The Coming Death of the Drone Hobby

[BigAl07]

You did the wrong thing. You called the airport. Did you have the co-ordinates of their drones? Are you sure they were in the airport boundaries? Do you have the authority to ask if they are licensed? What you should have done is call the cops, who have the authority to find out if they were actually breaking the law and who have the authority to fine them. All you succeeded in doing was giving all of us and the hobby a bad name.

You're 100% wrong. If you see something like that you DO contact the airport or the FAA directly. If you call your local Law Enforcement guess who they are going to call? They will call their FAA LEAP agent to get guidance and probably be pointed to someone with the Airport Authority to start the case.

The FAA puts all these rule and regulations in place but, no one enforces them. All they have to do is go on you tube and stat punishing the violators with fines. Then maybe they wouldn't have to charge those who obey the rules the ridiculous fees.

Not true my friend. They ARE taking action we just don't see it unless it's something REALLY big (Super Bowl TFR for instance). UAS Investigations are opened up each and every day across the country. Some lead up to "actions" and some do not but I can 100% assure you they are happening across the country.

I'll be the first to say they need to take a LOT more action but it takes time to hire, train, and deploy employees in the field. It IS happening (some offices have increased their UAS resources by 300% in the last few months) but not on the scale or the timeline we would like to see.

 

[sar104]

You did the wrong thing. You called the airport. Did you have the co-ordinates of their drones? Are you sure they were in the airport boundaries? Do you have the authority to ask if they are licensed? What you should have done is call the cops, who have the authority to find out if they were actually breaking the law and who have the authority to fine them. All you succeeded in doing was giving all of us and the hobby a bad name.

They were near an airport at 800 ft above the takeoff point, over a mile from the operator. You don't think the airport needed to know that there were BVLOS drones potentially in their pattern? And the cops don't have the authority to fine them - the FAA would need to go after them for breaching 14 CFR 107. I think that you should refrain from posting on a subject that you clearly know almost nothing about.

 

[xspwhite]

Unfortunately when something (anything) become very popular the government is going to find a way to tax and/or regulate it. Primary reasons they use is
1: Children well being
2: Public Safety Concerns.

Politicians have never seen a tax they didn’t like. If they could tax air, they would. Government are taxing up to 60% of every penny we make, and then tax everything left to some degree. It’s all about generating money. ( Comment Removed By Moderator) More to the point, most regulators and politicians could care less about our safety, well being or happiness. They are too busy trying to protect their jobs, get re-elected and pad their own pockets. How do I know? I have held elected offices and sat in meetings that virtually confirms my opinion and when I objected to things not in the best interests of the public I was label as someone who didn’t want to play ball. I’m telling you folks, it isn’t about public safety or benefiting the public! It’s about money, plain and simply put!

You hit the nail on the head. Just recently 9-people were killed in a helicopter crash that could have been avoided if proper safety regulation had been placed into law..

Kobe Bryant's fatal crash prompts calls for tighter safety measures for helicopters

Helicopter safety experts say the aircraft need more inspections and maintenance to avoid accidents.

abcnews.go.com

Just last month, six other people were killed in a plane crash in Louisana. An innocent bystander who was just sitting in her car and had nothing to do with the flight had to be rushed to the hospital where she almost died with burns over 30 percent of her body.

 

[Ken from Canada]

They were near an airport at 800 ft above the takeoff point, over a mile from the operator. You don't think the airport needed to know that there were BVLOS drones potentially in their pattern? And the cops don't have the authority to fine them - the FAA would need to go after them for breaching 14 CFR 107. I think that you should refrain from posting on a subject that you clearly know almost nothing about.

Not worth a reply. Case closed

 

[sar104]

Not worth a reply. Case closed

A very wise decision.

 

[joelet]

You're 100% wrong. If you see something like that you DO contact the airport or the FAA directly. If you call your local Law Enforcement guess who they are going to call? They will call their FAA LEAP agent to get guidance and probably be pointed to someone with the Airport Authority to start the case.



Not true my friend. They ARE taking action we just don't see it unless it's something REALLY big (Super Bowl TFR for instance). UAS Investigations are opened up each and every day across the country. Some lead up to "actions" and some do not but I can 100% assure you they are happening across the country.

