that area without specific authorization.
If there are no TFRs in place, but you still can’t get a Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) approval for the area, try reaching out to the FAA or the LAANC provider directly for assistance. They may be able to provide guidance on why you are unable to obtain the LAANC for that specific location.
Lastly, consider exploring alternative flying locations that are not restricted or require special permissions. There are many beautiful and drone-friendly areas where you can practice flying your drone and capture stunning footage.
Remember, it’s important to always prioritize safety and follow the rules and regulations set by the FAA to ensure a positive and responsible drone flying experience.