Hi All,
My son and I want to make and blast off model rockets! We live in Espoo and I am totally lost on how to get started.
i.e.
licenses / laws
where to buy
where to launch
etc
If anyone has a basic guide or tips it would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Aaron
Model Rocket Basics
Re: Model Rocket Basics
Hi, Aaron. Full answer would be quite long, but to start with:
Suomen Avaruustutkimusseura r.y. is the only Finnish rocketry organization that I know of. Please see http://www.sats-saff.fi/contact/
SATS-SAFF uses an area in Kulmakorpi,Espoo, for rocket launches. The timetable is published on these pages: Please see
viewtopic.php?t=3947 SATS also arranges course sessions. They are not legally necessary, but recommended.
In principle; rockets can be launched with landlords permission. However the air space is strictly controlled. In short; Kulmakorpi is the proper area.
These pages ( 'Rakettifoorumi' ) contain abundantly information, but alas in Finnish.
Rockets can be bought from Germany, Italy, Natherlands and UK. There exists no Finland-based seller that I know of.
Maybe someone else knows, if more information is available in English?
Suomen Avaruustutkimusseura r.y. is the only Finnish rocketry organization that I know of. Please see http://www.sats-saff.fi/contact/
SATS-SAFF uses an area in Kulmakorpi,Espoo, for rocket launches. The timetable is published on these pages: Please see
viewtopic.php?t=3947 SATS also arranges course sessions. They are not legally necessary, but recommended.
In principle; rockets can be launched with landlords permission. However the air space is strictly controlled. In short; Kulmakorpi is the proper area.
These pages ( 'Rakettifoorumi' ) contain abundantly information, but alas in Finnish.
Rockets can be bought from Germany, Italy, Natherlands and UK. There exists no Finland-based seller that I know of.
Maybe someone else knows, if more information is available in English?
Re: Model Rocket Basics
Nice to hear that you are interested in rockets!
Pollux is currently living somewhat quietly, but Finnish Astronautical Society is the main rocketry organisation here in Finland. We have a launch site near Ämmässuo landfill in Espoo where we fly rockets about once a month. The next launch event is planned for Sunday 2.10. but it's still a bit uncertain due to scheduling conflicts.
Regarding laws and permits the situation is a bit tricky, but flying small rockets at the club's launch site is fairly easy. Rockets have to follow the same rules as model airplanes and drones. At our site we have a permit to fly up to 300m and if your rocket weighs under 250g and does not carry a camera, no other paperwork is needed. The site can be used only during our launch events and we expect flyers to be members and participate in our basic course or prove some other way that they know all the relevant rules. Visitors are of course welcome and can temporarily launch rockets under someone's supervision.
To fly larger rockets you need to register yourself as a drone operator to finnish aviation authorities and unfortunately currently there is no easy way to launch rockets higher than 300 meters. We are working on that, but things are proceeding slowly...
Other areas generally have a 120m altitude limit and near airports the limit goes down to 50m. Model airplane flying sites might have permits to fly higher but then you need to follow their rules. Better ask me first if you plan to fly rockets somewhere else than at our site...
There are no resellers of rocket engines in Finland, but over 18 year old persons can order engines and other rocketry stuff for example from Germany freely as long as pyrotechnics are CE-approved. Using them according to their instructions does not require any additional permits apart from what I described above. There are some rules regarding storing and transporting pyrotechnics, but common sense is usually enough.
I recommend Klima https://www.raketenmodellbau-klima.de/
Before covid we had monthly meetings at Helsinki Hacklab in Pitäjänmäki and we try to get these meetings rolling on again.
Some links:
http://www.sats-saff.fi/
If you want to frustrate yourself with legal stuff, here is something to read:
https://lennokkimaarays.ilmailuliitto.fi/
https://droneinfo.fi/en
I hope this helps at least a little bit
If you want to know more please ask and come to visit our events. Schedules are in the forum and regarding the launches it's a good idea to verify from me especially if the weather looks suspicious. For primary announcement media we use mailing lists.
Pollux is currently living somewhat quietly, but Finnish Astronautical Society is the main rocketry organisation here in Finland. We have a launch site near Ämmässuo landfill in Espoo where we fly rockets about once a month. The next launch event is planned for Sunday 2.10. but it's still a bit uncertain due to scheduling conflicts.
Regarding laws and permits the situation is a bit tricky, but flying small rockets at the club's launch site is fairly easy. Rockets have to follow the same rules as model airplanes and drones. At our site we have a permit to fly up to 300m and if your rocket weighs under 250g and does not carry a camera, no other paperwork is needed. The site can be used only during our launch events and we expect flyers to be members and participate in our basic course or prove some other way that they know all the relevant rules. Visitors are of course welcome and can temporarily launch rockets under someone's supervision.
To fly larger rockets you need to register yourself as a drone operator to finnish aviation authorities and unfortunately currently there is no easy way to launch rockets higher than 300 meters. We are working on that, but things are proceeding slowly...
Other areas generally have a 120m altitude limit and near airports the limit goes down to 50m. Model airplane flying sites might have permits to fly higher but then you need to follow their rules. Better ask me first if you plan to fly rockets somewhere else than at our site...
There are no resellers of rocket engines in Finland, but over 18 year old persons can order engines and other rocketry stuff for example from Germany freely as long as pyrotechnics are CE-approved. Using them according to their instructions does not require any additional permits apart from what I described above. There are some rules regarding storing and transporting pyrotechnics, but common sense is usually enough.
I recommend Klima https://www.raketenmodellbau-klima.de/
Before covid we had monthly meetings at Helsinki Hacklab in Pitäjänmäki and we try to get these meetings rolling on again.
Some links:
http://www.sats-saff.fi/
If you want to frustrate yourself with legal stuff, here is something to read:
https://lennokkimaarays.ilmailuliitto.fi/
https://droneinfo.fi/en
I hope this helps at least a little bit
If you want to know more please ask and come to visit our events. Schedules are in the forum and regarding the launches it's a good idea to verify from me especially if the weather looks suspicious. For primary announcement media we use mailing lists.
“Scientists dream about doing great things. Engineers do them.”
- James A. Michener
- James A. Michener