Just about every square foot of the planet has been the subject of drone surveillance in recent years. Here in the U.P. (if you look close enough) you'll see drones flitting about in the sky in all seasons, giving someone a birds-eye view. Fortunate for us, some of those folks upload to Youtube or Facebook where we can share that view, too.

The second circled item in the top photo is actually the Franklin Township offices, while the second picture is the Franklin-Quincy Fire Hall, around the corner on Sunshine Rd. Nice view of the 170+ inches of snow that has fallen so far this winter.

Have a good week :o)

WOW!!!! Great pictures!!

Some nice views in the vicinity of Quincy Hill.

Not to throw a monkey wrench into the pot, but I just hope that whomever is operating those drones is aware of the FAA Rules/requirements for the operation of drones.

There are two ways for recreational or hobby UAS fliers to operate in the National Airspace System in accordance with the law and/or FAA regulations:

Option #1. Fly in accordance with the Special Rule for Model Aircraft (Public Law 112-95 Section 336). Under this rule, operators must:

---

Quote:

a.	Fly for hobby or recreational purposes only
b.	Follow a community-based set of safety guidelines
c.	Fly the UAS within visual line-of-sight
d.	Give way to manned aircraft
e.	Provide prior notification to the airport and air traffic control tower, if one is present, when flying within 5 miles of an airport¹
f.	Fly UAS that weigh no more than 55 lbs. unless certified by a community-based organization
g.	Register the aircraft (UAS over 0.55 lbs. and less than 55 lbs. can be registered online at registermyuas.faa.gov; UAS 55 lbs. or greater must be registered through the FAA's paper-based process)

---

---

Quote:

a.	Obtain a remote pilot certificate or be under the direct supervision of someone who holds such a certificate.
b.	Register the aircraft as a non-modeler at registermyuas.faa.gov
c.	Follow all the operating rules in accordance with the regulation

---

---

Quote:

What do you want to do with your drone?

1.	Fly for fun? Hobby/recreational Flying? See (click →) What Can I Do With My Small Unmanned Aircraft?
2.	Fly for commercial profit or for your business? You need FAA authorization via (click →) Section 333.

---

FRNash/PHX, AZ (Frnash) on Monday, February 6, 2017 - 12:39 am:
FYI, From my previous note:

…

---

Quote:

What do you want to do with your drone?

1.	Fly for fun? Hobby/recreational Flying? See (click →) What Can I Do With My Small Unmanned Aircraft?
2.	Fly for commercial profit or for your business? You need FAA authorization via (click →) Section 333. (← that's a bad link. The referenced page no longer exists at FAA.)

---

---

Quote:

Excerpts from FAA's UAS Registration Q&A (FAQs)

All small unmanned aircraft that meet the registration criteria must be registered prior to operation outdoors. If you operated your small unmanned aircraft UAS before Dec. 21, 2015, the FAA provided a grace period during which you were permitted to continue operations without registering the aircraft. However, beginning February 19, 2016, all small unmanned aircraft owners must register their aircraft if they wish to continue to operate outdoors.

Failure to register an aircraft may result in regulatory and criminal sanctions. The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.

---

Drone pix are coolest and this one is no exception. The operator definitely knows what he/she is doing...great operation.

As a drone owner/pilot I will point out that it appears the operator is following FAA guidelines (assuming the drone is register and the flight altitude is at or below 400'); as well as at this location you would be required to call the Houghton Country Airport (within 5 miles).

BUT they are flying over a National Park which IS illegal.... So this person was not very smart to post these.... This is a sore spot among drone pilots as that improper use is ruining our hobby.....

Frnash thanks for posting the links, I wanted
to share an additional link.
https://www.airnav.com/airport/CMX

Houghton County Memorial Airport is not
controlled by a tower. However there is one in
Green Bay but that's well over the 5 mile
buffer zone. ;-)

Cklemp, before you put your foot in your mouth
by jumping to conclusions and accusing others
of not being "very smart", a quick survey of
the KNHP site will indicate no
rules/regulations of the operation of drones
specifically in the KHNP. The Quincy Mine Hoist
Association is an independent entity in its
entirety and Private Property. The QMHA is
however a part of the KNHP through their
Heritage Sites Program. So to argue the
operation of a drone on private property is a
violation of the FAA guidelines/National Park
guidelines is quite weak. Also see my note
above about flying within 5 miles of an Airport
controlled by a tower. Good Day

Matt Van (Xgamer13):
"… Houghton County Memorial Airport is not
controlled by a tower. …"

Very true, thus CMX lies in "Class E Airspace", controlled airspace that extends down to the surface at and around the airport as indicated by the magenta dashed circle around the airport as shown in the aeronautical chart seen in the www.airnav.com link you provided. Which of course is largely irrelevant. As Carson Klemp (Cklemp) correctly noted, the small unmanned aircraft/drone operator must still comply with the following (emphasis is mine):

---

Quote:

"When flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control (ATC) tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation."

---

---

Quote:

"Yes, [the airport operator] can object to the proposed use of a model aircraft within five miles of an airport if the proposed activity would endanger the safety of the NAS. However, the airport operator cannot prohibit or prevent the model aircraft operator from operating within five miles of the airport. …"
[Refer to the link for further details.]

---

ALL National Parks are no fly zones for Drones.

I really hesitate to add more to this discussion, but as a pilot myself it's a struggle to refrain. However, there are at least two more unique local factors that drone operators should be aware of:

1. US Forest Service Lands: Federal laws prohibit certain types of flight activity and/or provide altitude restrictions over “designated Forest Service Areas.” UAS are considered to be "mechanized” equipment and cannot take off and land in designated Wilderness Areas on National Forest System lands.

2. Military Operations Areas (MOA). There are two of note in da UP: Big Bear MOA and Ontonagon MOA, both lying approximately south of a line from the northern tip of Ontonagon County to Toivola and Keweenaw Bay (KBIC) See this portion of the Green Bay Sectional Aeronautical Chart.

(Although MOAs do not restrict VFR [or drone] operations, pilots operating under VFR should exercise extreme caution while flying within, near, or below an active MOA. Military pilots do, on occasion, underfly their prescribed MOA at lower altitudes without warning, where a drone certainly could constitute a "foreign object damage" risk to that aircraft. — Many of us have indeed been "eyeball-to-eyeball" with a B-52 pilot flying at rather dramatically low altitudes therein!)