I'll be the first to say they need to take a LOT more action but it takes time to hire, train, and deploy employees in the field. It IS happening (some offices have increased their UAS resources by 300% in the last few months) but not on the scale or the timeline we would like to see.

I think they can do better! This forum and others are an excellent way to get the word out that they are watching. People would think twice about violating the laws. It just seems that the only time we hear from the FAA is when they want to slam us with more regulations.

 

[sar104]

I think they can do better! This forum and others are an excellent way to get the word out that they are watching. People would think twice about violating the laws. It just seems that the only time we hear from the FAA is when they want to slam us with more regulations.

They can always do better. So can the recreational drone community which, in general, as far as I can see, displays the most appallingly entitled attitude to their hobby.

 

[lasersbee]

Well said Ken... I gotta agree.. the greedy and corrupt
politicians will get what they think they want at the
cost of the RC model builders, pilots and industry's
expense. It sure seems like their ultimate agenda is to
regulate our VERY SAFE RC hobby out of existence.

Jerry

 

[tvdwouw]

Let's face it: drone regulations are way too tight for reasonable people and the fact that we are in this site means we do take things serious. Morons are everywhere ruining our hobby...
Safety issues are over-exaggerated given by the fact that the most recent Piper Cup incident has cost 5 lives. more than all people that were killed by drones worldwide over the last 5 or more years (to my best knowledge), not to mention the recent Kobe Bryant accident. And all the panic in Gatwick Airport in December 2018: never has any evidence been found that indeed drones were involved!

Here in Europe new EU regulations come into place. To a large extend not unreasonable, to some extent a bit too tight. Complex regulations and I will only try to sketch some headlines.
Until July 1, 2020 national regulations stay in place which vary widely (e.g. in Belgium max altitude is a whopping 10 m / 33 ft!). As of July 1, 2020 there is a transition period of 2 years, after that drones without Eu approval fall in specific categories which I consider unreasonable e.g. a Mavic 2 needs to stay away 500 feet away from people making this fantastic drone almost useless. Reason: it is 7 grams (0.25 ounces) too heavy to fall in a lower (less restrictive) category! (I am sure this has to do with the fact that some bureaucrats translated an as safe regarded weight of "2 lbs" to 900 grams rather then 907 grams!)
Another issue: for Mavic 2 and heavier drones 2 exams are needed, one exam that can be done online (OK), the other that must be done in a classroom (grmpfff + $$$). It makes it impossible for many non-Eu drone owners to use their drone if they are on a holiday in Europe.

If you consider visiting Europe and using your drone or using a local one: get one that is lighter then 250 grams (no exam needed, but if it has a camera you must register yourself as a pilot) or wait for one that has a formally stated EU "C1" rating (900 grams or less + more requirements, almost identical to Mavic 2 and of course it is what the Mavic 3 is expected to become), then you can do an online exam and after registering yourself as a pilot you can fly in Eu countries. After Brexit the UK will leave the EU and have their own regulations...

But I think that reports of the death of drones have been greatly exaggerated...

 

[Thunderhorse]

Well,I guess I will be an outlaw! I have flown for many years without incidence @ our flying site,as has the other guy's. We have had some serious crashes with no injuries to anyone except our pilot error performance about 97% with the other % due to mechanical failure. Now we live in a rural area,very mountainous with the river that runs through it. Our guy's are made up of a Alaska state trouper,
a commercial pilot,an air traffic controller just to name a few! We see no reason to this nonsense the
FAA has produced and the DJI corporation was a big player in this. I am a Yuneec and a DJI pilot and have no problem flying my drones around here,because of the area,trees rocks and more trees!! It will be sad to see this event come to pass,but I fear that it will.cause big brother want's it so!!!

 

[tfrank48]

I remember when the little quad copters first came out. Yes we called them quad copters back then. Quad meaning four motors and they flew like a helicopter. Unlike our model aircraft they could fly in the house and all over the place. Then they put cameras on them, better stability and up to the present day, able to fly great distances.
The turmoil all started when a lady in her fenced back yard, sun bathing nude spotted a little drone flying by. omg she said to her husband what is that? "Just a little drone my dear and they have cameras on them now I hear." That started it all.
The rumors started to fly. Drones hitting aircraft. Drones spying on their neighbors. Only sick perv people fly drones. Regulate them out of the sky!
Greedy governments around the world jumped on the wagon. They spotted a chance to make an extra buck with all kinds of fees, and tests and anything else they could think of to make money. They hired hundreds of people to police the land. Because government, unlike business people knows nothing about running a business. All government knows is politics and they usually mess that up but then they have the tax payer to bail them out.

