Line of sight and physical site planning
“Just pop over the roof” ignores trees, RF noise, magnetic interference, and the simple fact that pilots need to see the aircraft (or authorized observers need to). Planning around line of sight (LOS) keeps missions boring — in the good way.
What LOS means operationally
Regulations and best practices expect the pilot in command to maintain awareness of the aircraft’s attitude and separation from obstacles without relying solely on a screen. That shapes launch points, orbit direction, and whether a second observer is booked. Official framing lives in FAA materials linked from commercial operator guidance.
Site geometry drives launch choices
Parking lots, side streets, and neighbor yards (with permission) become part of the puzzle. Sometimes the “best” artistic angle is unreachable without unsafe positioning — we propose alternatives early.
Observers and cordons
Busy sidewalks and playgrounds may need time windows or ground helpers. That overlaps with ethical capture in security site assessment and public-safety courtesy in marketing flights.
Related reading
Walk through your site constraints · contact@waywarddrones.com