FAA Reauthorization Bill: Take Two

[WetDog]

Since this is a serious thread,
Why do you feel taking an exam is best for everyone?
Taking an exam isn't going to stop the bad apples from doing their illegal flying.
Then RC planes and the rest should too. As well as bicyclists and boaters should pass an exam to be on the roadways or waters.
It's just opening up a whole can of worms.
And yet you don't like the fact that you can't tamper with the flight systems.
Not really sure which side of the fence you're on.
IMHO, they need to let these rules slide and let us enjoy our hobby instead of turning it into a government program.
There are already too many rules and plenty of NFZs that restrict us now.
I wonder if a company like DJI is getting involved with these new rules because I feel it will eventually have an impact on their sales

It's pretty much the Amateur Radio / Private Pilot method of behavioral control. It works reasonably well - create a graded system of opportunities with some reasonable testing to assure competence. More demonstrated competence gives you more opportunities. Big sticks in the background. Not perfect, but it points a way for self regulation (users are invested because those privileges could be taken away and besides, few people like assholes). It tends to keep people who have no interest in actually investing time in the hobby away.

The analogy isn't perfect. Both piloting and Ham radio are really niche ideas. Drones are much more interesting to a wider swath of the community. But the FAA has to solve the same problem in the end - how to get everyone to behave using a shared resource.

This is something the the libertarian crowd seems to forget. These toys operate in an environment with a bunch of other expensive and potentially dangerous things. Governments have a vested interest in public safety. In personal amusement, not so much.

 

[WetDog]

Well, to start with you need a 333 exemption, a COA, a pilot, and at least $2M of liability insurance. Then to get a location, you need multiple permits and COIs. Approval from police and fire air units. Approval from FAA and fire department for closed set operations. Permits, rental cops, etc, for shutting down streets on closed sets, etc.

And you haven't even started dealing with the 'artistic' folks....

 

[GadgetGuy]

Well, to start with you need a 333 exemption, a COA, a pilot, and at least $2M of liability insurance. Then to get a location, you need multiple permits and COIs. Approval from police and fire air units. Approval from FAA and fire department for closed set operations. Permits, rental cops, etc, for shutting down streets on closed sets, etc.

All of which must be factored into the cost, then add in a reasonable profit, and the resulting quote is a number so high, that the client can buy all your equipment and still have money left over, or hires someone off the books without a 333 exemption to do the shoot on the sly for 1/10th price you have to quote just to stay in business! It's a tough sell! I feel for you! The underground drone photographers are hard to beat! It's not a fair playing field!

 

[George Weaver]

Automobile deaths in 2015: Over 32,000
Bicycle deaths in 2014: Over 900
Boating deaths in 2013: 610
Drone Fatalities 2013-2015: 1. Maybe.

So, tell me again why we're doing this?

 

[GoodnNuff]

Automobile deaths in 2015: Over 32,000
Bicycle deaths in 2014: Over 900
Boating deaths in 2013: 610
Drone Fatalities 2013-2015: 1. Maybe.

So, tell me again why we're doing this?

Really has nothing to do with fatalities at this point.
I think anyone with common sense can see the potential for injury, and that is going to be a concern as more and more drones take to the skies.
Estimates are that over the next decade drones will spawn a $90 billion dollar industry as they are used for agriculture, mapping and numerous other industries. Our state is even considering a fleet to be used by the highway department.
So as drones become more and more prevalent in our airspace, the need for regulation and safety seems pretty apparent to me. We are witnessing the birth of an industry, much like how automobiles impacted our society and the goods and services they enabled, drones are on the verge of doing the same.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Automobile deaths in 2015: Over 32,000
Bicycle deaths in 2014: Over 900
Boating deaths in 2013: 610
Drone Fatalities 2013-2015: 1. Maybe.

So, tell me again why we're doing this?

Anything that discourages drone flying keeps the skies free for those of us already flying in them! Fewer drone on drone collisions!

 

[flpholt]

more likely a bird hits a plane than a person using there drone

 

[GadgetGuy]

I wish those darn seagulls were required to register, too!
They are some of the most reckless flyers I've ever seen!

There are also documented FAA crashes caused by seagulls ganging up and attacking airplanes up in organized terrorist suicide missions!
Beware!