comments needed
- Thread starter Nickatnite
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I've commented but my comments don't align with the video/51 Drones.
captainmilehigh
Premium Pilot
I’ve commented also, but after dealing with the FAA professionally for over 40 years, I’d doubt if it sways their opinions even a fraction.
Good on you guys for stepping up and commenting, sure hope it helps. Unfortunately captain is probably right, but I think its more likely that a huge # of comments means more than comment content, ( I would hope not). If they get millions & millions of comments they'll know the community is watching and is involved and may help our situation. If only 2-3 hundred respond, well ..............................................................................................
I think he missed the point of the "flying over moving vehicles". He uses the excuse that if the aircraft is flying over a moving vehicle and falls then the vehicle will not be under it any longer.
I don't think that is the point we are trying to make. How many of us are routinely flying directly over the roofs of moving vehicles anyway? No, the argument is that we aren't trying to fly directly over vehicles or even hover over busy highways while vehicles wizz by below. What we often need to do is fly over and across streets and busy highways. We are just trying to cross over those roads or fly over parking areas where vehicles may be in motion. We want to know that we are able to make these flights which may have a vehicle briefly cross under our flight path and we will not be breaking any rule/law. That is what many of us are trying to get with the "flying over moving vehicles" rule change.
Example based upon a flight from early April,
I was tasked to go out to a construction site and get video and photos of the 5 acre work zone and surrounding properties. I was unable to park and set up on the site so I went across the street to a car wash. There I set up my landing pad, launched the Phantom and had my VO/spotter check traffic on the highway, a 2 lane with center turn lane, and tell me when there was a suitable gap in the traffic. I hovered until he said, GO, then shot across the road before any vehicles passed by.
Anyway, I got the Photos and videos then had to wait for a gap in traffic again to get back to the car wash I was operating from. What I want in the rule changes would be to allow me to launch and then, once at a safe altitude, safely cross the road regardless of the traffic passing below.
Here's a nice shot I took from just under 400'AGL.
I don't think that is the point we are trying to make. How many of us are routinely flying directly over the roofs of moving vehicles anyway? No, the argument is that we aren't trying to fly directly over vehicles or even hover over busy highways while vehicles wizz by below. What we often need to do is fly over and across streets and busy highways. We are just trying to cross over those roads or fly over parking areas where vehicles may be in motion. We want to know that we are able to make these flights which may have a vehicle briefly cross under our flight path and we will not be breaking any rule/law. That is what many of us are trying to get with the "flying over moving vehicles" rule change.
Example based upon a flight from early April,
I was tasked to go out to a construction site and get video and photos of the 5 acre work zone and surrounding properties. I was unable to park and set up on the site so I went across the street to a car wash. There I set up my landing pad, launched the Phantom and had my VO/spotter check traffic on the highway, a 2 lane with center turn lane, and tell me when there was a suitable gap in the traffic. I hovered until he said, GO, then shot across the road before any vehicles passed by.
Anyway, I got the Photos and videos then had to wait for a gap in traffic again to get back to the car wash I was operating from. What I want in the rule changes would be to allow me to launch and then, once at a safe altitude, safely cross the road regardless of the traffic passing below.
Here's a nice shot I took from just under 400'AGL.
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