Annapolis, MD Drone Videographer and Operator

The DC Special Flight Rules Area

Annapolis sits about 27 nautical miles from Reagan National, inside the outer ring of the Washington, DC Special Flight Rules Area. Between 15 and 30 nautical miles from Reagan National, Part 107 flights are allowed under FAA rules, with airspace authorization where the airspace requires it, but the whole area is national defense airspace and violations can bring fines and criminal penalties. The 15-mile inner ring, the Flight Restricted Zone, is far stricter, so we keep Annapolis flights outside it.

Naval Academy and federal sites

Naval Support Activity Annapolis, including the Naval Academy grounds, is a federal no-drone area around the clock, and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is on the FAA stadium list, so the 3 nautical mile flight restriction applies from an hour before to an hour after covered events. Fort Meade, to the northwest, is also a federal no-drone area.

Waterfront, sailing and parks

Our crew flew five days of live coverage, live to FOX, at the FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta, and the same broadcast setup suits regattas and waterfront events with the organizer's approval. For regattas, festivals and events we film recaps, and for larger shows we send live drone feeds to the stream or screens; see live broadcast drones and concert and festival drones. Maryland state parks ask drone pilots to contact the park manager before flying, and managers can limit or deny flights; Sandy Point State Park, for example, allows drones only before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

Maryland law and airspace

Maryland law gives the state alone the power to regulate drone operation, overriding county and city drone rules, and makes it a crime to fly over a correctional facility to photograph it without authorization. Lee Airport in Edgewater, about 5 miles southwest, has no control tower, but we check every address against BWI's Class B airspace and the Special Flight Rules Area. We check every Annapolis location on the FAA sectional, B4UFLY and NOTAMs before quoting, and file LAANC or FAA authorization for any address that needs it.

Credits

FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta, Braves at Truist Park and Charleston hotel fly-throughs for Vive Media.

Related

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Nearby cities we fly

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FAQs

Is Annapolis inside the DC Special Flight Rules Area?

Yes, in the outer ring, about 27 nautical miles from Reagan National. Part 107 flights are allowed there under FAA rules, with airspace authorization where needed.

Can you fly over the Naval Academy?

No. Naval Support Activity Annapolis, including the Naval Academy, is a federal no-drone area from the surface to 400 feet.

Can you fly in Maryland state parks such as Sandy Point?

Only after contacting the park manager, who can limit or deny flights. Sandy Point allows drones only before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

Can you fly near Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on game days?

Not inside the FAA stadium flight restriction, which covers 3 nautical miles from an hour before to an hour after covered events. We schedule nearby shoots outside that window.

What insurance do you carry?

Our standard policy is $10M liability, with optional coverage up to $25M when a venue, league or network requires it. Certificates naming your venue or production are issued before the shoot.

Request a Quote

Tell us the date, location and what you need filmed. Request a Quote or call 706-284-8364.