Most hobbyists I know, like me, over the years have supported the hobby, into the thousands of dollars with some beautiful Drones as they now call them. Our hobby has inspired many businesses to start up. Starting up a business is not easy. But alas, regulators around the world, in their greed, are already killing sales, and people are now struggling to keep their businesses going. Good old DJI has made a little quad copter under this 250 gram limit which has kept the hobby going for a little bit longer, but government will soon change that for no other reason but to steal more from the people.

I see people on line trying hard to save the hobby, and praise them for the effort. But it will not work, because it is the business people and the buyers who keep the hobby going as in any venture. There is only one way to possibly save our hobby. I said hobby, because the Commercial business of drones will stay untouched because the lady knows if they fly over her back yard pool, they will be too busy to look down and too high no one will care anyway. Why don't they just ban bathing or sunning nude in your back yard? hmmmm. The inspectors would have a ball ha ha tongue in cheek.

Just don't fly your drones any more. Lets say for a year. What would happen. If you don't fly there is no reason to register. Business is going to close because of no new sales. The greedy regulators who have spent millions maybe billions in preparation, are going to have to shut down. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the rest of the story.

Maybe after a year or so of flying your stuff in the basement. Looking at your investment every day. Hugging it a little bit maybe. Just maybe things will change. Attitudes might change. The lady in her back yard will be to old and wrinkled to bath nude any more. lol. The greedy regulators may think twice about starting up again. I know this is wish full thinking but there may be enough people who will keep the regulators going just because people are hard to convince overall. Our hobby will probably die unless they come out with a drone the size of a fly that can go miles and miles using FPV. As the old expression says, "Out of sight out of mind."

I think you hit the nail on the head .... hmm
how to take away that hammer !!!

 

[Basspig]

Soon only outlaws will have drones.
Glad I never registered any of my guns. I'm having second thoughts about having registered my drone.

 

[Sfgiants24]

Government greed shutting down the drone industry? Absurd! As was stated here, it’s the fools flying dangerously, and the technology that gives a 10 year old the ability to operate one, that are “the coming death” of the hobby.

 

[Thunderhorse]

Soon only outlaws will have drones.
Glad I never registered any of my guns. I'm having second thoughts about having registered my drone.

Same will apply to our guns sooner or later!

 

[Harleydude]

I remember when the little quad copters first came out. Yes we called them quad copters back then. Quad meaning four motors and they flew like a helicopter. Unlike our model aircraft they could fly in the house and all over the place. Then they put cameras on them, better stability and up to the present day, able to fly great distances.
The turmoil all started when a lady in her fenced back yard, sun bathing nude spotted a little drone flying by. omg she said to her husband what is that? "Just a little drone my dear and they have cameras on them now I hear." That started it all.
The rumors started to fly. Drones hitting aircraft. Drones spying on their neighbors. Only sick perv people fly drones. Regulate them out of the sky!
Greedy governments around the world jumped on the wagon. They spotted a chance to make an extra buck with all kinds of fees, and tests and anything else they could think of to make money. They hired hundreds of people to police the land. Because government, unlike business people knows nothing about running a business. All government knows is politics and they usually mess that up but then they have the tax payer to bail them out.

Most hobbyists I know, like me, over the years have supported the hobby, into the thousands of dollars with some beautiful Drones as they now call them. Our hobby has inspired many businesses to start up. Starting up a business is not easy. But alas, regulators around the world, in their greed, are already killing sales, and people are now struggling to keep their businesses going. Good old DJI has made a little quad copter under this 250 gram limit which has kept the hobby going for a little bit longer, but government will soon change that for no other reason but to steal more from the people.

I see people on line trying hard to save the hobby, and praise them for the effort. But it will not work, because it is the business people and the buyers who keep the hobby going as in any venture. There is only one way to possibly save our hobby. I said hobby, because the Commercial business of drones will stay untouched because the lady knows if they fly over her back yard pool, they will be too busy to look down and too high no one will care anyway. Why don't they just ban bathing or sunning nude in your back yard? hmmmm. The inspectors would have a ball ha ha tongue in cheek.

