Hobbyist vs. Commercial: calling the tower for clearance

Should commercial drone pilots be allowed to call the tower for clearance?

  • They should be allowed to call the tower for a verbal OK.

    Votes: 13 76.5%
  • The current method of requesting a waiver on the FAA website is reasonable.

    Votes: 4 23.5%

  • Total voters
    17
Is this new grid system to become a new sectional design map for sUAV ?

Pretty easy to understand, and maybe more so than the blue and magenta fades and dashed colored lines on older sectionals and dealing with airspace argument headaches and when to call tower or airport manager (Waitress in our area who runs the Unicom mike.). Toss a Sectional at John Q. Public and they'll run. Hell, the old lady cannot even read a street map and I'll overshoot an exit just driving by 30 miles with her commenting "I don't know how to read a **** map!" Sheesh.
 
Is this new grid system to become a new sectional design map for sUAV ?

Not that I'm aware of. They aren't looking to phase out that aspect of sUAS learning but merely trying to make Airspace Authorization easier and quicker. I'm sure at some point this Grid Map will be released to John Q. Public (intentionally or leaked) but this system is designed so that they can create an AP that can quickly Grant or Deny flight in a specific sector at a specific altitude.
 
There is a FAA/UAS symposium scheduled for March 27-29 2017 in Reston, Va. It is similar to the one held in Daytona Beach Fl last year.

Hopefully these topics will be discussed one-on-one between the FAA and drone industry.

Information on the symposium is available at www.auvsi.org. Also included are topics discussed in the 2016 meeting.

It is a positive step forward when the drone industry and FAA can meet face to face to discuss issues and ideas that keep us all safe and provide guidance and direction into this new drone industry. Overall, it gives each of us the guidelines to follow to enable us to share the skies safely.


Edit: www.auvsi.org>faa.2017.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots
 
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I just received my first waiver. I didn't ask for a typical radius, I asked for a section south of PDX. I received it the other day and it is indeed based on a grid system.
 
Great to see this starting to push out. Curious, what's going on in yhosec2 girds where you aren't allowed to fly (e.g. Like the one with the Route 30 sign in the middle)?
 
Great to see this starting to push out. Curious, what's going on in yhosec2 girds where you aren't allowed to fly (e.g. Like the one with the Route 30 sign in the middle)?

Not sure, I'd like to know too.
 
I can't imagine why it would be so Checker Boarded like that. I'd love to see some clarification.
 
Yeah, looking at the sectional, the one to the left might be at/near the convention center. But, really no apparent reason to block that one off. Nothing at all for the one to the right.
 
With a fresh 107 ticket I learned quickly the quandary in airspace as well when using B4UFly, AirMap and the sectional. I live on the edge of D that abuts to E surface extension. I feel that I have been mislead with B4UFly so I use AirMap and the sectional now. Before I applied for waivers I contacted the FSDO and asked if I could look at the Grid map and was told that to their knowledge there is no such map. I have applied for 2 107.41 waivers about 2 weeks ago. A couple things I would have expected would be a confirmation that the FAA had received the requests and a tracking number so I could follow the progression of the applications, nothing yet. My class D application Is no closer than 2 miles to Airport with a 200' agl vertical limit. The Coordinates are out the flight path of the normal active runway. We will see how it goes.
 
A couple things I would have expected would be a confirmation that the FAA had received the requests and a tracking number so I could follow the progression of the applications

You won't hear anything unless A) They need more information B) You're approved or Denied

I did get an email receipt when I submitted my 107.29 Waiver over a month ago. They have since contacted me for "More Information" so they are processing them currently.
 
If you request 400'AGL in a sector that is "Safe" only to 100'AGL you'll get an instant DENIED. This is still in TEST phase so it will be a while assuming everything passes approvals.

I'm hoping I don't get an instant denied. My request was for 200ft. AGL in a "0ft." sector/box. Hopefully I will know in a few weeks. I'm actually at a Class D airport.
 
My request was for 200ft. AGL in a "0ft." sector/box. Hopefully I will know in a few weeks. I'm actually at a Class D airport.
@JesterPhotog, did you submit a waiver or an authorization? I have a pending Class D waiver request 200' AGL (Seattle). They acknowledged submittal, but otherwise no word since I submitted it mid-Feb.
 
@JesterPhotog, did you submit a waiver or an authorization? I have a pending Class D waiver request 200' AGL (Seattle). They acknowledged submittal, but otherwise no word since I submitted it mid-Feb.
I asked for a waiver (at their suggestion) after my first authorization was denied. We need to find the Airspace Grid that the FAA uses for Seattle.
 
I have a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.

I understand the need for rules/regulations concerning drones. Even if I don't fully agree with a rule or two, I still intend to abide by them. One rule that I think needs to be re-considered by the FAA is the requirement for a commercial drone pilot to request a waiver through the FAA website (up to 90 days wait time) in order to get clearance within a controlled airport (with an active control tower). I had one such situation last month. I called the CT and sought permission to fly near the outer reach of their airspace. Their first question was: "Are you a hobbyist or commercial pilot?" When I said commercial, they immediately said in no uncertain terms that I had to go the waiver route on the FAA website [and sit on my hands until hell freezes over].

