Rocketbuilding as a hobby... What is allowed in you country?

[Elthy]

I was planning to build a rocket as a hobby, because i thought it would be fun and i like to think about the theory (calculating how high it would go and then test it) and also because i realy need a real life hobby. But when i started research i noticed that you cant do anything fun in Germany. The biggest thing you can launch on your own would be a rocket with 20g Blackpowder as propellant (ISP only 40-80), with a special course we could use up to 150g, but only premade motors. Its also not possible to buy KNO3 (for R-Candy, a easy to handle Propellant with an ISP of 130) as a private Person, nearly anything related to it is prohibited. So there is no way to do something fun, i planned to launch a rocket with a Raspberry Pi and a camera to do some pics. Is stuff like this prohibited in your country too? In germany its all forbidden due to terror-danger (but the bad guys get their stuff somewhere else) how about e.g. the USA, with their extreme fear of terror?

[Ralathon]

In the netherlands you're allowed to fly them provided that they don't carry an explosive charge, they weigh no more than 1.5kg at launch and carry a maximum of 125g of fuel. You're allowed to launch bigger rockets of up to 35kg launchmass if you manage to get a permit and discuss it with the aviation control. There are some other limited restrictions, but they're fairly obvious (Don't fire them next to airports, check for small aircraft before launch etc).

If you really wanted to launch something and circumvent the fuel issue you could always use water rockets instead. Sure, the ones made from PET bottles are kiddy material. But they can reach some serious heights when you use a strong and lightweight plastic pipe. If you properly construct the pressure container you can bring it up to something scary like 25 bar. I think the world record was more than half a kilometer height with a camera as payload. They have the added benefit of being completely reusable without requiring new fuel blocks every flight. All you need is some water and a electric socket for the compressor.

[jwenting]

of course under Dutch law the propellant would be an explosive charge...

And given that the entire country is effectively a restricted zone because of all the low level airways all over the place, and the rest is taken up by the few circuits available around small airfields, the altitude restrictions make flying them effectively impossible even where legal.

[Thiel]

The rules are surprisingly lacks in Denmark

[magnemoe]

The rules are surprisingly lacks in Denmark

They launch from international water. Part for legal issues, part for not hitting land.

[crazyewok]

I dunno about the UK I just do what I like, long as Im not harming anyone the police leave me alone. To be honnest the Chemicals I have Im surprised MI5 hasnt given me a vist. Though I live in the country would be diffrent if I lived in central london.

[Streetwind]

But when i started research i noticed that you cant do anything fun in Germany.

You may want to get in touch with the Interessengemeinschaft Modellraketen then. They offer training and certification programs for up to and including high-power rockets (quite a bit stronger than rocket candy propellant), and can likely help you both in sourcing fuel and in obtaining a launch permit.

[Godot]

In my country we would have to obtain a permit by the Federal aviation office, if our rockets go higher than a certain altitude

(altitude limit depending on the location ... AFAIK usually around 300m)

If the rocket stays lower (and doesn´t carry an explosive warhead), we are allowed to launch the rockets on private properties without any permission needed

[Themohawkninja]

The whole "terror fear" you keep hearing about is a bit of a myth. It affected air travel, and every so often you here about a backpack full of water bottles being suspected as a bomb, but that's it. The "terror fear" pretty much starts and stops at the airport.

That being said, as I understand it, anything above a D motor needs some basic license, and maybe you need a different license for things like M, or custom motors, but I wouldn't know. Anything below an E is free game to anyone (possible age limit, since I only ever bought them with my dad, but I'm not certain).

[K^2]

But when i started research i noticed that you cant do anything fun in Germany.

And that's why every once in a while a large chunk of German population decides to go and have fun with gunpowder and explosives abroad.

Pardon my abrasive humor. Anyways, in the States, rules are pretty lax. High-power rockets, defined as having more than 62.5g of propellant or more than 160Ns of impulse (H or above), do require a license. Anything bellow that, does not. You can just go and buy a G motor in the store. If you want to build your own rockets, limits are stricter. You need license to pack gunpowder over certain amount, for example. I don't recall what the limits are. Other fuels vary, but the only limitations are laws on explosives, and you can typically get away with almost any kind of propellant so long as you keep quantities low.

You also have to be aware of the Destructive Device laws, which limit propellant to 4 ounces (113.4g). Anything over that would require permits from the Gov't which are a pain to obtain. Of course, you're well into high-power category by then.

