Odd flight path

Frogs97

Frogs97

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Frogs97
I took a break to play with Flightradar24 and saw this grid pattern being flown by a 206. Sure seems like a survey operation of some sort. Anyone know what it might be? They are flying at 8800, so right smack in the bravo.

Just found it interesting.
 

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Photo survey for the local tax collector. Looking for that addition or pool you put in without permits. Permits are a way to collect $, require inspections for code, and add to the property tax base.
 
Used to fly a 182 when in college that had a camera port in the belly. Had to have cloud free days and we did aerial mapping flying grids like this.
 
You got me curious. So what about this guy - any ideas what he's doing? DHS seems to be running in circles here.
 

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Frogs97 said:
I took a break to play with Flightradar24 and saw this grid pattern being flown by a 206. Sure seems like a survey operation of some sort. Anyone know what it might be? They are flying at 8800, so right smack in the bravo.

Just found it interesting.
Click to expand...

No reg info?


Probably just some gov't worker trying to "make you safe" aka make the govt $$$
 
Minshall said:
You got me curious. So what about this guy - any ideas what he's doing? DHS seems to be running in circles here.
Click to expand...

That is what happens when a Nascar driver becomes a pilot..."I'm turning left...I'm turning left...I'm turning left..."
 
Pilawt said:
Maybe just new Google Maps photos. They call 'em satellite images, but those high-res aerials are taken from light airplanes.
Click to expand...

Right, people are convinced that Google Earth is all from satellite but the highly detailed stuff is all from lots of low flying general aviation aircraft.
 
BillTIZ said:
Photo survey for the local tax collector. Looking for that addition or pool you put in without permits. Permits are a way to collect $, require inspections for code, and add to the property tax base.
Click to expand...
They use Google Earth for that.
 
They have been doing lidar surveying around lately. Not sure what company but they get 200ft block altitudes.

Here is dhs:
6e9eced9d812eda0ffb7dee74a18ab50.jpg
 
KyleT said:
They have been doing lidar surveying around lately. Not sure what company but they get 200ft block altitudes.
Click to expand...

Ok, still a bit of a newb. Can I get a little help with lidar and block altitudes?
 
I did some data collection contract work and my flight path looked just like that. Probably what he was doing. I routinely got cleared to operate in Bravo and Charlie like that. Just tell ATC what you want to do and they are pretty accommodating.
 
8000 ft and in the busy DFW airspace? Unusual....


And to the OP... GIG'EM!!
 
KyleT said:
They have been doing lidar surveying around lately. Not sure what company but they get 200ft block altitudes.

Here is dhs:
6e9eced9d812eda0ffb7dee74a18ab50.jpg
Click to expand...

Thats not a lidar grid. That is someone following a suspect car on the interstate
 
Frogs97 said:
Ok, still a bit of a newb. Can I get a little help with lidar and block altitudes?
Click to expand...

Up here in the Washington Cascades they are using lidar (a kind of ground-penetrating radar) to map areas where landslides might become a threat.

Unlikely at your present stage of progress, but if you are ever assigned an altitude (not likely when you are VFR) and need some flexibility because of turbulence, ask the controller for a block altitude..."Buzzbomb 1234X requests 4000 to 6000 as a block altitude." Then you could ride the elevator up and down between those altitudes without further clearance.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
Up here in the Washington Cascades they are using lidar (a kind of ground-penetrating radar) to map areas where landslides might become a threat.

Unlikely at your present stage of progress, but if you are ever assigned an altitude (not likely when you are VFR) and need some flexibility because of turbulence, ask the controller for a block altitude..."Buzzbomb 1234X requests 4000 to 6000 as a block altitude." Then you could ride the elevator up and down between those altitudes without further clearance.

Bob Gardner
Click to expand...

Thank you for that.
 
Frogs97 said:
I took a break to play with Flightradar24 and saw this grid pattern being flown by a 206. Sure seems like a survey operation of some sort. Anyone know what it might be? They are flying at 8800, so right smack in the bravo.

Just found it interesting.
Click to expand...

3D terrain mapping using laser radar?
 
sarangan said:
3D terrain mapping using laser radar?
Click to expand...

Yes. They fly those grids in the winter when the leaves are off the trees. It shows in fairly high detail what has happened to the terrain. Overlaid onto a geographical information system, you can derive interesting information from this:
- whether any structures were erected on a property without obtaining a building permit
- whether a land-owner complied with the terms of a forest conservation plan
- drainage patterns, elevation, forest coverage helpful in determining floodwater management.

I purchased some lidar maps of a property to help the engineer to come up with a site plan without having to do an elevation survey. The county makes them every 5 years, was fun to see how changes in the property were reflected in changes in the lidar map.
 
Last edited:
weilke said:
Thats not a lidar grid. That is someone following a suspect car on the interstate
Click to expand...


Ya I know. What I posted is the flight path of dhs using thermal cameras.
 
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