The FAA instituted a series of 22 new Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) late yesterday prohibiting flight of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS - aka drones) within several specific areas in New Jersey. "Special permission" will be required to operate drones within the airspace. The TFRs will remain in effect until January 17.
TFRâs and NOTAMS?
Sure, that will stop 'em.
This will make some very difficult to navigate, even with GPS, airspace much trickier. I suspect this will harm pilots more than it will help reduce drone activity.
If I flew in that area, Iâd be on an IFR flight plan all the time to avoid an accidental bust.
I guess this will stop the casual drone idiots flying drones with software that automatically checks for geofencing, but this still seems like more of a âsee, we did somethingâ approach than something that actually matters.
These new TFRs are surface-400AGL and specifically mention UAS. They donât appear to apply to manned aircraft.
It does make it a little more difficult to see which TFRs actually apply to manned aircraft, though. I think the TFR system will need to be enhanced to be able to filter by type of aircraft, so UAS operators can see which ones apply to them, and all other aircraft can see which ones apply to them, without either group having to be overwhelmed by non-relevant TFRs.
To illustrate just how poorly the news media is handling this story, I just saw a news segment announcing that the FAA has âgroundedâ drone operations in New Jersey. No mention of something called a TFR. And the video they showed along with the story had three different âobjectsâ, all of which had red and green lights along with flashing strobes. Great reporting guys!
This Drone hysteria is an opportune time for every pilot to read the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 107.
These drone operators have been breaking the rules in wholesale style and no Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operator has been given a violations. Thatâs so interestingâŚ
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/cfrPart/externalWindow/8/Part 107 - SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS/current/default
Thanks for the additional information. It looks like a minefield.
Indeed, the 22 new drone NOTAMs of 12/18/2024 within the ZNY region establish a 400-foot AGL limit. However, exceptions exist. FAA approvals allow drones to exceed this limit in cases such as inspections, emergencies, military zones, BVLOS operations, or near tall structures (up to 400 feet above their height). Yup, they are everywhere! KlausM is correct.
â⌠more difficult to see which TFRs actually apply to manned aircraft, though. I think the TFR system will need to be enhanced to be able to filter by type of aircraft, so UAS operators can see which ones apply to them, and all other aircraft can see which ones apply to them, without either group having to be overwhelmed by non-relevant TFRs.â
Agreed, 100%
Currently, TFR display is a mess.
I am so glad I donât live in that whacked out sick part of the U.S. You people who live there need psychiatric help.
This is âestablished evidenceâ that government is upside down, and has 250 foot arms replacing previous overreaching 18 foot arms of bureaucracy government, making no common sense in the first place. Your ass is mine! You can tell by my long answer that âairspace constraintsâ are not the âfinal solution.â Rather an order leave your weapons/guns a.k.a. drones with the local Sheriff before entering airspace in my county. Otherwise you Matt Dillon will tracked do and deal with you at hi discretion. Most Sheriffâs being short handed will authorize Vigilantes to stop you forthwith! âDonât bring your guns/drones to town/controlled airspace brothers and sisters!â Your ass is mine!
Your ass is mine! County Sheriffâs of America!
Now thereâs a new batch of them on Long Island and a few north of NYC too.
These new TFRs are 100% centered on electrical substations and they are 100% drone-only. So, even if you were flying your airplane (for some unexplained reason) below 400agl in these areas, you wouldnât be busting a TFR. Youâd probably be busting more than one FAR though. Bottom line, if you fly an airplane, you can effectively ignore them; they donât pertain to you.
I agree with others that the current display of TFRs could use some help, maybe just color coding.
Regarding last weeks drone activity at Wright-Patt I heard that the USAF security forces have the capability of capturing drones. Also the capability of taking control of drones. Anyone know if this is true?
â jeffwelch2426â
Probably, certainly has been tested.
Will vary with drone technology I expect, depending on security of droneâs radio control link.
One version sends the UAV back to its launch point that police have been dispatched to.
âskunktownâ:
Thankyou.
Risk to key infrastructure was highlighted decades ago - was nothing done?
Water reservoirs are another target, though covers are feasible.
Non-conductive nets are feasible over electrical stations (berry farms use nets to keep birds off of them).
But neither protect against explosives dropped from aerial machines.
(Need Defender Drones, Ukraine probably has such.
And anti-aircraft guns.
Eagles have been tested but probably messy with high attrition rate.)
I have no firsthand knowledge, but would bet money on the fact that the DOD has multiple technologies to counter drones: to blind them, to destroy them, to re-program them, and to have them land at present position. In my opinion, a few drones over NJ causing widespread panic does not rise to a threat level necessary to tip our hands to a potential adversary. Further, I would bet that if DOD and/or NSA is involved, they already know the types of drones, their operators, and their motivation for being there.
If any of them really posed a threat, theyâd probably already have been brought down. So why is nothing being done? Why should they? Are they really a threat to national security? Any intel they could gather would be more easily accomplished with satellites or other methods.
The knee-jerk reaction to âjust shoot them downâ sounds good in a round table discussion with alcohol involved, but in practice it would create way more problems than it solves.
⌠but if you are flying your helicopter âŚ