Hobbyist, on the other hand, can simply call the CT and get a verbal OK in 5 minutes (see video below).

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My question: Why are there 2 different procedures when the 2 missions (hobbyist vs commercial) are identical?? Same location. Same flight path. Same drone. Same altitude. Same day and time. It seems reversed in that commercial pilots (tested and certified; most likely with a better understanding of airspace) would have the easier/quicker route - not the other way around. I don't get it.

Thoughts?
It is not a question of fairness. It is a question of rules and regulations.

There are two sets of rules, one for hobbyists and one for commercial operators.

If you cry about your unfair treatment, then look from the hobbyist point of view. Is it unfair that the hobbyist who take the same picture/video as you but can't sell it.

So, if you want to make money as commercial operators, you have the responsibility to abide the rules. You can't cherry pick your "fairness".
 
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It is not a question of fairness. It is a question of rules and regulations.

There are two sets of rules, one for hobbyists and one for commercial operators.

If you cry about your unfair treatment, then look from the hobbyist point of view. Is it unfair that the hobbyist who take the same picture/video as you but can't sell it.

So, if you want to make money as commercial operators, you have the responsibility to abide the rules. You can't cherry pick your "fairness".

You're missing my entire point. Preaching to the choir regarding the concept of 2 sets of rules/regs. My point is clearly spelled out in the OP. Why is the act of gaining clearance for the same action segregated into 2 different processes? You're implying that the FAA is punishing commercial pilots by making them jump through what on the surface appears to be unnecessary hoops to get the exact same clearance as hobbyists - simply because they're making money. Why? 2 different rules governing 1 action. The hobbyist action is a clone of the commercial action in every respect. In theory, the hobbyist poses no less of a threat and the commercial pilot poses no more of a threat to the general public in this particular scenario (clearance into the ATC). Why should the commercial pilot have to wait weeks for clearance (and let the business lead get cold) while the hobbyist can get it in a heartbeat (5 minutes as seen in the example video above)?

I never at any time said that rules were a bad thing. Just having a hard time with the logic behind this particular scenario. Unfair? I'll call it inequitable or inconsistent. Pick your poison...
 
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I know it will eventually be resumed, but for the moment my understanding is that they can't even issue airworthiness directives.

I'd be quite surprised if that were the case. Common sense would dictate that any moratorium on regulations would specifically exempt any that deal with safety. ADs do just that and some are time-critical.
 
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You're missing my entire point. Preaching to the choir regarding the concept of 2 sets of rules/regs. My point is clearly spelled out in the OP. Why is the act of gaining clearance for the same action segregated into 2 different processes? You're implying that the FAA is punishing commercial pilots by making them jump through what on the surface appears to be unnecessary hoops to get the exact same clearance as hobbyists - simply because they're making money. Why? 2 different rules governing 1 action. The hobbyist action is a clone of the commercial action in every respect. In theory, the hobbyist poses no less of a threat and the commercial pilot poses no more of a threat to the general public in this particular scenario (clearance into the ATC). Why should the commercial pilot have to wait weeks for clearance (and let the business lead get cold) while the hobbyist can get it in a heartbeat (5 minutes as seen in the example video above)?

I never at any time said that rules were a bad thing. Just having a hard time with the logic behind this particular scenario.
Hi
You're missing my entire point. Preaching to the choir regarding the concept of 2 sets of rules/regs. My point is clearly spelled out in the OP. Why is the act of gaining clearance for the same action segregated into 2 different processes? You're implying that the FAA is punishing commercial pilots by making them jump through what on the surface appears to be unnecessary hoops to get the exact same clearance as hobbyists - simply because they're making money. Why? 2 different rules governing 1 action. The hobbyist action is a clone of the commercial action in every respect. In theory, the hobbyist poses no less of a threat and the commercial pilot poses no more of a threat to the general public in this particular scenario (clearance into the ATC). Why should the commercial pilot have to wait weeks for clearance (and let the business lead get cold) while the hobbyist can get it in a heartbeat (5 minutes as seen in the example video above)?

I never at any time said that rules were a bad thing. Just having a hard time with the logic behind this particular scenario.
Look at the situation this way, for hobbyists, he/she may fly at that location once and for a brief duration. For commercial, he/she may fly at that location multiple times and stay in that airspace long duration. By simply arithmetic risk analysis, one can conclude the risk for hobbyists is low and therefore less regulated.
 
Hi

Look at the situation this way, for hobbyists, he/she may fly at that location once and for a brief duration. For commercial, he/she may fly at that location multiple times and stay in that airspace long duration. By simply arithmetic risk analysis, one can conclude the risk for hobbyists is low and therefore less regulated.

Still missing my point. Read my entire post. It's the exact same mission for both the hobbyist and commercial pilot.
 

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