FAA Letter: http://i.imgur.com/OthKCf9.jpg
TL;DR: Posted stupid video on YouTube/Reddit, got reported to the FAA, they contacted me and said STOP.
10 days ago I submitted a YouTube video to /r/djiphantom of my Phantom 2 ascending 1.1km (3640ft). I also linked the Flytrex data which included GPS coordinates. One user determined I was within the Class C airspace of my local airport, BHM. Since it is a 20 minute drive, I never realized I was only 4.99 miles away which puts me right inside the Class C airspace. I thanked the user for the information and said his point was very well taken. I proceeded to mark my video and Flytrex data private.
Today I received the certified letter you see here. I called the FAA investigator who could not have been more helpful and nice. He proceeded to tell me that the FAA's guidelines around operating RC and model aircrafts do not apply to modern UAVs/Drones. The FAA investigator even cited the case where the FAA fined a UAV operator $10,000 and a judge dismissed the fine due to lack of regulations.
The FAA investigator even went as far to say I should be fine flying at my house up to 1,900ft since I'm on the edge of the Class C inner-circle. He also said I could fly as high as I want in Class G airspace. All of this information was unsolicited and very much appreciated.
The investigator summarized the call by saying since I had not broken any rules, laws or guidelines the FAA was simply requesting I refrain from flying that high in Class C airspace due to public safety concerns.
I'm fairly confident it was someone from the Reddit thread that reported me due to the information in the anonymous report matching one of the comments verbatim. I was also reported to the Birmingham Airport Authority. To that user, I would like to say Thank You. I now have an awesome letter to frame and learned a lot from a very cool FAA employee.
Lastly, I'm not defending the video or my actions. I was ignorant in my thinking that I was not close to an airport when I was only 4.99 miles away.
TL;DR: Posted stupid video on YouTube/Reddit, got reported to the FAA, they contacted me and said STOP.
10 days ago I submitted a YouTube video to /r/djiphantom of my Phantom 2 ascending 1.1km (3640ft). I also linked the Flytrex data which included GPS coordinates. One user determined I was within the Class C airspace of my local airport, BHM. Since it is a 20 minute drive, I never realized I was only 4.99 miles away which puts me right inside the Class C airspace. I thanked the user for the information and said his point was very well taken. I proceeded to mark my video and Flytrex data private.
Today I received the certified letter you see here. I called the FAA investigator who could not have been more helpful and nice. He proceeded to tell me that the FAA's guidelines around operating RC and model aircrafts do not apply to modern UAVs/Drones. The FAA investigator even cited the case where the FAA fined a UAV operator $10,000 and a judge dismissed the fine due to lack of regulations.
The FAA investigator even went as far to say I should be fine flying at my house up to 1,900ft since I'm on the edge of the Class C inner-circle. He also said I could fly as high as I want in Class G airspace. All of this information was unsolicited and very much appreciated.
The investigator summarized the call by saying since I had not broken any rules, laws or guidelines the FAA was simply requesting I refrain from flying that high in Class C airspace due to public safety concerns.
I'm fairly confident it was someone from the Reddit thread that reported me due to the information in the anonymous report matching one of the comments verbatim. I was also reported to the Birmingham Airport Authority. To that user, I would like to say Thank You. I now have an awesome letter to frame and learned a lot from a very cool FAA employee.
Lastly, I'm not defending the video or my actions. I was ignorant in my thinking that I was not close to an airport when I was only 4.99 miles away.