And as usual, there are various regulations specific to individual states. But they generally only restrict where you can launch.

[Dominatus]

And that's why every once in a while a large chunk of German population decides to go and have fun with gunpowder and explosives abroad.

Pardon my abrasive humor. Anyways, in the States, rules are pretty lax. High-power rockets, defined as having more than 62.5g of propellant or more than 160Ns of impulse (H or above), do require a license. Anything bellow that, does not. You can just go and buy a G motor in the store. If you want to build your own rockets, limits are stricter. You need license to pack gunpowder over certain amount, for example. I don't recall what the limits are. Other fuels vary, but the only limitations are laws on explosives, and you can typically get away with almost any kind of propellant so long as you keep quantities low.

You also have to be aware of the Destructive Device laws, which limit propellant to 4 ounces (113.4g). Anything over that would require permits from the Gov't which are a pain to obtain. Of course, you're well into high-power category by then.

And as usual, there are various regulations specific to individual states. But they generally only restrict where you can launch.

Yeah, that sounds about right. From what I understand, though, Germany's laws basically render this impossible. By the way, K^2, could you check your in box? I sent you a message about a week ago.

[jwenting]

Explains some of the UK restrictions

[Streetwind]

Haha, I remember this!

One of the best episodes in the entire series

[DaveofDefeat]

Its also not that hard in merica to get materials to make your own rocket fuel, namely fertilizers and such.

[lajoswinkler]

You can always skip regulations. As long as you're not endangering anyone... For example if you launch your rockets during the wet seasons when fires can't develop, if you launch it away from any habitation... who cares if you put more propellant? Is there someone to check your engines before flight?

You might get into trouble if you're caught. Otherwise, use common sense and no one will bug you.

[K^2]

A lot of very dangerous things could be justified this way. Sensible regulations should be followed. Especially, in cases when government gives you means of obtaining proper certification.

[lajoswinkler]

A lot of very dangerous things could be justified this way. Sensible regulations should be followed. Especially, in cases when government gives you means of obtaining proper certification.

The problem is that many things have been suppressed with nonsensible regulations. Rocketry is one of them. It will get banned eventually, if people keep quiet.

[Comrade Jenkens]

I think that the UK is still pretty strict on these things buts not quite as bad as Germany. I was actually thinking of doing a rocket after I've finished an RC Sopwith Camel I'm building.

I'm not sure what fuels will be legal or what quantities.

[Elthy]

I understand that launching bigger rockets is quite dangerous when you dont have big empty areas like in the USA. But its even impossible to do some static tests in Germany, i would like to develop, test and improve rocket-motors rather than buying them...

[Mulkari]

In Latvia limit is 125 g of fuel and 500 g of total mass, above that some sort of certification and launch permits is probably required. However as long as you launch in uninhabited areas far away from airports I bet you could get away with fairly powerful rockets. I know there is a guy in Latvia who built and launched a rocket that easily goes 3 km high approaching the speed of sound and it never got him into any trouble with law.

A model rocket is fairly useless weapon, it is unguided and have no useful payload capability and range. I bet someone skilled in model airplane building and programming could build a crude cruise missile with few kg bomb as payload from model airplane parts guided by cheap gps receiver and smartphone. But why bother with it if for the same effort you could build a half ton car bomb.

[lajoswinkler]

You can go to the countryside. Of course you won't do static tests in the middle of a crowded big city.

[GoDores]

You can go pretty big in America.

[Comrade Jenkens]

You can go pretty big in America.

I don't think that counts They will have special licensing and permissions to do that.

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

I don't think that counts They will have special licensing and permissions to do that.

You can still go pretty big in America:

This certainly requires permits, FAA clearance, etc. But it's a group of (very knowledgeable and with corporate sponsorship funding) amateurs reaching space.

[mardlamock]

Im building my own rocket in argentina without any permits whatsoever, no one has told me anything and the final rocket i plan to build will weigh 4kg. You can easily do static tests in a city, just get to a rooftop where no one cares. As far as the fuel, you can use potassium nitrate and sugar aka Rocket candy, and go prett damn high. I got 2kg of KNO3 (you can also get it from stump remover) for only 15 bucks in my country, you can make a decent concrete nozzle. Let me send you a few vids. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWeFe5REzhs (notice the buildings in the background), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnNXqx6GVho.

Edited January 19, 2014 by mardlamock