Fly a remote controlled Heli? FAA considering rule changes to airspace on them

[Oldgamer]

Sometimes I shake my head at the folks on MSNBC. They just had a guy talking about people who own and operate remote controlled helicopters and airplances with mini-cams on them, and he keeps calling them "drones", which to me is misleading and gives this impression its some kind of Government type drone. Anyway, apparently the FAA and the Government are considering enacting new rules and laws restricting the average person on their use of these devices.

http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_...g-us-skies-without-waiting-for-faa-rules?lite

There seems to be a lot of carrying on about privacy issues. I honestly think they are making a mountain out of a mole hill, but thats just me.

 

[Red Storm]

Perverts flying camera equipped helis to peep on their neighbors?

Edit: Article led me to this, which I think is the greatest use of drones to date.

 

[darkewaffle]

I'm surprised the camera work on that bridge video is so steady, I expected much worse. Also when the clouds creep over the bridge and all you see is that top of the beams reaching up through, that's pretty awesome.

 

[natto fire]

Sometimes I shake my head at the folks on MSNBC. They just had a guy talking about people who own and operate remote controlled helicopters and airplances with mini-cams on them, and he keeps calling them "drones", which to me is misleading and gives this impression its some kind of Government type drone. Anyway, apparently the FAA and the Government are considering enacting new rules and laws restricting the average person on their use of these devices.

http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_...g-us-skies-without-waiting-for-faa-rules?lite

There seems to be a lot of carrying on about privacy issues. I honestly think they are making a mountain out of a mole hill, but thats just me.

It is a government agency being proactive instead of reactive for a change. As these get quieter, more powerful, and cheaper the potential for abuse will be limited by imagination only. Some people have really good imaginations, and very weak moral compass.

Am I the only one that still thinks of a male bee when they see the word drone? I guess it is becoming quite the buzz word these days, kekeke.

 

[Midwayman]

It is a government agency being proactive instead of reactive for a change.

Gah. I don't need the government being proactive in making stuff illegal. Plenty of peeping tom laws to charge people with already. Plenty of perfectly legit reasons to allow them as well. I hate the rush to ban anything that might conceivably have an illegal use.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

It is a government agency being proactive instead of reactive for a change. As these get quieter, more powerful, and cheaper the potential for abuse will be limited by imagination only. Some people have really good imaginations, and very weak moral compass.

Am I the only one that still thinks of a male bee when they see the word drone? I guess it is becoming quite the buzz word these days, kekeke.

ROFL yeah right... Government being proactive for our benefit.... ROFL... Come on.


You really think this is for our benefit? LOL sorry still literally laughing here...


We lowly citizens are not allowed to have the same technology that our provided to our caregivers.



Oh and, Thanks Obama.

 

[sunzt]

ROFL yeah right... Government being proactive for our benefit.... ROFL... Come on.


You really think this is for our benefit? LOL sorry still literally laughing here...


We lowly citizens are not allowed to have the same technology that our provided to our caregivers.



Oh and, Thanks Obama.

Well there's two sides to this now. You can fly your UAV as long as you're not selling any services and are in uncontrolled airspace.

So the FAA is trying to develop regulations to open up the skies to the commercial use of UAVs in airspace. The agriculture, shipping, oil exploration, commercial fishing, major league sports, film and television production, environmental monitoring, meteorological studies, law enforcement and the news media industries are ALL over that. They want it down ASAP.

However, the FAA is being snagged by privacy advocates (citizens like you and other privacy groups) about privacy violations that these UAVs present.

The FAA is a bit hamstrung in how fast it can move because it needs to work out the regulations with acceptance from industry and privacy advocates.

So yeah, it's complicated.

 

[BladeVenom]

Gah. I don't need the government being proactive in making stuff illegal. Plenty of peeping tom laws to charge people with already. Plenty of perfectly legit reasons to allow them as well. I hate the rush to ban anything that might conceivably have an illegal use.

Exactly. The only new laws we need are ones that restrict what the government can do.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Does not surprise me, just another way the government wants to control people's affairs and prevent people from having any fun, not to mention they don't want us having or using technology that can be compared to what they use.

 

[sunzt]

Gah. I don't need the government being proactive in making stuff illegal. Plenty of peeping tom laws to charge people with already. Plenty of perfectly legit reasons to allow them as well. I hate the rush to ban anything that might conceivably have an illegal use.

Right now commercial UAVs are illegal unless you get a waiver.

The FAA is working on regulations to allow commercial use of UAVs to become legal, or at least certain ones that meet certifications and equipage requirements.

 

[preslove]

If you'd bothered to read the link, it says that the FAA is required by legislation to allow commercial use of them by 2015.

 

[sunzt]

Does not surprise me, just another way the government wants to control people's affairs and prevent people from having any fun, not to mention they don't want us having or using technology that can be compared to what they use.

It's highly unlikely the FAA will prevent the sale of surveillance UAVs since industry is clamoring for them. If anything, it'll allow you to buy and operate them AND sell any services you may come up with using the UAV.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Well there's two sides to this now. You can fly your UAV as long as you're not selling any services and are in uncontrolled airspace.

