Toledo Blade Blvd & I-75, North Port — 2026-08-31. First practice reps from the shot bank (orbit, rise-and-reveal, tracking line) in easy airspace before attempting the Sarasota hero shots. DJI Mavic 2 Pro · Litchi missions.
Shot 9 — flown at the scouted altitude, legal as-is.
↓ marinajack-85m-litchi.csvShot 12, 70° E across the gulf onto the sand.
↓ siesta-turquoise-litchi.csvOrbit + rise-reveal + tracking line. Class G, no LAANC.
↓ atwater-practice-litchi.csvRecommended. 25 acres — open ballfields, pavilions, parking, walking paths. Off Sumter Blvd in east North Port, ~5 mi east of the Toledo Blade / I-75 interchange (the earlier draft misplaced it ~5 mi west). Drone crews already film here; launch from an empty outfield, weekday morning = empty park.
Right on Toledo Blade north of I-75, but it is preserve land — drones are commonly prohibited on preserves. Check posted rules before choosing it.
Backup, ~4 mi SW. Huge sports complex, the most open turf in the city if Atwater is busy.
Second backup, near US-41.
Launch: outfield near27.06798, -82.10816 (verified against the 4475 Skyway Ave geocode; the earlier 27.0605, -82.1930 was ~8 km off). Set RTH 60 m.
Reps: (1) 60 m orbit at 40 m around a light-pole POI, (2) rise-and-reveal 60 → 90 m facing west, (3) straight-line tracking pass at 35 m along the tree line, (4) the Bird Key gimbal move, -20° → -24° while dollying back.
Timing: sunset ≈ 7:45 pm this week — arrive 6:30 pm for calm light, or 7:30 am on a weekday for an empty park.
Kit: ND filters off (test), spare battery ×2, landing mat, phone with Litchi.
FL §330.41 preemption — cities may still control takeoff/landing on their own property; no published North Port parks drone ban found, so obey signage and staff.
Practice flight = recreational: TRUST cert + drone registration; keep Part 107 habits anyway.
Stay off people and fields in use, VLOS, no flights over I-75 traffic.