Commercial flights deemed legal... Trappy won!

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Scott Drysdale

Mixmaster
The original FAA charge was:
The order of assessment alleges a violation of Section 91.13(a) of the federal aviation regulations (“FARs”), which states that no person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.[6]
In a new era where there is a broad continuum of aircraft including UAVs/UAS, from micro to macro sizes the idea of using a one size fits all law developed in the last millennium at a time when it was applicable specifically to manned aircraft, it seems there is now a lot of catching up to do by the FAA. As they say "The punishment should fit the crime." and this last incident would have been extreme overkill in the minds of some..... not withstanding that a very small UAV could still bring down an airliner under the right conditions!
 
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Motopreserve

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
I read that filing the appeal in effect stays the decision until a ruling can be made. Any lawyers on here know if that makes sense/sounds correct?
 


Motopreserve

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
It matters if like some of these guys here on the forum, you're skirting the FAA in hopes they don't notice you, dodging fines (or the hassle of fighting these fines) while trying to make a living with your UAS.

I agree that it would be sensible for the appeals court to find that the FAA doesn't have authority to enforce a law which in fact doesn't exist. But if the FAA pleads that the skies are dangerous until they can get a handle on getting specific language written/passed into law, the court may agree and put on hold the permission to legally, commercially fly.

I'm curious why there is not more talk (in coverage of the case) about the fact that the FAA has never had an issue with use of this technology, as long as money doesn't change hands. Same flight, same gear - you slip me a fiver, the whole game changes. Just ridiculous. I recognize that commercial use would require insurance, level of professionalism etc. But any commercial endeavor would require this, regardless of the industry...

It seems to me the fear of military uses for "drones" and the fear that privacy is sure to be invaded by this technology is steering the debate.
 

TahoeTim

TahoeTim

Member
The FAA had better be very careful! Operating an aircraft up until now is an aircraft for which you are sitting in. I am a pilot and if they try to equate drones and aircraft, they will open a huge can of worms such as radio calls, vfr/ifr, etc.

Another unintended consequence is that they might accidentally allow me to remotely fly my 140kt aircraft as a drone! My plane is already equipped with autopilot, gps, ipad, etc. It would be too easy to add telemetry and fly it around without a pilot on board. full scale drone...
 

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PeterLester

Member
Actually its been done before way back in the early 50's near Bikini Atoll when they were doing above ground nuclear bomb testing that took vintage WW2 aircraft and flew them by remote control....... later it was all scaled down. Re: PBS series - Secrets of the Dead - The Making of the Atomic Bomb! Seems that is how the RC plane hobby got started!

TahoeTim said:
The FAA had better be very careful! Operating an aircraft up until now is an aircraft for which you are sitting in. I am a pilot and if they try to equate drones and aircraft, they will open a huge can of worms such as radio calls, vfr/ifr, etc.

Another unintended consequence is that they might accidentally allow me to remotely fly my 140kt aircraft as a drone! My plane is already equipped with autopilot, gps, ipad, etc. It would be too easy to add telemetry and fly it around without a pilot on board. full scale drone...
Click to expand...
 

M

Mikeq

Member
seattle_helo said:
Hopefully they do the right thing now and essentially stipulate what we've already been doing- line of sight, under 400' AGL and insured. That would be reasonable, ensure avoidance with full size ops and cover 95% of all low altitude aerial cine needs.

nick
Click to expand...

I've always been curious about the insurance aspect for you guys doing this as a business. What type of insurance do you carry and what's the likelihood that if you had a drone related accident that your insurer would try to squirm their way out of a payout?
 

kloner

kloner

Aerial DP
you have to work with genuine companies that back the industry..... right now my only scripulation i have to do is have my medical clearance to fly. After that i have to be responsible and safe...... it even includes hull insurance for traveling, in the car or home or hotel or plane, etc. It is somewhat limited to film work and they go over the applicant pretty good. I ave 2 aircraft insured with them, all the liability stuff including product liability insurance on uav parts we sell. There bitchen, call state farm and try to get anything for this stuff.... this place has no problems. They are legit and tell it straight. check out there facebook http://www.facebook.com/TransportRisk

http://www.transportrisk.com/uavrcfilm.html

camp4collective uses them as well
 



J

JasonV

Member
PeterLester said:
Actually its been done before way back in the early 50's near Bikini Atoll when they were doing above ground nuclear bomb testing that took vintage WW2 aircraft and flew them by remote control....... later it was all scaled down. Re: PBS series - Secrets of the Dead - The Making of the Atomic Bomb! Seems that is how the RC plane hobby got started!
Click to expand...

Unless I am mistaken I think RC airplanes have been around longer than you are saying. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-controlled_aircraft one of the first sites I pulled up doing a quick google search.
 

Bartman

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
wow, what fun is it going to be if it's legal?

all kidding aside, i'm going to hold off on getting too happy about this as the FAA will not just roll over and go away. That's not their M.O. The next twelve months ought to be interesting!
 


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jes1111

Active Member
Good site with the entire history of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles:
https://sites.google.com/site/uavuni/

It reveals too, the origin of the term "drone". In the 1930s the British had two radio controlled target practice planes called the Queen Bee and the Queen Wasp (after their original one called the Fairey Queen). An American is credited with deriving the term "drone" - a drone bee being , effectively, an "unarmed" bee.
 

Droider

Droider

Drone Enthusiast
jes1111 said:
Good site with the entire history of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles:
https://sites.google.com/site/uavuni/

It reveals too, the origin of the term "drone". In the 1930s the British had two radio controlled target practice planes called the Queen Bee and the Queen Wasp (after their original one called the Fairey Queen). An American is credited with deriving the term "drone" - a drone bee being , effectively, an "unarmed" bee.
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So does George Lucas own the word 'droid'

Dave
 




kloner

kloner

Aerial DP
You can do what you want, it's a free world

“Commercial unmanned aircraft operations are not banned, but they are limited,” he said, pointing to the Insitu ScanEagle and AeroVironment’s Puma in the Arctic as legal uses. He said that the FAA will take interim steps to approve limited commercial use of unmanned aircraft in highly controlled environments, like on movie and television sets. In these scenarios, the pilots must be certified and conditions on the ground must be safe, he said.
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told ya all
 


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