So the FAA is trying to develop regulations to open up the skies to the commercial use of UAVs in airspace. The agriculture, shipping, oil exploration, commercial fishing, major league sports, film and television production, environmental monitoring, meteorological studies, law enforcement and the news media industries are ALL over that. They want it down ASAP.

However, the FAA is being snagged by privacy advocates (citizens like you and other privacy groups) about privacy violations that these UAVs present.

The FAA is a bit hamstrung in how fast it can move because it needs to work out the regulations with acceptance from industry and privacy advocates.

So yeah, it's complicated.

It's only complicated because the dollars are still falling from the sky and settling down.

Once all of the money is in nice neat piles the FAA and our Dear Leader can sit down and decide the best way to divvy it up.

 

[natto fire]

Gah. I don't need the government being proactive in making stuff illegal. Plenty of peeping tom laws to charge people with already. Plenty of perfectly legit reasons to allow them as well. I hate the rush to ban anything that might conceivably have an illegal use.

I agree with that, (hate the war on drugs, and various other finger-wagging laws) and forgot to word my post more carefully or simply providing a better example. Every time there is a new regulation on traveling, it is a response to something that has happened. Banning liquids and nail clippers and things like that. Nothing more nothing less. Judging by the posts below yours, this is going to turn into a P&N loony fest, so I am not going to bother trying to explain myself more.

 

[sunzt]

It's only complicated because the dollars are still falling from the sky and settling down.

Once all of the money is in nice neat piles the FAA and our Dear Leader can sit down and decide the best way to divvy it up.

They have until 2015.

Developing new safety standards and regulation is never a quick turnaround thing, which is good and bad.

It's complicated because they need to allow for periods of public comments and analyze the safety impacts of upcoming UAVs on other air traffic (including commercial, GA, and hobbyists). There is very limited data to verify and analyze the safety of commercial UAVs. Civil performance standards are more stringent, especially in the areas of reliability. Public expectation for a safe aviation environment drives the demand for very high standards. It's partly why the US Airspace is so safe.

Here's a link that shows some of the stuff they're doing with regards to UAV/UAS safety testing: http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/

 

[Kadarin]

You're telling me that the US Federal Government cares about privacy issues?

wat

 

[BladeVenom]

You're telling me that the US Federal Government cares about privacy issues?

wat

Of course. What if a citizen used a drone to record how corrupt government officials are?

 

[Oldgamer]

So when I see something like this How to attach a spy camera to a RC helicopter I wouldn't exactly call this a drone, but it could be affected by some of these new FAA rules changes and so could result in problems for those who use them, even if its a hobby?

 

[drebo]

It is a government agency being proactive instead of reactive for a change. As these get quieter, more powerful, and cheaper the potential for abuse will be limited by imagination only. Some people have really good imaginations, and very weak moral compass.

Am I the only one that still thinks of a male bee when they see the word drone? I guess it is becoming quite the buzz word these days, kekeke.

Is there really any expectation of privacy through an open window?

 

[Narse]

I fly them and I am the president of the largest RC Aircraft club in my area. The FAA has been threatening regulations on us for a few years now. Luckily our parent organization AMA is quite good at lobbying to keep out hobby fun and available. We have very strict rules regarding FPV aircraft. It must stay in line of sight and cannot exceed 500ft. I personally don't like FPV and I am worried that sooner or later someone will screw up and ruin it for us all.

 

[sunzt]

You're telling me that the US Federal Government cares about privacy issues?

wat

One of the reasons regulations have been so slow is because of all the privacy concerns that came up. Getting industry, FAA, the public, and privacy groups to agree on how to resolve privacy issues is not simple or straightforward.

 

[sunzt]

I fly them and I am the president of the largest RC Aircraft club in my area. The FAA has been threatening regulations on us for a few years now. Luckily our parent organization AMA is quite good at lobbying to keep out hobby fun and available. We have very strict rules regarding FPV aircraft. It must stay in line of sight and cannot exceed 500ft. I personally don't like FPV and I am worried that sooner or later someone will screw up and ruin it for us all.

Most people would be surprised how much influence GA and hobby lobbies are in the FAA. At least in some cases.

 

[Jeff7]

Of course. What if a citizen used a drone to record how corrupt government officials are?

We'd finally get to see Congress work, and quickly...



...to ensure that it's a felony to operate a radio controlled plane or helicopter within 5 miles of a government employee.

 

[Oldgamer]

I fly them and I am the president of the largest RC Aircraft club in my area. The FAA has been threatening regulations on us for a few years now. Luckily our parent organization AMA is quite good at lobbying to keep out hobby fun and available. We have very strict rules regarding FPV aircraft. It must stay in line of sight and cannot exceed 500ft. I personally don't like FPV and I am worried that sooner or later someone will screw up and ruin it for us all.

Yea I was wondering how it would affect the hobbying community of RC aircraft. Once they start restricting people and put laws and regulations into affect then you have a big mess, and people inadvertently start violating them, and then it just kills the fun that people have with their hobby.