Sad Day Indeed had to sell my P3P

[PhotoGuyAaron]

To produce commercially usable work was way more than I had. The Exemption, Pilots classes/license, and 5k of Inshurance a year is just beyond my means. I got some wonderful content this summer but it is too bad I could not use it commercially for my business. I work as a stock photographer.

If you would like to see my work feel free to checkout my website:
aaronplotkinphotography.com

I have a small best of the summer aerial gallery on there.

It has been wonderful the support and feedback that I have received in this group. Thank you for that! Maybe if the commercial laws change I may come back.

Cheers for now.
Aaron

 

[RoyVa]

Sorry to see you have to go. Good luck !

 

[Mark_DeKruyter]

Regulations/Fees driving people out of business; it's a shame.

 

[Wibble]

Yes a very sad day. I would have kept it for fun work.
This just made me think of a very worrying problem.
On many many occasions when a newsworthy event happens people sell their story and photos to the media.
What happens if an amateur with a drone captures some awesome footage then decides to sell it to the media?

 

[Patrick]

it seems like there are plenty of folks out there that make it work legally. sorry to see you give up

 

[Chicago1]

Yes a very sad day. I would have kept it for fun work.
This just made me think of a very worrying problem.
On many many occasions when a newsworthy event happens people sell their story and photos to the media.
What happens if an amateur with a drone captures some awesome footage then decides to sell it to the media?

They will not buy it!

 

[PhotoGuyAaron]

Yes a very sad day. I would have kept it for fun work.
This just made me think of a very worrying problem.
On many many occasions when a newsworthy event happens people sell their story and photos to the media.
What happens if an amateur with a drone captures some awesome footage then decides to sell it to the media?

It would be illegal without a Federal 333 exemption. But one of the problems we are running into is drone getting in the way of law enforcement, first responders from air. What happened in California is in no small part of the upcoming mandatory registration. It just blows all the way around.

It is illegal for me to fly in Seattle city parks for fun. This is the safest place to fly but they banned it. To fly anywhere near me you have to fly from private property and over people, homes, and cars. It is messed up!

 

[Oso]

To produce commercially usable work was way more than I had. The Exemption, Pilots classes/license, and 5k of Inshurance a year is just beyond my means. I got some wonderful content this summer but it is too bad I could not use it commercially for my business. I work as a stock photographer.

If you would like to see my work feel free to checkout my website:
aaronplotkinphotography.com

I have a small best of the summer aerial gallery on there.

It has been wonderful the support and feedback that I have received in this group. Thank you for that! Maybe if the commercial laws change I may come back.

Cheers for now.
Aaron

I'm disappointed to hear this news Aaron, but I do understand. The combination of government intervention and the public loathing of drones is tough to overcome. Good luck to you sir.

 

[PhotoGuyAaron]

I'm disappointed to hear this news Aaron, but I do understand. The combination of government intervention and public loathing is tough to overcome. Good luck to you sir.

Oso you were one of the people who helped me most. Thank you for your kind words and your help on this board.

Fly safe my friend!

 

[bighi]

I figure we have maybe a year more of some fun. Then regulations will just about kill the hobby. From this back to collective pitch, 100 yard away roundy round won't do it for me any more. I'll get back to salt water wave bashing on rc boats or something.

 

[Meta4]

On many many occasions when a newsworthy event happens people sell their story and photos to the media.
What happens if an amateur with a drone captures some awesome footage then decides to sell it to the media?

It would be illegal without a Federal 333 exemption.

Only some of what you read on forums is true and this is misinformation.
Read this article FAA Says Media Can Use Drone Photos From Citizen Journalists, Not Professionals
and its source material.
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...iams-AFS-80 - (2015) legal interpretation.pdf
The FAA's chief counsel says ....

the news media cannot use drones to gather news images nor can professional photographers in the business of taking and selling photos use drones without FAA permission. However, hobby photographers using drones could: “If the individual’s [sic] takes the pictures or videos or gathers other information as part of a hobby or recreational activity, then a later decision to sell some or all of those pictures, videos or other information” would not change the character of the operation and “no FAA authorization for that operation would be required.”​

This highlights how ridiculous their stand on commercial photography is.
You can legally fly and photograph ... unless you want to sell photos .. which would make the flying illegal??
This has nothing to do with aviation safety and is a restriction on trade.

