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- Oct 7, 2015
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I'm a noob to flying, but I proofread the weekly newsletter for an aviation-related consumer advocacy group. A reporter for a newspaper with over 1/2 million circulation has asked that group for input for an upcoming article on drones, and I've contacted the writer and asked for a few days to respond.
The reporter contacted our group's President, whose reply is below. I know 500 is 400, so skip that minor detail and other trivial corrections. I need the major arguments.
Our group is largely run by volunteers, of which I am one. As a member who currently works non-paid, who has contributed over $10,000 in cash and other support, I feel free to express my own opinions.
I'm asking for short, clear responses in the next two days, while I prepare my response.
Please don't clutter the thread with garbage. If you have something reasonable to say, it will be considered. If you troll, you will be ignored. In any event, don't expect a reply from me, altho if I find your response reasonable, I may ask for clarifications.
I'm doing this as a service to both the drone community and the flying public. And I'm almost 75, so if you're a clown, get off my lawn; I don't have time for you.
I'll spend turkey day working on this, so thanks for all the responsible flyers out there.
HERE'S the group President's first response:
____________
In the meantime my informal comments are :
Drones are now being sold by the hundreds of thousands, even as Christmas and birthday presents, that can easily fly over 500 feet which is the FAA limit.
Drones are not allowed to fly within five miles of an airport or in controlled air space like over Washington DC but many do and many operators do not even know of this regulation.
Drones unlike model radio controlled airplanes can fly outside line of sight of the operator.
Drones cannot presently be tracked by air traffic control or military radar to any significant degree.
The FAA has been required to treat drones as aircraft but has so far issued no enforceable safety or security regulations.
Commercial drones are easily equipped with and often come with cameras. They may also soon be modified to carry explosives or other weapons by anyone with modest skill and internet access.
It is only a matter of time before they are used by terrorists and criminals in the USA. It is also only a matter of time before they collide with airliners and general aviation aircraft.
The FAA should require that manufacturers have unique numbers on every drone, and that sellers have registration numbers that are affixed to each drone sold that identifies the drone owner's name, address, phone number and perhaps finger prints.
There should also be mandatory information on the FAA regulations on operating drones with a signed acknowledgement of receipt by the purchaser and statement of delivery verbally and in writing by the seller.
Anyone who receives a drone as a gift should also have to register.
Larger drones or drones that can fly over 500 feet need to have tamper proof radio beacons that would allow them to be identified by air traffic control.
Otherwise there will be accidents and intentional mischief with drones with no effected enforcement or deterrence.
BOTTOM LINE:
The FAA task force recommendations would absolve drone makers and sellers of all responsibility, place all registration responsibility on the purchaser or owner or operator of a drone and would be completely unenforceable, just as are the existing regulations.
They are a terrorist, spy or criminal's dream regulation. FAA needs to stop its CYA approach and propose practical and enforceable registration rules that will address the safety, privacy and national security risks that millions of drones soon to be operating in US air space pose.
____________________
The reporter contacted our group's President, whose reply is below. I know 500 is 400, so skip that minor detail and other trivial corrections. I need the major arguments.
Our group is largely run by volunteers, of which I am one. As a member who currently works non-paid, who has contributed over $10,000 in cash and other support, I feel free to express my own opinions.
I'm asking for short, clear responses in the next two days, while I prepare my response.
Please don't clutter the thread with garbage. If you have something reasonable to say, it will be considered. If you troll, you will be ignored. In any event, don't expect a reply from me, altho if I find your response reasonable, I may ask for clarifications.
I'm doing this as a service to both the drone community and the flying public. And I'm almost 75, so if you're a clown, get off my lawn; I don't have time for you.
I'll spend turkey day working on this, so thanks for all the responsible flyers out there.
HERE'S the group President's first response:
____________
In the meantime my informal comments are :
Drones are now being sold by the hundreds of thousands, even as Christmas and birthday presents, that can easily fly over 500 feet which is the FAA limit.
Drones are not allowed to fly within five miles of an airport or in controlled air space like over Washington DC but many do and many operators do not even know of this regulation.
Drones unlike model radio controlled airplanes can fly outside line of sight of the operator.
Drones cannot presently be tracked by air traffic control or military radar to any significant degree.
The FAA has been required to treat drones as aircraft but has so far issued no enforceable safety or security regulations.
Commercial drones are easily equipped with and often come with cameras. They may also soon be modified to carry explosives or other weapons by anyone with modest skill and internet access.
It is only a matter of time before they are used by terrorists and criminals in the USA. It is also only a matter of time before they collide with airliners and general aviation aircraft.
The FAA should require that manufacturers have unique numbers on every drone, and that sellers have registration numbers that are affixed to each drone sold that identifies the drone owner's name, address, phone number and perhaps finger prints.
There should also be mandatory information on the FAA regulations on operating drones with a signed acknowledgement of receipt by the purchaser and statement of delivery verbally and in writing by the seller.
Anyone who receives a drone as a gift should also have to register.
Larger drones or drones that can fly over 500 feet need to have tamper proof radio beacons that would allow them to be identified by air traffic control.
Otherwise there will be accidents and intentional mischief with drones with no effected enforcement or deterrence.
BOTTOM LINE:
The FAA task force recommendations would absolve drone makers and sellers of all responsibility, place all registration responsibility on the purchaser or owner or operator of a drone and would be completely unenforceable, just as are the existing regulations.
They are a terrorist, spy or criminal's dream regulation. FAA needs to stop its CYA approach and propose practical and enforceable registration rules that will address the safety, privacy and national security risks that millions of drones soon to be operating in US air space pose.
____________________