Cessna pilot and approach controller reported that the aircraft entered a live fire restricted area.

Attributes
ACN	1540991
Time
Date	201805
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna 402/402C/B379 Businessliner/Utiliner
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10 Flight Crew Total 3000 Flight Crew Type 700
Person 2
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Radar 10
Events
Anomaly	Airspace Violation All Types Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Narrative:

I was conducting a lidar equipment calibration by circling the airport at approximately 5 mile radius at approximately 11;000 feet MSL. There is a GPS continuously operational resource (cr) station located on [the] airport used for our GPS lidar calibrations. After conducting the calibration; I departed [the] airport area on a northeasterly heading without consulting my sectional chart. This course placed me directly inside restricted area rzzzz a/B. At that time rzzzz was hot with actual live fire operation in effect (I learned later). Approximately 3-5 miles inside rzzzz [ATC] notified me I was inside a restricted area with live fire operations. I immediately turned east to depart rzzzz by the shortest possible route.ATC issued me a warning and explained to me (several times) that live fire operations had been suspended when I intruded into the restricted airspace. ATC did not ask me to call them or identify myself after the intrusion. I suspended aerial surveillance operations immediately and returned to [departure airport] where we ceased operations for the remainder of the day. I reviewed my conduct and realized I had intruded into the restricted area due to my lack of situational awareness; first day on the job; new to the area; and just general stupidity on my part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Cessna pilot and Approach Controller reported that the aircraft entered a live fire Restricted Area.

Narrative: I was conducting a LIDAR equipment calibration by circling the airport at approximately 5 mile radius at approximately 11;000 feet MSL. There is a GPS Continuously Operational Resource (CR) station located on [the] airport used for our GPS LIDAR calibrations. After conducting the calibration; I departed [the] airport area on a northeasterly heading without consulting my sectional chart. This course placed me directly inside Restricted Area RZZZZ A/B. At that time RZZZZ was hot with actual live fire operation in effect (I learned later). Approximately 3-5 miles inside RZZZZ [ATC] notified me I was inside a Restricted Area with live fire operations. I immediately turned east to depart RZZZZ by the shortest possible route.ATC issued me a warning and explained to me (several times) that live fire operations had been suspended when I intruded into the Restricted airspace. ATC did not ask me to call them or identify myself after the intrusion. I suspended aerial surveillance operations immediately and returned to [departure airport] where we ceased operations for the remainder of the day. I reviewed my conduct and realized I had intruded into the Restricted Area due to my lack of situational awareness; first day on the job; new to the area; and just general stupidity on my part.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.