New York State flying

[Wirednot]

Hi All,
Wondering if any NY upstate types in the mix. Where are you flying, and not flying? Before any of you snippy types tell me to go search Google, etc, just ease up. We have a frustrating array of federal, State, local laws and regs to contend with (or take chances on violating depending on your mindset). I'm fortunate in having at least some rural property and a lake at my disposal at camp, but in my local home neighborhood I'm paranoid of flying over even the school grounds that I pay a random in taxes for. I'm nowhere near NYC, so it's peculiarities are of little interest to me. Just curious where other upstaters are having luck flying or where you are getting run out of.

Thanks!

 

[Saijin_Naib]

Very upstate here, just about .5mi off Lake Ontario. I've got a few small patches of what appear to be open airspace to fly my Solo and other UASs in, but it's not much.

 

[IrishmanPDX]

Yeah, probably not a good idea to be flying over school grounds with a camera equipped drone anyway. I'm just saying, some people who are paranoid of drones could take it the wrong way.

 

[USMC86]

yup. watch the schools; especially those with ball fields that have back-stops because those fences aren’t Solo friendly!!

 

[User Name]

I'm in NY, not sure what's considered "upstate", to most people in NYC, upstate is anything north of 125th street! Anyway, I'm in New Paltz/Ulster County. I used to fly in/around the Mohonk Preserve until they banned drones. That really cut down on my flying, as the mountain ridge is a highlight of the area. I practice at local fair grounds and school yards. I take the Solo to a small cabin we have on a lake in Vermont, but flying over water is never particularly relaxing!

 

[Wirednot]

I'm in NY, not sure what's considered "upstate", to most people in NYC, upstate is anything north of 125th street! Anyway, I'm in New Paltz/Ulster County. I used to fly in/around the Mohonk Preserve until they banned drones. That really cut down on my flying, as the mountain ridge is a highlight of the area. I practice at local fair grounds and school yards. I take the Solo to a small cabin we have on a lake in Vermont, but flying over water is never particularly relaxing!

Agreed, it is unnerving to send it out over the water. But I will say that my trust in Solo increases every time I use it. Hoping to do some drone work for one of my farm network customers. That could get me in the door of some new flying grounds.

 

[cjkershner]

Hey fellow NYers! I'm currently in a little town just outside Utica, and got some flght time in last fall after getting a Solo. My property is at the edge of the 5 mile radius for a private grass airstrip, so I call the number listed for the owner/"ATC" (there's no tower) and let him know when I'm flying around the house.

Aside from a short flight at a clear spot in the Everglades, haven't flown much farther than that yet, but I'm going to try to get some shots of the old Bannerman armory down in Beacon this summer if I can work out the permissions.

 

[User Name]

I'm going to try to get some shots of the old Bannerman armory down in Beacon this summer if I can work out the permissions.

That would be really cool. You could probably film most if not all of it from shore and not worry about permissions as it's only a few hundred feet out in the river. I definitely wouldn't' step foot on the island without permission and accompaniment. The castle is really falling apart, every year, there's less and less standing.

It's a shame it wasn't saved while there was enough to save. Quite a bit of history there. Would definitely be cool to capture some nice footage of it before it's too late.

 

[cjkershner]

Some enterprising pilots have already shot dramatic videos of the ruins...

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Flying/filming from shore was the plan, but there are guided walking and kayak tours of the island available to the public (Visit the Island). You're right about the state of decay, but I know efforts have been/are being made to save what remains.

The permissions I was referring to are the two nearby hospital heliports and the one at West Point (AirMap Web App). Hopefully those can be resolved with a few phone calls.