Just don't fly your drones any more. Lets say for a year. What would happen. If you don't fly there is no reason to register. Business is going to close because of no new sales. The greedy regulators who have spent millions maybe billions in preparation, are going to have to shut down. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the rest of the story.

Maybe after a year or so of flying your stuff in the basement. Looking at your investment every day. Hugging it a little bit maybe. Just maybe things will change. Attitudes might change. The lady in her back yard will be to old and wrinkled to bath nude any more. lol. The greedy regulators may think twice about starting up again. I know this is wish full thinking but there may be enough people who will keep the regulators going just because people are hard to convince overall. Our hobby will probably die unless they come out with a drone the size of a fly that can go miles and miles using FPV. As the old expression says, "Out of sight out of mind."

A-men, brother.

D

 

[sar104]

Same will apply to our guns sooner or later!

You guys just never get tired of prophecies that don't happen.

 

[radioguy]

Update to my previous post..after some cleaning up, I submitted my comments to the FAA last Tuesday. Based on continued reactions from many, I may submit more. If you haven't done it, you should do so now before it's too late.

Fred Morton
Oklahoma City

 

[Bone4Drone]

Much of the problem is self inflicted! YouTube is awash with examples of drone stupidity - flying miles away, over people, or dangerously high. Unless the drone community self regulates and shuns the idiot pilots, governments will have to legislate to protect citizens and other air users. Perhaps we need less self-righteous indignation and more professionalism, even when we just fly for fun.

Using myself as a guide and example, I didn't have a lick of sense until I turned 50. My college years were the worst. Just pass a law that anyone caught operating a drone outdoors under the age of 50 will receive a mandatory sentence of imprisonment until they reach their 50th birthday. Upon release, they get their drone back. A law like that would encourage few violators, the skies would be safe, and we'd need only one of those darn pesky regulations.

Now, before I get bombarded with comments and names from angry pilots, let it be known that I was just kidding...sorta.

 

[Earthman]

I have to agree. Regulation in our national airspace does not exist to drive or kill sales, to have more government jobs, or to satisfy conspiracy theorists that the government is out to get them. It exists to ensure public safety to that greatest degree possible. Period.

I agree that safety, setting and following reasonable rules, and enforcing reasonable rules is important; however, I doubt that the kind of safety most tend to think of is the main motivation behind the proposed remote ID rules and plans.

I think the main motivation is to make it safe for commercial delivery drones. Otherwise, why create such an expensive, complex, and draconian ID system for a hobby that has a better safety record than many other hobbies, sports activities, common modes of transportation, etc.

Our problems are caused by a few clueless, careless, and criminal actors - not a poor safety record. Our problems can be fixed with education and enforcement of existing rules, and self-regulation by those of us who fly within the existing reasonable rules. This is entirely possible in the USA as proven by Amateur Radio, which is largely self-regulating.

 

[horsepowerphoto]

Well, I can only speak for myself in this case... I am fully insured, and licensed, and have all my drones registered.. I have been flying since 2014.. I have all of my documentation with me every time I fly... I fly for fun. I make no money off of what I do. I enjoy educating people about drones and the drone regulations in Canada, because I believe the more education for the public, the better the safety and longevity of our hobby.
My experience when flying drones and someone approaches you, you will have one of two types of people. 1) Come up to you and be in complete fascination with drones. These are the people I talk to, talk about the costs involived, the regulations, rules, etc... I will hook my cinemizer glasses up and let them watch as I fly. 2) People who are just coming up to be the drone police. They start with whether or not I have a license and have them registered... These people, I start with "I'm sorry, who are you?". If they identify themselves as law enforcement, TC officials, or an official in pretty much any capacity, then the conversation becomes civil, and I give them whatever information they require... If they are Joe Blow, owner of a hobby shop trying to "better the hobby", or be sure everyone is playing by the rules, they get the "Please ***** off" type of conversation. You have no business, no authority to be demanding any type of information from me... It would be equivalent to someone rolling up to me at a red light and asking me for my license and registration. If you have concerns about something you are seeing me do, please contact the authorities, and I will be more than happy to talk with them.