Drone exam · Ground-risk mitigation

Two flights use the same drone. One is a low hover in calm air; the other is high and windy near a public boundary. Should the same practical stand off always be used?

Answer

No. Use the legal minimum as a floor where applicable, then increase separation when height, wind, speed, trajectory uncertainty, or the consequences of a failure make the likely ground footprint larger.

Explanation

Safe distance is about where the aircraft or parts could reach, not only a fixed number measured from the normal route.