Best Places to Fly
Your Drone in Portland

Dedicated RC airfields are excellent places for novice and experienced drone pilots to practice their skills. The Fly-A-Way RC Field (AMA) here is in Cornelius, just outside Portland. You must be an AMA member to join the club, as is the case with all AMA fields. The property has a large runway set amid a green field surrounded by a pleasant rural landscape. Facilities include parking, pit tables, and a sheltered area for when it rains.

Lost Lake in the Mount Hood National Forest is one of the best nature getaways in Oregon and one of the most beautiful photography spots. The pristine lake, dense forests, and glacier-capped mountains off in the distance means that you can shoot images with your drone just about anywhere and get amazing photos. It's a good idea to spend a few nights camping here with your drone in tow.

Portlands is known as the "City of Bridges," so picking just one bridge to highlight is a tough task. The double-decker Steel Bridge is a favorite for photographers because of how iconic and ubiquitous it is. Of course, nothing is stopping you from going over to the Fremont or Morrison Bridges if your drone is already flying over the river anyway.

When the waters of the Wilamette River, the volcanic Elk Rock Island becomes accessible via an ancient land bridge. What makes this island interesting is its terrain, formed by a volcanic eruption and eroded by river waters through millions of years. The uneven terrain makes launching and landing a drone here challenging, so you might be better off retreating to the entry area.

Little Crater Lake is something of a geological oddity and well worth a visit. The 45ft deep spring-fed lake is in Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest. The water is an intense blue and always icy cold. Surrounding the lake are small open meadows and areas of dense needle pine trees. It’s a gorgeous spot and a fascinating place to capture scenic views with camera drones.

The Milwalkie Bay Park is a small and quiet green space right along the Wilamette River. There usually isn't a lot of people here, so it's a good spot to fly your drone into the waterfront. The park tends to get crowded during the holidays because of the boat parade.