Called FAA today about max ceiling

[IndyRob63]

You can't legislate stupidity, nor stop those who choose not to follow any regulation or law or licensing you impose. Ever see anyone texting and driving, or holding and talking on their cell phone while driving? Even if you outlaw flying drones completely, outlaws will still be flying drones. How does that solve any problem? Education doesn't solve any problem either. The real scofflaws already know they shouldn't be doing what they are doing.

Yeah the problem is, with a pretty easy software mod they can not allow our birds above 400 feet if people start getting stupid, and heaven forbid cause an airplane crash. I am a novice/hobby pilot and generally consider myself pretty "moderate" and don't like more rules or regs... but let's face it flying stupidly has a potential to cause a serious issue and even loss of life. So I would support some sort of basic license requirement as long as it is not tedious and cost a fortune ($5 for an FAA registration seemed fine to me!). -The Dude

 

[cobra46]

The reason behind the 400 foot limit is simple, manned aircraft are limited to no less than 500 feet. One you cross that altitude line, you become a hazard to manned aircraft. I don't want the NTSB investigators to find the remains of my drone inside a crashed private airplane and determine that an air strike with my drone and the injury to the pilot from it caused a crash. That would be a bad day for all drone pilots, commercial or hobbyist.

This is a common fallacy I'm seeing perpetuated throughout the UAS community.

While I'm new to drones I've been a licensed pilot since the 80's. Airplanes can fly as low as they want over open water or sparsely populated areas. The 500' rule only applies when the aircraft is near any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. If you care to check, this can be found under part 91.119.

As such, there's a lot of situations where drones and airplane may legally occupy the same airspace, however, the drone pilot must give way to the manned aircraft.

 

[cobra46]

I'm sorry but Fred 72933 is wrong on 500 feet for man Aircraft. Being a pilot with 13,000 hours in fix wing cropdusting & helicopters 50/50 a Helicopter has NO ALTITUDE RESTRICTIONS other than a emergency landing can not do undo hear to persons or property. I can hover over your house at 100 feet as long as I can auto into your backyard. No at 100 feet with 0 forward speed I would be in the " Dead mans curve " So a helicopter can fly over your house at 100 feet & be completely legal.

That's a good point. We have crop dusters flying all summer in our area. It would seem they are in violation of minimum altitude restrictions nearly every flight. The part they often violate is the 500' from any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure regulation. A telephone pole or transmission tower is a structure and I see air tractors flying 100' over cars all the time. I'm not judging as this activity is for the betterment of society as a whole. I just wonder if an insurance company could deny a claim should an accident occur when flying like this.

 

[Rotax Rick]

This is a common fallacy I'm seeing perpetuated throughout the UAS community.

While I'm new to drones I've been a licensed pilot since the 80's. Airplanes can fly as low as they want over open water or sparsely populated areas. The 500' rule only applies when the aircraft is near any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. If you care to check, this can be found under part 91.119.

As such, there's a lot of situations where drones and airplane may legally occupy the same airspace, however, the drone pilot must give way to the manned aircraft.

Ok so to buy a drone you need to get a license ?? Great so little Johnnies Dad goes into best-buy & gets him a P-4 . Who makes him take the test before flying it ??
Or does Best-buy require a license to purchase it. He takes it home & flys 4 miles away at 1600 feet & a Cessna 15 crashes into it. There's no way to control this sport./ The FAA does not have the man power. So only DJI can control this by giving there drones a 400 foot ceiling & a 800 feet horizontal range . THEN IT'S OVER !!!

This is a common fallacy I'm seeing perpetuated throughout the UAS community.

While I'm new to drones I've been a licensed pilot since the 80's. Airplanes can fly as low as they want over open water or sparsely populated areas. The 500' rule only applies when the aircraft is near any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. If you care to check, this can be found under part 91.119.

As such, there's a lot of situations where drones and airplane may legally occupy the same airspace, however, the drone pilot must give way to the manned aircraft.

Your correct plus Helicopters have NO altitude restrictions, BUT why does or where does it state a Drone has to give right-a-way ??? The slower less maneuverable Aircraft HAS the right-of-way !!!!!

So many people guess at what they think is the 100% true regulations . With Drones the law has not caught up to the Drone world " yet ". Were all in what is called a GRAY area. The more Drones the more attention we will get. To fly a drone out of site & climb to 1500 feet is taking your chances. To fly a drone 400 feet & in line of site is boring . Why does DJI keep increasing the ranges . The P-4 was 3 miles The P-4P has increased to 4.2 miles . That tells me that DJI is in it for the short run. UNLESS collision avoidance systems can be installed. Most people don't know this. I can take a Van's Aircraft RV-4 that can reach 215 mph & cruise at 180 mph & fly from Florida to Penna.at 500 feet along the coast & not even have a battery, radio or even a single nav instrument. All that is required is a compass .
NO RADIO AT ALL. Never talk to anybody. I don't see how a Drone can get or have a collision avoidance equipment system that could detect a Aircraft like that. What does this mean & what is the answer ?????????????? I can say this for sure , just like WW3 something is going to happen sooner or latter .

