Commercial Operations of sAUS in the US now Legal

Area21

Area21

Area21
UK CAA PfAW costs are:
Most quality courses are around the £1300 mark for Remote Pilots Cert including 3 days classroom, 1 exam, 1 submitted operational manual vetting, 1 flight test. Then its £224 to the CAA for Standard Permissions. So about £1500 quid. Then its an annual CAA fee of about £122. And I forgot to say you need public liability insurance before your flight test. Mine was £468 for £5 million cover.
 
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Old Man

Old Man

Active Member
It's not going to be as easy as some may think. You'll have to learn and know something to pass the test. If you have a history of DUI the path will be hard if not impossible. The background check as it is now is unknown to me but if you passed checks for government employment or for a commercial driver with a HazMat endorsement you'll probably pass it.

Insurance is going to be a bugger. Not many underwriters as yet and cost structure and qualification set is whatever they want it to be. I suppose that's not much different from other types of insurance in that respect. The FAA left the door laying on the ground with broken hinges for local flight ordinances to be enacted at whim. Where states and communities go with this will not be good. We still have the specter or people short on common sense gravitating to the commercial side and wreaking havoc in the media. Another likelihood will have local law enforcement being used to generate additional city revenue through commercial flight enforcement. We should expect to see equipment confiscation occurring when suspected violation results in any kind of "official" activity, with any possible return of the equipment occurring only after the case adjudicates. Keep your receipts people, you'll need them as proof of ownership if it happens to you.
 

R

Ray Ellis

Member
Do you still need to have the drone registered with an "N" number from the FAA?
Sorry, I have taken a few months off and Im now trying to get back up to speed
 

G

Gator

Member
Ray Ellis said:
Do you still need to have the drone registered with an "N" number from the FAA?
Sorry, I have taken a few months off and Im now trying to get back up to speed
Click to expand...
Not an N number but, if it's over .55lbs and you want to fly in national airspace you have to register.
 

Old Man

Old Man

Active Member
The aircraft registration process under both sections 47 and 48 are legal for commercial work. So that fast and easy hobby registration you did for all your models does not have to be changed.
 

scaots

scaots

New Member
Anyone sign up for the test yet?
How much is it?
Also not clear on the background check. Does that just happen after the test or do you need to arrange and pay for it separately?
 

John Doecliff

John Doecliff

Member
I'm currently studying for the test. I believe there are 2 company's that proctor the test or at least that's how I understood it. It was recommended that I register with one of them to take the test which I haven't done yet. Its $150 to take the test. It appears that the background check is part of the normal pilot certificate process and not an extra cost but I am not 100% certain. The first day to take the test was this past Monday the 29th, I was hoping to see something in the news on how many turned out. According to what I read is it takes 10 days to get word back on the results and issuance of temporary certificates so I'm interested to see if something turns up in the news soon. Depending on how easy it is to get a test date scheduled I hope to get this wrapped up in the next month. I will be ready to take the test in a week or two. I have almost completed all of the material but need to keep studying (cramming) so I don't flunk on my first time out.
 


S

Southern Style

Member
I am a week out of taking the test.. I work for a government agency and am hoping to have the license (along with Policy and Procedure and SOP) written and completed... I have completed a PowerPoint Presentation along with video and photos taken.. I presented this and got approval for 4 times the start up monies I was asking for... So, 2 drones have been purchased and I already have the training drone.. Will update hopefully when I pass the test. Have been studying for almost 3 months solid now, don't want to even think about not passing the test..
 


S

Southern Style

Member
A City in Brevard County Florida.. I am with the Crime Scene Unit (21 years on the road and now 10th year in CSI). I watched the San Bernadino California CSI Drone Unit video and what they were able to do with it.. And made a joking comment about 2 years ago during a homicide.. We were waiting on the Sheriffs Office Aviation Unit to assist with areal photos due to the suspect parking his vehicle 4 blocks away and hiding in the back yard over a fence. I needed photos of how far he walked and to think and plan the killing.. I said " Just let me go home and get my drone and get a video"... Well, I was approached by the Command Staff and asked me to put a presentation on reference the Drone. Since then, we had a firefight with our SWAT team and the county SWAT team where over 300 rounds were fired. I explained that instead of hiding in the Command Post 1/2 mile away and listening to the firefight, what if you were able to WATCH the whole thing and make tactical decisions based on what you SEE and not what you HEAR.. Well, the shooting was so fresh in their heads, that they told me to spearhead the operation and get one started.. Its been almost 2 years of writing policies, General Orders, etc... I now have 3 Drones and am hoping to pass the Part 107 test next week!!
 

