Man all this seems so confusing lol.
I'll learn it all eventually lol.
I have a bad habit of following the rules and asking a lot of questions
So if any questions sound dumb I apologize in advance,I rather be safe than sorry.
The rules themselves are not that confusing, but the implementation and enforcement are unneccesarily vague - possibly deliberately so.
The FAA, having been forbidden from making any rules affecting model aircraft operations, then sought to define model aircraft flying as restrictively as possible. In their
Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, they spent significant time explaining hobby use, starting with the definition as a "
pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation". They go on to say:
"Any operation not conducted strictly for hobby or recreation purposes could not be operated under the special rule for model aircraft. Clearly, commercial operations would not be hobby or recreation flights. Likewise, flights that are in furtherance of a business, or incidental to a person’s business, would not be a hobby or recreation flight."
They also drew a parallel with the sport and recreational pilot certificate restrictions in 14 CFR 61.
So commercial use (for profit) is, as they say, clearly not allowed under the special rule, but nor is any use that is in support of, or furthering, a business, or not simply not being done for recreation.
In practice, I suspect, if you are not getting paid and not clearly supporting a business (yours or not), then the likelihood of being pursued by the FAA may be low. But, as a caveat, note that they have warned volunteer search and rescue operators that they cannot operate under the special rule, even though they are not getting paid or furthering a business in any sense.
