Since, I became a UAV pilot a bit over a year ago, I have been astounded by the number of manned air-craft that are flying below 400 feet AGL. Although required to be 500 feet or more AGL over rural areas, fixed wing air-craft often are not. Helicopters seem to be able to fly at any altitude they feel like. All of this makes me nervous, when I am flying at 400 feet in areas where visibility is limited.
I am considering purchase of a hand-held radio, that can be dialed to the common aviation channel. I would then announce my presence before take-off and maybe during the flight. Is anyone doing this?
The human eye is the absolutely worst instrument for determining altitude. As a pilot for more than a half-century, I can guarantee you that you probably haven't seen a manned aircraft below 500 ft that is not taking off or landing. The altitude rules for helicopters are more forgiving, but en-route flight is supposed to also be above 500 ft.
If you can become the first ever sUAS pilot to get the required FCC station license to transmit on aircraft frequencies, then by all means, go for it. (Come to think of it, I am unaware that any off-airport station licenses have ever been granted). Unless you are near an airport, it is highly unlikely that any manned aircraft would even hear your transmissions. (Assuming that you could get the station license required by FCC rules). Also, unless you are near a small airport, even monitoring the UNICOM frequency would be more of a distraction than a safety issue. Finally, at uncontrolled airports more than 30 miles from a Class B airport, small aircraft are not required to use their radio, or even to have a radio.
If you are operating close enough to an airport to make an aircraft radio even remotely useful, then should you even be flying there?
And, if I haven't mentioned it yet, transmitting on aircraft frequencies is a violation of
47 CFR 87.18. There are more than a few people who had to mortgage everything they own to pay the fines. (Every transmission is a new violation, so the fines can easily approach six figures real fast). There are a few individuals who caused mayhem by pretending to be an airport tower operator who lived for a few years in a gated community that few people want to visit.
