The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has updated its Plan of Activity processing for aerial activity to reflect the following:
Operators utilizing aircraft for aerobatic maneuvers below the minimum 1,500 feet above the surface or in proximity to persons or airspace are required to have a Certificate of Waiver and submit a Plan of Activity (POA) to the local Flights Standard District Office (FSDO). Please be advised, helicopter/aircraft below 500 feet will still require a POA. Minimum altitudes for aircrafts are specified in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR)
UAS operators must submit a POA to the FSDO with geographic responsibility every time a UAS is operated for filming purposes. The filing of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is not equivalent to FSDO notification.
For questions about these changes or for answers to general production related questions, we invite you to contact FilmL.A.’s Production Planning Department at 213.977.8600.
Full press release can be viewed here.