The FAA/CAA/CASA have no business saying who can and cannot sell photographs and should stick to matters concerning aviation safety.
Safe flying is safe flying and has nothing to do with whether you sell photos or not.

 

[fly_it]

To produce commercially usable work was way more than I had. The Exemption, Pilots classes/license, and 5k of Inshurance a year is just beyond my means.

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm just at the beginning of getting into it and making it viable for myself. Insurance is 5k a year to fly these commercially?

 

[kirk2579]

They will not buy it!

Not so sure anymore!

Just recently our local news channel has begun using user provided drone video.
Until recently they ignored the submissions.
I am thinking they have seen enough uses overall that they are willing to see how everyone accepts them in this format.

 

[PhotoGuyAaron]

My stock agent is in the process of getting a 333 Federal Exemption and advised me that 5K was required to fly safely commercially. Currently commercial liability is much greater than hobbyist liability. You are personally responsible as well as your company from what I understand. This summer when I was learning to fly I carried a 1 Million dollar umbrella policy in addition to my home owners. You kill some one and you will be on the line for at least 1M if not more.

I could be wrong but I cant afford commercial expenses anyhow. Not being able to fly for fun safely anywhere near me also factored greatly into my decision to sell.

 

[Recce2]

Aaron,
Don't give up yet. Final rules are not out yet, more than likely there will be some kind of UAS certificate and competiion will bring insurance in line.
Keep you P3 and focus on getting to be the best pilot you can be over the next year, rather than making money.
Over the next year, start operating as if you were commercial, i.e. logs, maintenance records, Notams, checklists, everything required by a professional operation.
Time goes by and the future of this industry will become much more clear in another year.
Hang in there and consider this a training period while you have fun. You will end up far ahead of the crowd with options to decide what direction to go.

 

[ParsnipHysorter]

This makes me sad

 

[bobmyers]

My stock agent is in the process of getting a 333 Federal Exemption and advised me that 5K was required to fly safely commercially. Currently commercial liability is much greater than hobbyist liability. You are personally responsible as well as your company from what I understand. This summer when I was learning to fly I carried a 1 Million dollar umbrella policy in addition to my home owners. You kill some one and you will be on the line for at least 1M if not more.

I could be wrong but I cant afford commercial expenses anyhow. Not being able to fly for fun safely anywhere near me also factored greatly into my decision to sell.

Thank the lawyers, legislators and insurance companies-- they make the rules that make all this expensive. Every small business goes through all this drone camera and otherwise.

 

[tallywhacker]

Ok. I can't help myself with this and I am just a brand new member and new to a Phantom. But is anyone seeing a correlation here?
Responsible ownership and usage of any tool is just that. Responsibility and safety. My goodness is this sport/hobby/pastime/profession also going to be attacked just like firearm ownership? We can't protect everyone from everything all the time and still enjoy a modicum of freedom to pursue our passions. My goodness, before we know it we will just be subjects to our "betters". Sorry to vent like this but gee, where and when does it stop? Everything seems to be getting regulated out of business. And this poor guy is just trying to make a living. Just going to have to roll with it I suppose.

 

[Ohary]

$5k for insurance? That's nuts. I've got an $1m umbrella general liability for $400/yr. Does the FAA treat 333 exemptions like manned aircraft?

 

[Oso]

$5k for insurance? That's nuts. I've got an $1m umbrella general liability for $400/yr. Does the FAA treat 333 exemptions like manned aircraft?

Perhaps it's related to commercial versus hobby as Aaron mentioned earlier in the thread.