I was going through some old videos on my phone and found one of a small plane flying super close above the ocean at a beach in Florida. It was flying no more than 50 feet above the water, and it didn’t look like a seaplane since it didn’t have any landing gear to touch down on the water (forgive me if I’m using the wrong terms). This got me wondering about the rules for flying drones above the ocean or near beaches. I haven’t had a chance to fly my drone there, but it’s definitely a spot I would want to try. The area is class G airspace, and the nearest airport is more than 10 miles away. Was that plane flying too low? Should I be worried as a drone operator when flying at beaches? I read somewhere that planes are supposed to stay 500 feet above the water unless they’re landing or have a special purpose. The plane definitely wasn’t landing. Just curious because I don’t want to cause any problems or compromise safety when I fly my drone at the beach in the future. Thanks!
Planes should generally fly at least 500 feet above the surface, but there are exceptions for open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, they can fly lower, but they still need to stay 500 feet from any person, boat, car, or building.
Is it safe? No. Is it legal? Depends on how you look at it.
@Bennett
Got it. I’m guessing it’s not considered a sparsely populated area since it was pretty close to the shore. But I’m guessing the video is too old to do anything about it now!
Haru said:
@Bennett
Got it. I’m guessing it’s not considered a sparsely populated area since it was pretty close to the shore. But I’m guessing the video is too old to do anything about it now!
Yeah, I think the plane would have fallen under the open water rule, so they could fly low but still needed to stay 500 feet from people, boats, or buildings. That plane being that low near the shore doesn’t sound like a great decision to me though.
@Bennett
I agree. I added a screenshot from the video in the post to show the situation more clearly.
Haru said:
@Bennett
Got it. I’m guessing it’s not considered a sparsely populated area since it was pretty close to the shore. But I’m guessing the video is too old to do anything about it now!
The rule is actually pretty clear. If it’s open water, the plane can fly low, but it still has to stay 500 feet away from anything that could be a risk.
Haru said:
@Bennett
Got it. I’m guessing it’s not considered a sparsely populated area since it was pretty close to the shore. But I’m guessing the video is too old to do anything about it now!
Water skiing with planes is actually a thing. You might see it more in remote places or when they’re coming in to land on a sandbar.
@Haru
Maybe the plane had an emergency or was thinking of making an emergency landing on the beach.
Denny said:
@Haru
Maybe the plane had an emergency or was thinking of making an emergency landing on the beach.
Good point, I’ll check with r/aviation and see what they think. Thanks!
@Haru
Let me know what they say! I hate the 400ft ceiling sometimes, but at the LA beaches, at least we’re all in our own lanes. Ironically, it’s usually drones that are above 400 feet, not planes!
@Haru
I’m noticing a star symbol on the plane’s side. Is that a military plane? It doesn’t look like one to me, though. I really don’t know much about planes.
Haru said:
@Haru
I’m noticing a star symbol on the plane’s side. Is that a military plane? It doesn’t look like one to me, though. I really don’t know much about planes.
It’s not military anymore, but it was once. That’s a Boeing Stearman, and the number on the side is a unique feature.
@Bennett
Interesting! Thanks for the info.
Haru said:
@Haru
I’m noticing a star symbol on the plane’s side. Is that a military plane? It doesn’t look like one to me, though. I really don’t know much about planes.
It’s not a drone. Try asking on r/aviation—they’ll know for sure.
14 CFR § 91.119 clearly says that if it’s open water, a plane can legally fly as low as the surface, but it must stay 500 feet away from any person, vehicle, or structure. It’s legal, but not very smart.
@Tennyson
So I can fly a plane right down to the surface over open water? Wow, I always thought there was a minimum height restriction. Mind blown!
Over the ocean or in sparse areas, the only thing you really have to worry about is staying 500 feet away from any people, boats, or buildings.
Tarian said:
Over the ocean or in sparse areas, the only thing you really have to worry about is staying 500 feet away from any people, boats, or buildings.
That’s what I thought too, but the plane was so close to the water—about 50 feet, not 500. That’s why I was concerned.
@Haru
But as a drone operator, you’re still responsible for staying clear of any manned aircraft, even if the pilot is breaking the rules.