Can I fly indoors commercially without 107?

I'd like to see someone explain the process of how a drone business, say the outfit who did the "Dancing with the Stars" drone aerial intro, does something legally and all the paperwork, insurance, permits, waivers, releases, etc. evolved for overflights of the actors. That opening, if legally done, could cost a hefty sum.

I guess some smart guys in Hollywood could claim CGI for the overhead facing down upon the dancers beneath the drone, short of producing a "Over people's heads" FAA waiver. From what I gathered, it was shot over two days so Griffith Park was likely policed off as part of FilmLA and their permit process, but things like mega-million liability insurance, some actor's release from dangerous activity, etc. It might be beneficial to the general drone population to show the complexity of the process involved as well as the costs.

I know in the desert when they shoot at one movie location there are three CHP units involved (One at each end of the road, and the third for breaks or lunch) so that's about $300 per hour alone, plus the city roads dept. hauls out signage and barricades, but the sundry costs, property permissions and releases, film permits, etc. have to be huge that the general public never realizes.
 
This bugs me: a pilot can fly a multi ton full sized helicopter DIRECTLY OVER 50 people, hover over me, swoop over them, whatever -- but we have a 5 lb device and it's a violation of federal law with serious punishment if we cruise over a pair of folks standing in a field. Yea yea yea, that's a REAL aircraft, we have "toys" -- ok, let's say I am that helicopter pilot, I am trained, experienced and licensed to fly a multi ton whiling blades of death machine ... it I'm not trusted to pilot an intelligent UAS in the same way?
In my helicopter, if I have an "issue" I can't just let go of the controls and it will suddenly stop and hover. You see the illogical disparity? Annoying.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots
 
This bugs me: a pilot can fly a multi ton full sized helicopter DIRECTLY OVER 50 people, hover over me, swoop over them, whatever -- but we have a 5 lb device and it's a violation of federal law with serious punishment if we cruise over a pair of folks standing in a field. Yea yea yea, that's a REAL aircraft, we have "toys" -- ok, let's say I am that helicopter pilot, I am trained, experienced and licensed to fly a multi ton whiling blades of death machine ... it I'm not trusted to pilot an intelligent UAS in the same way?
In my helicopter, if I have an "issue" I can't just let go of the controls and it will suddenly stop and hover. You see the illogical disparity? Annoying.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

The "toy" thing with the Phantom I wonder about with the implemented geo-fence. I was looking at the Freefly Alta 8 ( ALTA 8 ) and they have no geo-fence, no autonomous flight controls or apps for it either. You fly it by hand, so you are in 100% control of the thing.

Bad part is it costs $17,500 base price, another $550 for a Futaba heli radio, and then another $3,000 or more for a camera so call it a $21,000 drone. Costing that much seems to take it out of the toy part of the equation where "We control everything for safety purposes (DJI Phantom, etc.), and over to "It's all on you now" type of drone. Toy verses Pro maybe, but seems odd the Alta 8 is not all locked down like DJI products. Feds must think "If it costs less than $10,000 it's a toy and needs our control to keep it out of irresponsible people's hands. Over $10K they are pros, more responsible, and need less intervention by us." Dunno.
 
And the Alta 8 is subject to the same rules and regulations as your phantom. And if it's over 55 lbs, they need to request a waiver in order to fly it. The only think that price does is likely mean that the guys who own it aren't just hobby flyers (although there are some hobby scale AC that cost that much and more). Remember the Part 107 rules DO NOT distinguish any brand or type of UAS. It could be a quad, helicopter or fixed wing - doesn't matter in Part 107. While Phantoms might be our world, they are only a fraction of the AC that the FAA is concerned about. Just like with manned AC the commercial rules apply to all.
 

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