VLOS Clarification

[JMagnus]

I'm totally new to this and am confused. On another forum I saw a flight log in which the pilot flew his drone 4800 feet away from home. I have old eyes. I have trouble seeing my drone when it's only several hundred feet away. How can this pilot have been flying under VLOS rules? Using a spotter with binoculars or what? Thanks.

 

[old man mavic]

I'm totally new to this and am confused. On another forum I saw a flight log in which the pilot flew his drone 4800 feet away from home. I have old eyes. I have trouble seeing my drone when it's only several hundred feet away. How can this pilot have been flying under VLOS rules? Using a spotter with binoculars or what? Thanks.

if he had a spotter ok if not then you already know the answer

 

[zocalo]

Depends where he was flying and what licenses/waivers (if any) he may have had. VLOS is not a requirement for drones in some legal jurisdictions and is absolutely required in others. Likewise, some countries are OK with the use of spotters and the use of binoculars, etc., others are not.

 

[sar104]

I'm totally new to this and am confused. On another forum I saw a flight log in which the pilot flew his drone 4800 feet away from home. I have old eyes. I have trouble seeing my drone when it's only several hundred feet away. How can this pilot have been flying under VLOS rules? Using a spotter with binoculars or what? Thanks.

In the US, under both recreational and Part 107, VLOS is defined as without vision aids such as binoculars. At 4800 ft he was well outside VLOS, and outside the law unless he had a Part 107 waiver or some other allowance via a COA.

 

[Rich55]

I have trouble keeping a VLOS myself so I went with these Firehouse strobes and I really like them. They help even in the middle of the day. The white strobe I mounted on top back body and placed red and green on the front arms using the brackets Firehouse sales. I have had the lights about a month and so far I am extreamly satisfied.
drone dji strobe lights spot lights

 

[theDRONEranger]

Flying VLOS means just that. Visual Line Of Sight. The only stipulations I am aware of per FAA is no other visual enhancements other than prescription corrective lenses, i.e., glasses, contacts, and, the use of VOs in direct contact, i.e., two way radio, with PIC. The use of a VO does NOT negate the observation responsibilities of the PIC, it only supplements the PIC. https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/advisory_circular/ac_107-2.pdf
The PIC, especially those in the film industry, have the controls for the sUAS and also monitor quite a bit on the screen for precise movement. They most assuredly use VOs to supplement. No CoW required! This is my best example I could come up with.
Now, said and done: In no way does using a VO permit a pilot to fly beyond VLOS. That does require a CoW.

 

[Gecko10]

This is why our hobby will be severely restricted in the not too distant future.

Looking for MA Controller with 4Hawks Raptor SR or VR Installed, tested and operating

 

[deleted member 877]

This is why our hobby will be severely restricted in the not too distant future.

Fully agree and, of course, the "heroes" who love to boast about their long-distance record-breaking VLOS flights are doing nothing more than handing over free ammunition to the FAA.

It's pathetic really and, as has been suggested many times by various contributors to this and other forums, the bad apples have spoilt it for the rest of us.

 

[zocalo]

Fully agree and, of course, the "heroes" who love to boast about their long-distance record-breaking VLOS flights are doing nothing more than handing over free ammunition to the FAA.

It's pathetic really and, as has been suggested many times by various contributors to this and other forums, the bad apples have spoilt it for the rest of us.

Interestingly, the UK Government and CAA seems to be going the other way - despite multiple high-profile incidents like Gatwick. Currently the UK requires VLOS, but with the need to enable autonomous drones and BVLOS in order to get the largest benefits from commercial drone use they are looking to enable BVLOS flights subject to some (quite sensible, IMHO) pre-conditions:

• Active transponders on the drone
• LAANC style pre-flight registration
• A centralised traffic management system to avoid collisions
• A suitable level of training and/or certification for the pilot/flight control system

Some of that is definitely a few years off but, even so, maybe the glass is half-full after all?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Interestingly, the UK Government and CAA seems to be going the other way - despite multiple high-profile incidents like Gatwick. Currently the UK requires VLOS, but with the need to enable autonomous drones and BVLOS in order to get the largest benefits from commercial drone use they are looking to enable BVLOS flights subject to some (quite sensible, IMHO) pre-conditions:

• Active transponders on the drone
• LAANC style pre-flight registration
• A centralised traffic management system to avoid collisions
• A suitable level of training and/or certification for the pilot/flight control system

Some of that is definitely a few years off but, even so, maybe the glass is half-full after all?

You're right, and of course it is happening in the US and Australia too, probably Canada has plans for Amazon, Ubereats, medical delivery services, etc to deliver autonomously by drone.
We have trials here for at least one of those now.

Personally I like the idea of the Firehouse arc 2 strobes, and am getting some very soon.
They should help when taking eyes away from the AC to the monitor etc briefly, then looking back.

But I won't be wanting them for flying right out to the supposed distances you CAN still see them, some have cited over a mile (1.6km) or more.

I believe the spirit of VLOS is if there is some other manned AC coming towards your drone that there could be a risk of collision, helicopters and small aircraft being the main concern, then you can actually see them in relative terms to your drone.

If strobes can allow vision for a km or so, then you can't really know what's coming, you haven't got a 360 degree view from you little camera and view on the device screen.
You might be lucky and facing the right way, but you know what that view is like, an AC travelling at the speeds they can will be on you before you can see it to take action.

VLOS for me is still going to be the usual few hundred metres out to maybe 500m.

 

[zocalo]

Personally I like the idea of the Firehouse arc 2 strobes, and am getting some very soon.
They should help when taking eyes away from the AC to the monitor etc briefly, then looking back.

Strobes that are distinct from manned aircraft were mentioned in the case of BVLOS drones. Having drones show up on ATC systems automatically is going to be essential, but when all else fails there's no substitute for the Mk1 eyeball as a last resort. Remains to be seen how all this would work in areas with poor cellular coverage (one plan is for the App/RC to send the telemetry), but arguably there's less risk of conflict in remote areas like that anyway.