Flight Radar - Some Questions

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

So I got interested in Flightradar24, watched local air traffic, and just upgraded my subscription to dump the ads and get more aircraft information.

 

Maybe one of you can help me with the following:

 

I saw an icon this morning that I did not recognize.  Turned out to be a 4 rotor drone.  It originated in upstate NY.  Flew SE out past Provincetown, looped around, and flew into Logan Airport, making an approach just like a commercial plane.  It "landed" (speed dropped to 0) and stayed stationary on the runway.  Ten minutes later it was gone.  I thought drones were banned from airspace near airports; is there some logical explanation for what I saw?

 

LL

[Subdeacon Joe]

Maybe it was a police/fire/forest service drone.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Hobby drones are prohibited in restricted airspace.  And must yield right of way to standard aviation in unrestricted airspace.

 

I believe there are now "professional " licenses that allow them to land at airports.  Certificated Remote Pilots including Commercial Operators

 

See these pages if you are REALLY INTERESTED in the details:

https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/

https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_fliers/where_can_i_fly/airspace_restrictions/flying_near_airports/

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

9 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

Maybe it was a police/fire/forest service drone.

Or military?

[Subdeacon Joe]

17 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Or military?

 

Does military fly out of Logan?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

This was/is a common occurrence, when I lived near Plant 42 in PMD.

A lot of RPV traffic from there.

OLG 

 

[Trailrider #896]

6 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Does military fly out of Logan?

National Guard?

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

15 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Does military fly out of Logan?

I imagine any place needed.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

There is a section of the airport that has hangers with flat brown/grey painted aircraft with no markings, but I don't know who they are.

 

The drone, however, was privately owned by an individual from NY.

 

LL