Drones

[stang67]

I'm guessing the controller gets wet next.

[Wingman]

You need to think about that kinda stuff. Ag planes and such flying low level are extremely at risk.

[three11]

[Johnboy114]

Lots of potentials out there just like anything else. Around me there are no planes flying lower than 2-300 feet as there are buildings that high. Most of the drones now will return to their home point to land. I can turn my controller off while the drone is flying and it will automatically return. Pretty impressive stuff. There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding these things as can be seen in this thread alone.
The faa is chomping at the bit to put restrictions on em that's for sure. Just saw an article today about the use with realtors and it's not allowed blah blah. They will be unavoidable in the future and I am sure we wi have to pay the gov't to fly in the air we breath just like everything else.

[teul2]

Just make sure people can see it coming.

[REBEL DUCK]

I bet they are about to regulate the heck out of them since one crashed at the White House

[stang67]

"In the wrong hands, they are dangerous. Therefore the govt should restrict their use as much as possible." Where've I heard that before??

[Wingman]

[DoublePslayer]

"Aircraft means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air."

This is straight out of the Federal Aviation Regulation, so be definition, all these drones are an aircraft. And you have to be licensed to fly an aircraft.

Also FAR 91.119 gives guidance for minimum safe altitudes. I copied this straight out of the regs to.

Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

(a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

(d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—

(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA; and

(2) A powered parachute or weight-shift-control aircraft may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section.
That paragraph (a) part is what is going to get people in trouble. If the thing takes a dump, can you garuntee that it won't hit someone or something on the ground and damage it. Also, the operators have to have a spotter, and it has to be flown " line of sight".

[DoublePslayer]

Now all that being said, I think there are a ton of things that can be done with these things, and when they get the regs all figured out and set. I may buy one and start doing those things. But I'm not going to risk all my ratings that took me almost ten years and 100K dollars to get it hoping the rules will work to my advantage. As for the people that are using them now, and get caught I hope you got deep pockets.

[deltadukman]

So are kites illegal to fly? Seems like a man could kill two birds with one stone if his "spotter" tethers some kite string to his drone. Seems to me more ted tape and bs rules and someone wanting to make a dollar. I bet the first time an airplane runs into one, the airplane isn't damaged and the drone doesn't walk away. I guess we need to be telling ducks and geese they don't need to share the sky's with planes. If they will reinstate lead use, you'll have a lot better case. #gubmentnonsense

[DoublePslayer]

[Johnboy114]

[Wingman]

It takes a little skill to fly a RC plane. I think a 4 year old could fly a drone. I know maybe 5 guys in my area that fly RC's, but tons of folks are getting these drone copter things.

I really believe the White House lawn thing will hamper drone use.

[JaMak84]