Quadcopter/Drone Thread

[tRoN]

Mavic Air 2

Aha!! Thought it was the MM2

 

[PAYBACK]

Aha!! Thought it was the MM2

You made me look. Thought I wrote MM2 as well Anyways went with the secondhand MA2 for 18k should arrive tomorrow. Had a Mavic Pro before this one. From the reviews looks like a nice all round package.

 

[PAYBACK]

Here's an article on the drone strike:

Drone suspected of colliding with training aircraft at Rand Airport

A plane is suspected to have been struck by a drone shortly after takeoff at Rand Airport in Gauteng this week.

www.timeslive.co.za

Just got a Mavic Air 2 and luckily my model has the ADS-B receiver hardware but even though it is mandatory for new aircraft purchased after April 2020 in South Africa to have ADS-B receiver/transmitters this feature has not been unlocked on drone yet.

South African ADS-B in Final Phase

We have all heard that ADS-B is coming. When is it happening? Is it really going to affect South African Airspace? Well the answer now a simple one. YES.

www.aeronautical.co.za

 

[Segg]

Just got a Mavic Air 2 and luckily my model has the ADS-B receiver hardware but even though it is mandatory for new aircraft purchased after April 2020 in South Africa to have ADS-B receiver/transmitters this feature has not been unlocked on drone yet.

South African ADS-B in Final Phase

We have all heard that ADS-B is coming. When is it happening? Is it really going to affect South African Airspace? Well the answer now a simple one. YES.

www.aeronautical.co.za

There is a lot of confusion about this requirement at the moment, so far it's just a recommendation and not a requirement. Mode C is still the bare minimum, and even when ADS-B becomes the minimum requirement, it'll only be ADS-B out, not in, especially for light aircraft

EDIT: Latest AIC attached

 

[neoprema]

Can someone confirm for me, Mouille Point in Cape Town would it be illegal to launch a drone seawards to take some shots of the area? The map claims there's an airport nearby?
I'm going to a hotel there thats right on the waters edge, would have been so nice to get some drone footage.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should even keep my Mavic Air 2, everywhere I look on maps are no-fly zones. You can basically just hover it around your lounge these days...

[Edit] Looks like i could take it to Cape Point? But wind will prob be howling lol.

 

[Segg]

Can someone confirm for me, Mouille Point in Cape Town would it be illegal to launch a drone seawards to take some shots of the area? The map claims there's an airport nearby?
I'm going to a hotel there thats right on the waters edge, would have been so nice to get some drone footage.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should even keep my Mavic Air 2, everywhere I look on maps are no-fly zones. You can basically just hover it around your lounge these days...

[Edit] Looks like i could take it to Cape Point? But wind will prob be howling lol.

There is nothing I can think of that's wrong with Mouille point, just please be careful of the helicopters launching near by at the V&A waterfront (perhaps just give them a courtesy call beforehand, tell them you will be flying a drone low level)

DO NOT fly a drone at Cape Point, SANPARKS will give you hell, with a seriously hefty fine (it won't be as hectic as the law says, but it will still be substantial)

A person convicted of an offence in terms of subsection (1) is liable, in the case of a first conviction, to a fine not exceeding R5 million or imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding R10 million or imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten years or in both instances to both a fine and such imprisonment.

 

[neoprema]

There is nothing I can think of that's wrong with Mouille point, just please be careful of the helicopters launching near by at the V&A waterfront (perhaps just give them a courtesy call beforehand, tell them you will be flying a drone low level)

DO NOT fly a drone at Cape Point, SANPARKS will give you hell, with a seriously hefty fine

Cool. I don't intend to take her much higher than a glorified selfie anyway lol.

Really? Cause the no-fly maps shows Cape Point as free for flight. Weird.

 

[Segg]

Cool. I don't intend to take her much higher than a glorified selfie anyway lol.

Really? Cause the no-fly maps shows Cape Point as free for flight. Weird.

It falls under SANPARKS, that on its own is a no-go

 

[calypso]

Will these laws ever be updated? Seems a bit coarse to have a law which only covers drones under 7kgs. So a kids 50-gram cheapie drone that's 5cm also cant fly within 10km of any airport/national key point etc?

 

[Kola_CT]

Can someone confirm for me, Mouille Point in Cape Town would it be illegal to launch a drone seawards to take some shots of the area? The map claims there's an airport nearby?
I'm going to a hotel there thats right on the waters edge, would have been so nice to get some drone footage.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should even keep my Mavic Air 2, everywhere I look on maps are no-fly zones. You can basically just hover it around your lounge these days...

[Edit] Looks like i could take it to Cape Point? But wind will prob be howling lol.

My Maps

My Maps makes it easy for you to create beautiful maps and share them with others.

www.google.com

Drone Laws in South Africa | UAV Coach (2023)

Want to learn more about drone laws in South Africa? Check out our list of links and regulations for people flying drones in South Africa.

uavcoach.com

 

[neoprema]

Will these laws ever be updated? Seems a bit coarse to have a law which only covers drones under 7kgs. So a kids 50-gram cheapie drone that's 5cm also cant fly within 10km of any airport/national key point etc?

