Any Left Coasters on here

[pyrate]

Going to Dana Point Beach Resort California in May
its between LA and San Diego right of the pacific coast highway
bring solo or leave it at home?

 

[Chuck]

Bring it pyrate. There are a lot of places in that area to get some good shots. I have been to Torrey Pines in the past, but didn't own a Solo back then. My rule is, if I am going to any beach, I am taking my Solo. There is always something to film. Maybe try pulling the area up on Google, and see if it is what your are interested in. Good luck, and have a great trip.

 

[pyrate]

Thankd

 

[Joe Horn]

Southern California laws about drones differ from city to city. Dana Point allows drones in all but so-called "Natural Open Spaces" (undeveloped land, which there is very much of in SoCal). This is mandated by the Dana Point Municipal Code (13.04.050.e) which says, "Radio or remotely controlled aircraft of any type or size are prohibited, beneath four hundred (400) feet, at the Natural Open Spaces." For what it's worth, that's the most lenient that any city in Orange County can get, because the county itself prohibits using drones in natural open spaces.

Beaches owned by private resorts do not fall into this category. Each resort would set the rules for its own beach. Some are very drone friendly, as are most SoCal city beaches.

Avoid California state beaches, however. They are not drone friendly. Even though there is no specific law on the books yet, the state park/beach system has instructed the rangers to quote the laws prohibiting public endangerment when they tell you not to fly drones (even if you are endangering nobody).

Disclaimer: By time you take your trip next May, the laws will almost certainly have changed.

 

[pyrate]

Very informative.
Thank you

 

[Robert Rose]

Leave it home. I ran Dana Point through the Skyward map planners (see attached), and while the city area appears to be in Class G airspace, you are just north of the San Onofre nuclear power plant, and the Camp Pendleton Marine Corp base, and south of the 5 mile limit for John Wayne airport. (I assume you are flying for recreation and not under Part 107.) Also, Dana Point itself is shown as a VFR waypoint on the Los Angeles TAC, which means that you could encounter low flying VFR traffic. I know the area well, and there are lots of people in the area. When you registered your UAS with the FAA you promised (among other things), to:

be aware of FAA airspace requirements
NOT FLY DIRECTLY OVER PEOPLE
not fly near aircraft

So, in short, you may be super careful and not fly too close to the airport, or stray into prohibited airspace, but it is going to be near impossible to avoid flying over people.

This one is a matter of discretion, but I say don't tempt fate, leave the Solo home, and go get a beer and burger at Turks's in the Harbor.

P.S. Skyward is a great resource for planning and checking airspace issues just like this.

 

[pyrate]

Thanks Bob

 

[bluesgeek]

OTOH, you won't be far from other beaches—some of which must be cool for flying.