Drone-friendly areas - Cape Town

Frankie23

Frankie23

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I've just relocated to Cape Town, and was hoping to get some tips from the local drone pilots on where the best/most drone-friendly areas are to fly, around the Sea Point/Camps Bay/Blouberg area (or any other areas you could recommend)?

I'm looking to specifically fly and shoot video of the ocean/beaches and maybe some mountains if possible, but am unsure of how people here view drones/drone pilots and don't really want to launch the drone just anywhere and risk offending the locals in the first week since moving in :D
 
Cape Town is very strict on drone isage.

The Cape Town CBD is off limits, and you are also not allowed to fly a drone in Sea Point, Green Point or surrounds. You will get stopped by CCID or the cops asking for a permit. You are also not allowed to operate a drone in any of the national parks within the city.

You can fly at blouberg beach, just not near the road or near any building. Generally the further away from the city you are, the less strict it becomes.

Make sure you are well versed with the CAA rules;

http://www.caa.co.za/Pages/RPAS/Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems.aspx
 
The CAA rules for private non-commercial flying are very restrictive.

Particularly tough are:

- no flying within 10km of an airport, aerodrome or helipad.
- no flying within 50m of a public road, or 50m from someone else's (private) property.

Bloubergstrand beach even at Big Bay is within 5km of the helipad at Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital, so they can still schnaai you on a technicality...
 
Hmmm, Rondebosch Common is right next to Red Cross Children's Hospital (as well as being full of dog walkers), and within 5km of half of the hospitals in Cape Town. I did see councillor JP Smith testing one there, but I guess they had permission.

Photo available on request!
 
Geez, so not many option for doing some aerial photography around the beach areas. Is it even worth taking the drone out?
 
FrankyF said:
Geez, so not many option for doing some aerial photography around the beach areas. Is it even worth taking the drone out?
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Having a lot of National Park areas Cape Town is quite restrictive yes. For beach areas you can legit fly at Long Beach Kommetjie, Llandudno & all along Victoria Road up to Clifton if I'm not mistaken, that's more than enough beach to get your fix :)
 
FrankyF said:
Geez, so not many option for doing some aerial photography around the beach areas. Is it even worth taking the drone out?
Click to expand...
Fools over the years have made it harder for us non fools to fly drones.

There was one numbnut who flew a drone right over keoberg nuclear power station, which is a very serious offense. Luckily they caught the guy.

Idiots like these just make the authorities clamp down harder.
 
prOd said:
Having a lot of National Park areas Cape Town is quite restrictive yes. For beach areas you can legit fly at Long Beach Kommetjie, Llandudno & all along Victoria Road up to Clifton if I'm not mistaken, that's more than enough beach to get your fix :)
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Awesome, thanks :D Will take a drive up Victoria Road this morning and check out some of the sweet spots to fly :cool:
 
genetic said:
Fools over the years have made it harder for us non fools to fly drones.

There was one numbnut who flew a drone right over keoberg nuclear power station, which is a very serious offense. Luckily they caught the guy.
Click to expand...

What a jackass. Idiot.
 
FrankyF said:
I've just relocated to Cape Town, and was hoping to get some tips from the local drone pilots on where the best/most drone-friendly areas are to fly, around the Sea Point/Camps Bay/Blouberg area (or any other areas you could recommend)?

I'm looking to specifically fly and shoot video of the ocean/beaches and maybe some mountains if possible, but am unsure of how people here view drones/drone pilots and don't really want to launch the drone just anywhere and risk offending the locals in the first week since moving in :D
Click to expand...

The best would be to talk to The South African Model aircraft association they fall under Aeroclub South Africa which regulates all recreational aviation. As per CAA and RAASA mandate.

That would put you in the best possible legal situation regarding flying drones and model aircraft.


https://www.dronedeals.co.za/south-african-drone-laws-7-most-important-rules/

Btw public spaces like beaches would be a no go, you don't own nor have permission to fly there.
 
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Ninja'd said:
The hell? Do they expect you to fly that thing on the mountain only?
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Sandy Bay is not on the mountain; it's a beach. And its more than 50m from public roads and private property. #justsaying





OTOH you're gonna need a wide-angle lens to fully appreciate the fat-to-body ratio of many of the regulars on that beach.
 
scudsucker said:
Sandy Bay is not on the mountain; it's a beach. And its more than 50m from public roads and private property. #justsaying





OTOH you're gonna need a wide-angle lens to fully appreciate the fat-to-body ratio of many of the regulars on that beach.
Click to expand...

Nude beaches :twisted: But the risk of fatties is too high here.
 
luvmycar said:
drones should be banned over all public area's including beaches,houses malls
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if you read the SACAA regulations that apply to all recreational flyers, it would be illegal to overfly a beach if there are people on the beach. The same applies to schools etc. At least not within 50m of a populated beach or a school etc.

Most beaches in Cape Town also have public roads and other private property within 50m of the beach.

You're not allowed to overfly or fly anywhere within 50m of any private property without the owners permission - so that includes any residential property and shopping malls which are all private property.

Its the guys who break the regulations that make life more difficult for those who fly legally - and there are quite a few out there not flying drones within the law.
 
Good people will break stupid laws as they say.
 
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