Yeah its stupid, i mean the whole you cant fly AT ALL thing is also dumb. At 9km away from an air field if my Drone at 50m high is a risk to your aircraft hitting it you have bigger problems...

 

[neoprema]

My Maps

My Maps makes it easy for you to create beautiful maps and share them with others.

www.google.com

Drone Laws in South Africa | UAV Coach (2023)

Want to learn more about drone laws in South Africa? Check out our list of links and regulations for people flying drones in South Africa.

uavcoach.com

This goes against what Segg is saying though. It says Cape Point is NOT a no-fly zone and Mouille point IS a no fly zone due to an airport somewhere in the city.

 

[Rocket-Boy]

12k here. That’s hardly 7k difference.

The mini2 may be able to be hacked to enable FCC mode like the M2P

Does the mode really matter that much with occusync?
Its a difference between 5 and 8km and very few people are going to fly further than 5km.

 

[Kola_CT]

This goes against what Segg is saying though. It says Cape Point is NOT a no-fly zone and Mouille point IS a no fly zone due to an airport somewhere in the city.

I suggest that is read together with the regulations.

Quoted from the map as well...

A list of areas where you may not fly your drone in South Africa. This includes:

Power Stations
National Key Points
Airports, Airstrips and Aerodromes
SANParks

Please note that this is by no means a complete list and when in doubt, ask the relevant authorities.

Mouille Point in my understanding is a no fly for hobby pilots due to the proximity of the heliport at V&A.
Cape Point is a no fly because of SAN Parks.

It is rather difficult to know exactly where all the no fly zones are, but it is probably safer to err on the side of caution.
I have not been able to find any single map or source which is 100% up to date or accurate.

 

[rorz0r]

Yeah its stupid, i mean the whole you cant fly AT ALL thing is also dumb. At 9km away from an air field if my Drone at 50m high is a risk to your aircraft hitting it you have bigger problems...

I feel like the tiny airports should be a smaller radius as well.

 

[Kola_CT]

This one is also helpful...

Drone Safety Map | Altitude Angel

dronesafetymap.com

 

[PAYBACK]

Can someone confirm for me, Mouille Point in Cape Town would it be illegal to launch a drone seawards to take some shots of the area? The map claims there's an airport nearby?
I'm going to a hotel there thats right on the waters edge, would have been so nice to get some drone footage.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should even keep my Mavic Air 2, everywhere I look on maps are no-fly zones. You can basically just hover it around your lounge these days...

[Edit] Looks like i could take it to Cape Point? But wind will prob be howling lol.

You will be surprised what it can handle. I'm a Kitesurfer and have used my Mavic Pro to video some Kitesurfing footage in 20+ knots and it handled it like a champ. Also have a MA2 now and from what I have read it can handle pretty much the same wind. Of course there are limits.

 

[PAYBACK]

Will these laws ever be updated? Seems a bit coarse to have a law which only covers drones under 7kgs. So a kids 50-gram cheapie drone that's 5cm also cant fly within 10km of any airport/national key point etc?

Always laugh with these laws. Apparently after 115 years of flight with all the advances in modern technology we are still making aircraft out of paper mache.

It is a very well known fact that in the early days, before drones went mainstream the sniveling little air/video photography bitches with heads up the CAA backsides set the ball in motion for the draconian non-sensical rules we have today to protect their turf.

Of course we need rules but the way these CAA dolts have gone about things is laughable. Not just here abroad as well.

 

[Segg]

This goes against what Segg is saying though. It says Cape Point is NOT a no-fly zone and Mouille point IS a no fly zone due to an airport somewhere in the city.

I'm applying a very practical approach here

Mouille point sits just inside the Ysterplaat ATZ 10km radius (applicable to drones) FAR43 (The Harbors restricted airspace from GND to 500ft, applicable to all aircraft) and is in close proximity to the V&A Heliport, BUT more importantly lies just in the uncontrolled airspace that is Cape Town Special Rules West.

Cape Point falls under SANPARKS who are very strict when it comes to enforcing a drone ban - you do not want to be caught flying a drone over their land



The "reasonable man" test I am applying here says fly at Mouille Point, not Cape Point - keep it low, and give NAC at the V&A a courtesy call before you fly

 

[neoprema]

I'm applying a very practical approach here

Mouille point sits just inside the Ysterplaat ATZ 10km radius, FAR43 (The Harbors restricted airspace from GND to 500ft) and is in close proximity to the V&A Heliport, BUT more importantly lies just in the uncontrolled airspace that is Cape Town Special Rules West.

Cape Point falls under SANPARKS who are very strict when it comes to enforcing a drone ban - you do not want to be caught flying a drone over their land

The "reasonable man" test I am applying here says fly at Mouille Point, not Cape Point

Yeah i get that. Just annoyed how strict it all is but anyway. I can see me spending my holiday driving around CPT with the maps open to see when i'm out of range of the banned areas lol.