S

Southern Style

Member
We should be the 2nd or 3rd department in Florida with COA's. I have looked on FAA website and it lists any agencies with active COA's to fly.. After the test, I am registering the drones and will fill out COA for flight here in Brevard County. I have a friend (that is an avid Drone pilot, but also a highly respected Attorney in the Ft. Lauderdale area specializing in Drone Law) who has taken an interest in helping us make sure that we don't step on any toes and get everything legal..... Can't wait to use it on our Homicides, documenting traffic fatalities, search for missing/endangered adults, assisting Fire Dept with large scale forest fires next to residential areas, train -vs- pedestrian accidents where the deceased is spread over 1/2 mile, etc...
 
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John Doecliff

John Doecliff

Member
And that folks is how its done... I thought you might be LE. Sounds like this is going to be a great benefit to your city and beyond, plus your creating the model for others to follow. I was on another forum a long time ago and there was a LEO there that did essentially the same thing you are doing except I believe it was in Ohio. Good to see someone (you) stepped up and did all of the hard work before hand to make it a reality.
 


S

Southern Style

Member
BOOM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got a 90% !!! Just got back to the office.. Took exam this morning at 9am.. Now filling out additional paperwork and waiting on my hard copy certificate... Cant wait!!!
 

MadMonkey

MadMonkey

Bane of G10
Southern Style said:
A City in Brevard County Florida.. I am with the Crime Scene Unit (21 years on the road and now 10th year in CSI). I watched the San Bernadino California CSI Drone Unit video and what they were able to do with it.. And made a joking comment about 2 years ago during a homicide.. We were waiting on the Sheriffs Office Aviation Unit to assist with areal photos due to the suspect parking his vehicle 4 blocks away and hiding in the back yard over a fence. I needed photos of how far he walked and to think and plan the killing.. I said " Just let me go home and get my drone and get a video"... Well, I was approached by the Command Staff and asked me to put a presentation on reference the Drone. Since then, we had a firefight with our SWAT team and the county SWAT team where over 300 rounds were fired. I explained that instead of hiding in the Command Post 1/2 mile away and listening to the firefight, what if you were able to WATCH the whole thing and make tactical decisions based on what you SEE and not what you HEAR.. Well, the shooting was so fresh in their heads, that they told me to spearhead the operation and get one started.. Its been almost 2 years of writing policies, General Orders, etc... I now have 3 Drones and am hoping to pass the Part 107 test next week!!
Click to expand...

What are our options as far as volunteering/contracting with law enforcement or emergency services (such as fire)? That's something I've been interested in but haven't really looked into the laws on it. Fire and LE could really make use of a quickly-deployed eye in the sky that is cheap to operate.
 

John Doecliff

John Doecliff

Member
One thing I have found is that LE is very interested and excited about the technology but they prefer to have their own personnel control it rather than a civilian volunteer. The local sheriffs dept here in my county has a volunteer search and rescue team and I'm sure that would be an opportunity to use my drone but I haven't pursued it.
 

S

Southern Style

Member
Sorry for delay, Received our 2 new drones in last week and have been setting them up and checking updates.. Actually, we hooked the Command Post up to the drone and was explaining that the next time we have an active shooter or officer involved shooting, it will be more advantageous to be making tactical decisions from what they can SEE and not what they HEAR... When we were doing this, a Battalion Chief with the Fire Dept walked in and we spoke.. He requested that when they have a fire, could they call me to view from the air? I said absolutely, and he was very excited.. I have seen on YouTube about drones assisting with active fires.. I would go speak to the local Fire Stations.. Tell them you are doing all the right things, getting your 107 so you are trying to show you are an educated, informed, SAFE pilot.. I can not see why they would say NO, when this can actually help them find the hot spots and flare ups within a structure fire. I AM NO FIREFIGHTER, so my thinking may be wrong, but I know I was practically BEGGED to be called for a large structure or woods fire by our agency.. So, there has to be something to it.. Good luck and let us know..
 

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