Recent content by Sisyphus

Here's the thing - either our quadcopters are aircraft or they are not. The definition of "aircraft" in the FAA regs does include our quadcopters, and as such the FAA has jurisdiction to regulate use of them - other than recreational uses that are exempt under the Special Rule for Model...

You are confusing controlled airspace with published instrument procedures. Some airports have published instrument procedures but are not controlled airports and don't have controlled airspace at the surface. In those cases, the airport is in Class G airspace, often with an area of Class E...

mkp2020 is correct; Part 336 fliers don't need (and can't get) authorization to fly within five miles of an airport, but they must notify.

Some airports have Class E airspace down to the surface. They are depicted on sectionals by a dashed magenta line around the airport.

Private Pilot ASEL.

So I did look it up...or tried to. The FAA hasn't updated their online database of waivers granted for several months. As of 1/23/17, only one waiver of 107.39 (operation over human beings) had been granted. The waiver was granted to CNN. CNN apparently filed their application before Part...

It took about 2 months for mine.

Lighten up, dude. There's no need for sarcastic or condescending responses to your brother Mavic pilots here. Let's keep it civil and friendly. I'm agreeing with you that the only way to do it "correctly and legally" would be with a Part 107 waiver. However, a 107 waiver probably wouldn't...

You've got a few things confused here. First, Class E airspace in most areas is above 1200' AGL, not below. Within an area delimited by a magenta shaded line, the floor of E airspace drops to 700' AGL. Often, this is the case around small rural airports. The floor of E airspace is lowered...

If he was operating under Part 107, he could not have "lawfully" flown over a parade without a waiver of the restriction from operating over people who are not participating in operation of the drone or within enclosures that would protect them (e.g., a car). Good luck getting such a waiver...

The guy owned an aerial photography business. If he was a operating under Part 107, reporting of an accident resulting in injury like that is mandatory.

Most likely, the restriction at the park has nothing to do with airspace safety. There are plenty of cities and counties around the country (including the county I live in) that have banned drones at their public parks, probably based on little information other than a feeling that drones might...

No. There are many objects below 400' AGL marked on sectional charts.

Yes. Section 336 defines what a model aircraft is, but defines it mostly by how it's operated. If you don't fall within the definition, then you must comply with other applicable regs or, as you say, "lose the immunity" from other regs. But you'd almost certainly be in immediate violation of...

I did. The 107 test is not about flying a sUAV, it's about operating an aircraft within the National Airspace System, and is very similar to the Private Pilot written test. The main benefit for me was that I can fly within 5 miles of small airports in Class G airspace without having to notify...