Drone-friendly areas - Cape Town

Can someone confirm for me the following if it’s a problem or illegal;

I want to take photos of a roof for repairs with a micro drone - DJI Mini

But the area in question is within 5km of an aero drome.

The height of the drone will be approx 10-20m to get the view I need.

What does the law say?
 
Aerodrome or Airport? There is a difference between the two as if it's an Aerodrome you can just call them up and inform them that you will be operating a drone over your house and they will inform aircraft to avoid your area for the time that you are doing it. An Airport will require SACAA authorization and maybe getting into contact with ATNS so that they can file it and issue a proper NOTAM.
 
Wut said:
Aerodrome or Airport? There is a difference between the two as if it's an Aerodrome you can just call them up and inform them that you will be operating a drone over your house and they will inform aircraft to avoid your area for the time that you are doing it. An Airport will require SACAA authorization and maybe getting into contact with ATNS so that they can file it and issue a proper NOTAM.
Click to expand...
Assuming it's in a residential area it will be within 50m of a neighbour's property and/or a road so it will be illegal. But then again, this is Africa. If you don't go looking for trouble and just fly the drone to take the pic I can't see anybody making a big deal out of it.
 
Speedster said:
Assuming it's in a residential area it will be within 50m of a neighbour's property and/or a road so it will be illegal. But then again, this is Africa. If you don't go looking for trouble and just fly the drone to take the pic I can't see anybody making a big deal out of it.
Click to expand...
True. I assumed that because he mentioned Aerodrome that he was probably somewhere rural.
 
Wut said:
Aerodrome or Airport? There is a difference between the two as if it's an Aerodrome you can just call them up and inform them that you will be operating a drone over your house and they will inform aircraft to avoid your area for the time that you are doing it. An Airport will require SACAA authorization and maybe getting into contact with ATNS so that they can file it and issue a proper NOTAM.
Click to expand...
Playing devils advocate here but doesnt DJI Mini have ADS-B, therefore traffic would know there is a drone in area?
 
neoprema said:
Can someone confirm for me the following if it’s a problem or illegal;

I want to take photos of a roof for repairs with a micro drone - DJI Mini

But the area in question is within 5km of an aero drome.

The height of the drone will be approx 10-20m to get the view I need.

What does the law say?
Click to expand...
DJI drones get fussy when you're that close to an airport. The software often won't let you fly - esp if you're on the flight path - without clearance from them.

That said - the law says no but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Sorry I wasn’t sure if it’s classified as an airport or an aero drome because only little Cessna thingies take off - it’s Grand Central.

Yeah in a residential area but it’s quite a big property. Obviously not mine, but permission from the owner as the owner asked me, their friend, what their roof looks like.

Out of interest I did email the CAA and the replied after a few hours with a form I apparently need to use to register the drone, but didn’t say what happens after that…
 
neoprema said:
Sorry I wasn’t sure if it’s classified as an airport or an aero drome because only little Cessna thingies take off - it’s Grand Central.

Yeah in a residential area but it’s quite a big property. Obviously not mine, but permission from the owner as the owner asked me, their friend, what their roof looks like.

Out of interest I did email the CAA and the replied after a few hours with a form I apparently need to use to register the drone, but didn’t say what happens after that…
Click to expand...
Legally you can't fly within 20km of any airport, including Grand Central.
 
A) Its illegal
B) No one will probably ever know if you do.

FYI - lots of Controlled airspace in that area.
1743609082707.png

1743609170443.png
 
Last edited:
Fookin hell chaps he wants to check a roof not mountain dive.

Just do it, youre over thinking it.
 
Hmm yeah i just don't want them to have some kind off fancy radar that can detect the drone in the air, or its frequency use in the area etc. I do believe the DJI's do broadcast their serial no. too?

Also, given all this strictness. What do like the Estates people do? There's a million shots from the air of all those estates going up and new complexes and those drones would have been way over 50M right in the path of that airport... I assume then you can ask for permission? I'm hoping by now it would be automated.

For example in Death Valley, Nevada 2 years ago I used an app. And it said its restricted air space no fly zone - but you can apply in real-time for permission. So we stopped the car, I applied, said its for recreational pictures of the desert etc. 10 mins later my phone app got an update saying permission granted for the next 5 hours at no higher than 120 meters and within the following boundaries...

As a side note, at 40C ambient temperature, the drone flew fine. What didn't was my iPhone that while flying for 8 minutes did a thermal shutdown lol... I had to press return to home.
 
neoprema said:
Hmm yeah i just don't want them to have some kind off fancy radar that can detect the drone in the air, or its frequency use in the area etc. I do believe the DJI's do broadcast their serial no. too?

Also, given all this strictness. What do like the Estates people do? There's a million shots from the air of all those estates going up and new complexes and those drones would have been way over 50M right in the path of that airport... I assume then you can ask for permission? I'm hoping by now it would be automated.

For example in Death Valley, Nevada 2 years ago I used an app. And it said its restricted air space no fly zone - but you can apply in real-time for permission. So we stopped the car, I applied, said its for recreational pictures of the desert etc. 10 mins later my phone app got an update saying permission granted for the next 5 hours at no higher than 120 meters and within the following boundaries...

As a side note, at 40C ambient temperature, the drone flew fine. What didn't was my iPhone that while flying for 8 minutes did a thermal shutdown lol... I had to press return to home.
Click to expand...
Can’t speak for SA but here in EU you need a license and be a registered pilot before even being able to request permission in a restricted airspace. As well as need mandatory public liability insurance. Applications need to be done in advance with a full nautical flight plan. No automation, good old paperwork and bureaucracy.

It’s news to me the FAA has any automation. Perhaps you got permission from the park itself. That can be done here on entering the Natura 2000 parks with varying success as all nature parks here are no fly zones.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X