We can (and clearly do...me as much as anyone else) pontificate about what makes sense and explore grey area scenarios ad nauseam, but when that collision happens, what we think won't matter a bit. The FAA inspector gets to decide who is to blame.

If I was involved, whether as a hobbyist or a commercial RPIC, I hope I will have been operating within their guidelines. At least that's the best chance I have to avoid potentially-severe consequences.

Just like anybody else, I have pushed the boundaries and occasionally still do. I'm trying to remind myself here more than anyone else. I can't afford to have my Part 107 license revoked. [emoji41]


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Your wrong the NTSB decides who is at fault NOT THE FAA Been there & done that !!!!!

 

[Richard R]

Your correct plus Helicopters have NO altitude restrictions, BUT why does or where does it state a Drone has to give right-a-way ??? The slower less maneuverable Aircraft HAS the right-of-way !!!!!

Check it out on this FAA webpage Getting Started
"Must yield right away to manned aircraft".

 

[cobra46]

Ok so to buy a drone you need to get a license ?? Great so little Johnnies Dad goes into best-buy & gets him a P-4 . Who makes him take the test before flying it ??
Or does Best-buy require a license to purchase it. He takes it home & flys 4 miles away at 1600 feet & a Cessna 15 crashes into it. There's no way to control this sport./ The FAA does not have the man power. So only DJI can control this by giving there drones a 400 foot ceiling & a 800 feet horizontal range . THEN IT'S OVER !!!

Not exactly sure what your point is here. Are these real questions?

I'm trying to educate those who think just because they're flying less than 400' AGL they don't have to worry about manned aircraft. There are situations where manned and unmanned aircraft may legally share the same airspace. Knowledge is power.

 

[cobra46]

Your correct plus Helicopters have NO altitude restrictions, BUT why does or where does it state a Drone has to give right-a-way ??? The slower less maneuverable Aircraft HAS the right-of-way !!!!!

Getting Started

 

[cobra46]

So many people guess at what they think is the 100% true regulations . With Drones the law has not caught up to the Drone world " yet ". Were all in what is called a GRAY area. The more Drones the more attention we will get. To fly a drone out of site & climb to 1500 feet is taking your chances. To fly a drone 400 feet & in line of site is boring . Why does DJI keep increasing the ranges . The P-4 was 3 miles The P-4P has increased to 4.2 miles . That tells me that DJI is in it for the short run. UNLESS collision avoidance systems can be installed. Most people don't know this. I can take a Van's Aircraft RV-4 that can reach 215 mph & cruise at 180 mph & fly from Florida to Penna.at 500 feet along the coast & not even have a battery, radio or even a single nav instrument. All that is required is a compass .
NO RADIO AT ALL. Never talk to anybody. I don't see how a Drone can get or have a collision avoidance equipment system that could detect a Aircraft like that. What does this mean & what is the answer ?????????????? I can say this for sure , just like WW3 something is going to happen sooner or latter .

VLOS is not a law in every market DJI serves.

In fact, there have been some rumors that the FAA is going to allow flights beyond VLOS under some circumstances. Only time will tell if this is true or not.

 

[Richard R]

Ok so to buy a drone you need to get a license ?? Great so little Johnnies Dad goes into best-buy & gets him a P-4 . Who makes him take the test before flying it ??
Or does Best-buy require a license to purchase it. He takes it home & flys 4 miles away at 1600 feet & a Cessna 15 crashes into it. There's no way to control this sport./ The FAA does not have the man power. So only DJI can control this by giving there drones a 400 foot ceiling & a 800 feet horizontal range . THEN IT'S OVER !!!

Tend to be a bit tunnel vision here. Remember, the sUAS rules and guidelines apply to all RC aircraft - gliders, helicopters, fixed wing and rotorcraft. And while DJI may have a huge portion of the market, they aren't the only ones selling 'drones'. Any 'fixes' that DJI force, don't impact the entire community.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

A flight plane WHAT ????????? It just states where your leaving fro & where your expected to land . If you don't cancel it they come look for you . Look Drone operators really do not understand General Aviation FAA rules. Please DO NOT COMENT UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT !!!!!
Your just causing more ???????????????

Slow your roll Rick. No need to get so worked up, it's only an internet forum.
What Phantom do you fly Rick?

 

[kennedye]

I can take a Van's Aircraft RV-4 that can reach 215 mph & cruise at 180 mph & fly from Florida to Penna.at 500 feet along the coast & not even have a battery, radio or even a single nav instrument. All that is required is a compass .

Only for another three years or so.

 

[Rotax Rick]

I have a P-4 & a P-4P+ I have the FVPLR Antennas & booster & the FVP Custom drone battery mod on the P-4 30,600 feet max so far . The p-4P+ goes out to 20,000 feet stock.
I fly every day .