Elon Musk has said recently he has no plans to build a private airport in Austin, Texas, refuting claims made by local media. While the CEO may not be wanting to build a new airport, Tesla has added a helipad to Giga Texas.
The new helipad was first spotted by drone operator Jeff Roberts (@peterdog15) over the weekend. In keeping with the theme of the factory that will soon start producing the Cybertruck, Roberts called it the Cyber Helipad.
When he spotted the new addition on the east side of the factory complex it wasn’t quite complete, but based on the size and shape it was pretty clear what it was going to be. (Also check out those planters in the shape of Cybertrucks)
All doubts were set aside when fellow Quad Squad member Joe Tegtmeyer (@JoeTegtmeyer) flew over the factory with his drone on Monday. Since Roberts’ flight work crews had completed the ‘H’ in the middle of pad, confirming its intended use.
The helipad shouldn’t cause serious problems for members of the Quad Squad and their drone flyovers of the factory however.
Due to its proximity to Austin International Airport Giga Texas is already considered class C controlled airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says class C airspace covers “from the surface to 4,000 feet” in the air.
This means even without the helipad, drone flights are not permitted over or near Giga Texas unless they are previously cleared with the FAA. Fortunately the agency has an online process for this and can receive approval in just minutes.
You can watch the drone flyover from Roberts below.
