Bloomberg: Consumer Drones Unlikely to Cause Injury

[BigAl07]

Kudos - I'm thinking of, for example, those online test helpers. They teach you only exactly what appears on the test and that's it. Your approach is what is really needed.

Exactly. They teach you how to "pass the test" rather than obtaining the knowledge behind the test.

Yes the industry as a whole needs actual flight testing to make sure the person can actually fly the aircraft especially in real-world applications (when things go wrong).

 

[dayviduk]

I believe here in the UK you have to do a practical flying test to gain a commercial indorsement .
I am i no way connected to this company.


Our full CAA-approved drone course takes place over a 3-day period in locations across the UK and teaches you everything you need to know to become a proficient drone pilot.

The sections covered in our UAV training syllabus include:

• Ground School: The theory section of our training gives you an understanding of the equipment you'll be using as well as safe drone operation standards and knowledge of UK air law. Our expert training staff will bring you up to speed with the latest advances in the drone industry and by the end of the Ground School, after successful completion of the theory exam, you will have the confidence to proceed to the final steps before receiving your permissions.
• Operations Manual: The most important document for licensed drone pilots, the Operations Manual outlines how you intend to use your drone in a commercial capacity. We will instruct and guide you through the completion of your manual, providing insights into crafting a thorough document which meets CAA criteria. Upon completion of your course, this must be updated regularly in line with your business.
• Drone Flight Test: The practical section of the training allows you to demonstrate the skills you have learned throughout our course. This includes control of the drone, completion of a real-world assignment scenario as well as carrying out all necessary checks and notifications just as you would on a commercial contract.
• CAA PfCO Drone Training Courses - Heliguy

 

[sar104]

Title: "Consumers Drones Unlikely to Cause Injury"

Fact: Consumers drones have very rarely (therefore unlikely) caused injury.

Where is the false news?

You are, of course, conflating different statements of probability - probability of a consumer drone hitting someone on the head, and probability of consumer drone causing injury if it does hit someone. The study assumed the impact (probability = 1) and assessed the probability of injury. It came out as unlikely. However, existing data suggest that is not true. There have been very few reports of consumer drones falling from any significant height and colliding with a person. Most, if not all such reports have indicated that there were injuries.

Which leads to the obvious question - why did this Virginia Tech study get such results? Reading the paper itself, which I'm sure you have, reveals that the falling impact tests were conducted from just 5.5 m (18 ft), with an impact velocity of 10 m/s. The P3 results suggested up to an 11% risk of neck injury and a 5% risk of catastrophic head injury, by which they appear to mean skull fracture. Those probabilities are not insignificant to begin with, but the study has far bigger problems.

Considering the heights that these are actually flown, and from which we see plenty of reports of them falling from, that is not a remotely conservative test. A 50 m drop would result in an impact velocity of around 30 m/s, and terminal velocity for a P3 is certainly significantly higher than that. I have no idea what they were thinking in designing that test, unless it was just a question of how high they could drop these drones and have any reasonable chance of hitting the target.

 

[BigAl07]

Everything and exactly what i've Been saying for a year

I promise you we will be legally flying over people in less than a year.

We are coming up on the anniversary of this post and I'm still not seeing "Flying Over People" being approved in the next 48 hrs LOL. Some are still saying "It's on the horizon" but that's not really reliable.