I am curious, has anyone tried to get together at a venue (park, coffee shop,etc.)? I live in the Old Barrhaven area and I would love to chat about drone adventures. I prefer to stay off open forums to post specific spots but very happy to talk in person. The drone laws have left many in a state of shock and confusion. Everyone ends up asking "Where can I fly?". They seem to be in a big hurry to close off everything visually interesting with no apparent good reason...we all understand airports and large crowds but sheesh, this is getting out of hand.
We need advocates to find a compromise like:
- National Parks should be okay on the last weekend of each month between the hours of X and Y.
- Canal flyovers okay on day X, Y, Z, between this area, this time, and no higher than X.
- Offer normal hobbyist liability insurance at normal prices ( 100 - 150) per year...just like RC Planes (obvious stipulations apply, from a non-banned location, within safe prescribed limits, etc.
I would love to get together and discuss drone types, differences, video editing tools, tips for better experiences, troubleshooting. My fear is when we post exact locations that we have flown over/from...that someone will be busy trying to put a stop to it. It almost seems that people are opposed to aerial photography. Heck, if you are a photographer, this is the next step. The unique and unusual perspective is breathtaking. It's not just a hobby, it's a passion. I LOVE IT and I welcome anyone that has the same passion and is "reasonably" safe.
Cheers, fellow aviators,
Brian