Drone Flying Conditions in San Francisco

The live score above pulls today's forecast and scores wind, gusts, visibility, precipitation, and temperature into a single flight verdict. 90+ is ideal. Below 60, conditions require caution or postponement. San Francisco's persistent afternoon wind through the Golden Gate corridor and daily marine layer make it one of the more challenging coastal cities for drone flying.

Crissy Field and the Presidio are managed by the National Park Service and generally prohibit drones without a permit. Better options include open BLM or county land in Marin, the East Bay hills outside Class B airspace, and beaches in Pacifica or Half Moon Bay south of the metro. SFO (Class B) and Oakland International create overlapping restrictions across the Bay Area — always verify with FAA B4UFLY and check for LAANC authorization requirements before flying.

Above 10–12 mph sustained, footage quality degrades. Above 20 mph or with gusts 15+ mph above sustained wind, most consumer drones are at risk. SF's afternoon wind through the Bay corridor regularly exceeds 20 mph — DroneCast scores these conditions so you can plan morning flights when conditions are typically calmer.

DroneCast scores flight conditions using wind, gusts, precipitation, visibility, and temperature. GoldCast (same app) scores golden hour quality and timing. Free on web at lightcastsuite.com/dronecast, full features in the LightCast iOS app. $2.99/month after a 7-day free trial.