Thanks Al, what is the required distance from manned aircraft? I know it only half applies but part 91 only requires that both pilots agree to maintain separation
That's a tough one sort of. Unless you're under the guidance of ATC there are no specific distances that would apply to UAS operations (we are currently always flying under VFR rules).
§91.111, Operating near other aircraft: (a) No person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard. (b) No person may operate an aircraft in formation flight except by arrangement with the pilot in command of each aircraft in the formation.
But this also leaves a lot of "interpretation" for other aspects of the flight that could get you into hot water:
§91.13, Careless or reckless operation: No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.
If you're flying VFR and under the guidance of ATC you'll be maintaining:
Vertical separation:
7-7-3 Separation,
7-8-3 Separation,
7-9-4 Separation. 500 feet for VFR aircraft (with exceptions).
Lateral separation:
5-5-4 Minima. In general, 3 miles in the terminal environment and 5 miles in the enroute environment (with exceptions).
There are LOTS of exceptions to the above in which the mins are different but few of them will pertain to anything 90% of us will do with our UAS.
Now if you're talking Wx Mins (
which I see ignored way too often):
Minimum visibility
**3 statute miles** from the control station
Minimum distance from clouds
No closer than: **500 ft below the cloud, 2,000 ft horizontally**.
One thing I should have worded differently from my previous post. Instead of
"My biggest concern is how will the VO be able to competently perform their tasks while also maintaining required distances from manned aircraft to UAS"
it should have been:
"My biggest concern is how will the VO be able to competently perform their tasks while also maintaining required See & Avoid between manned aircraft to UAS"
