Who flies beyond line of sight?

[Clipper707]

Your question (and the answer to it) would be similar to asking "who drives at, or below the speed limit? Or who is speeding?
And you already know the answer.
speeding you ask? I will need to invoke the good ol' "Glomar response" and say I can neither confirm nor deny its existence.

That's classified. I could tell you, but I'd have to kill myself.

 

[STUFF2C]

I never fly past line of site... I can't see that far.

 

[Trollistika]

Can you see the sun.... that’s a bit farther

Lol. I can see Vega.

 

[Chas2379]

I suspect when the FAA gets around to updating this rule they will ditch the VLOS terminology in favor of a specific distance limit from the operator. After all, nobody knows what you are actually looking at it or what you can see except yourself. And visual acuity varies greatly from person to person as well. The VLOS rule is wildly subjective which renders it practically unenforceable.

When these rules were adopted I don't think the FAA fully anticipated how capable inexpensive consumer drones would quickly become. MP1 boasts 4.3 mile range on the spec sheet. I'm just gonna enjoy it as long as I can.

I think the only way the FAA is going to know how far away you fly is if you crash into something causing damage, e.g., other aircraft, power lines, etc. Then only if they get the registered owner and flight data from DJI. I fly in remote areas at or below 400' AGL. I try to use common sense and not fly stupid. Common sense means not admitting too much on this board

 

[Allen Smith]

Nobody ever fly’s beyond VLOS, and no one in prison is guilty of the crimes they have been accused of..

Sounds like Shawshank

 

[webvan]

I have no specific recollection ;-)

 

[John Suhr]

IN Canada at least, VLOS means you can SEE the UAV with the unaided eye (No Binoculars) . . but M2E changes everything

My understanding is it is LOS not VLOS.
Let’s be realistic. Do we need to get our eyes checked as well ? If doesn’t have to go more than a block away and I’ll Start having a hard time seeing. It would be impossible to prove VLOS, it’s a moving target depending on the person’s eyes, weather and direction of the craft

 

[Microwave89]

MPP, hardly anything but BVLOS/BLOS.
When I have been 3 to 4 km away and some 150 m AGL it should have been BVLOS.
By the means of knowing what it was that I was being presented by the video feed I then was able to scan the area with unaided eyes for manned AC at the inferred UAV location.

When I feel like trying to understand some HVAC facilities and further interesting technical details at roof tops of public or scientific facilities then it is BLOS.
I cannot look through buildings so I cannot scan the area.
Obviously I'm not flying at all when to expect helipads at certain facilities, and when I unexpectedly spot helipads I'll abort my flight.
When I'm interested in technical details at large construction sites I fly BLOS (and often in ATTI because of tons of steel and iron there).

If anybody wants to know, at least full compliance with federal UAV no-fly maps and height restrictions, and even DJI's NFZ system.

EDIT: Why not VLOS? Because I did buy that AC to get the feeling of flying the very moment I'm controlling the AC, so as to fly on free will. Clearly I could film and then watch the footage but I could not alter what I had been filming.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

My understanding is it is LOS not VLOS

I have come to a different interpretation there, just from what I've read here on this forum . . . I could be wrong, but LOS = nothing that is in the way of the controller and drone, at any distance.
Beyond the horizon is beyond LOS (if BLOS is an acronym that exists).

LOS is more for signal, if you have good LOS (no trees, low hills, nothing in between controller and drone) you are going to get further without signal weakening or loss.
VLOS is what it basically implies, as per Cookedinlh post.

LOS is probably a poor term to use in any case when used as above for direct uninterrupted line of 'view'.

 

[Bigbird48]

Ha! So true.

on a clear night its millions and millions of miles

 

[Bigbird48]

I disagree.

That was amazing you got some balls I'll say that. great video . I'd be afraid of loosing signal and RTH going into the trees .

 

[Thomas B]

I have come to a different interpretation there, just from what I've read here on this forum . . . I could be wrong, but LOS = nothing that is in the way of the controller and drone, at any distance.
Beyond the horizon is beyond LOS (if BLOS is an acronym that exists).

LOS is more for signal, if you have good LOS (no trees, low hills, nothing in between controller and drone) you are going to get further without signal weakening or loss.
VLOS is what it basically implies, as per Cookedinlh post.

LOS is probably a poor term to use in any case when used as above for direct uninterrupted line of 'view'.

LOS means on a line from you as you look.
VLOS means you can see it with no more aid than prescription glasses
Standards and terminology antedate us all and need to know to interpret FAA regs. Keep it simple guys.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Yep, pretty much how I saw it

VLOS means you can see it with no more aid than prescription glasses

And maybe some very bright LED strobes, when you can find some that work as they should

 

[DrDrew3]

I think the only way the FAA is going to know how far away you fly is if you crash into something causing damage, e.g., other aircraft, power lines, etc. Then only if they get the registered owner and flight data from DJI. I fly in remote areas at or below 400' AGL. I try to use common sense and not fly stupid. Common sense means not admitting too much on this board

That's not true anymore.

It's fairly trivial for the FAA to monitor your flight path in real time as well as the pilots location. The FAA is determined to make DJI Aeroscope and similar tracking technologies standard. There are several airports in final testing and then it's just the matter of funding and installation.

The alternative is for them to regulate hobbyists out of existence. That may be the easier strategy as far as the FAA is concerned. They are off to a good start

 

[Thomas B]

That's not true anymore.

It's fairly trivial for the FAA to monitor your flight path in real time as well as the pilots location. The FAA is determined to make DJI Aeroscope and similar tracking technologies standard. There are several airports in final testing and then it's just the matter of funding and installation.

The alternative is for them to regulate hobbyists out of existence. That may be the easier strategy as far as the FAA is concerned. They are off to a good start

Of course the article linked is from April 2017...

 

[DrDrew3]

Of course the article linked is from April 2017...

Yes. That's the whole point! The FAA started theI tracking program over 2 years ago. They have been expanding it ever since. They are dedicated to implementing it nationwide.

I sent you a link to the earliest FAA announcement to make that very point.

If you want an updated article from last week I can send you 10 links. Or you can just Google it instead of leaving another snarky comment.

 

[khundick]

I know the rules are don't fly if you can't see your drone but.....
I see a lot of videos where it is a mile away

Personally I'm afraid to lose my Mavic Air
As I'm fairly new to the Air, I have not even gone beyond 1000 feet away

I call mine the "Predator Drone"

Tell me your stories

i live in a jungle and fly out of sight almost always. if u know the area it is a lot of fun. thank god for return to home.
khundick

 

[Skywalker]

Strobes would be nice but you can't see them in the daytime beyond about 1/2 mile . . and yes its the Enterprise model with the searchlight . .superbright, unmistakable at more than a mile. Anyone got a strobe stronger than the CREE STROBON or the M2E? . . can't find one.

How does that compare to a Firehouse Arc II? I can see mine to about 1400 ft, but that test was was not on a clear evening.

<edit> ...ok scratch that. Saw the video after my comment. I had seen that before which is how I made my purchase decision. Didn’t realize it was a direct comparison until now.

 

[Bob1956]

In bright sunlight l’ve never seen the red and green lights. Or on an overcast day. Once I flew just after sunset and finally saw them. Very pretty. I use the aux belly lights when landing in a bright sky. Sometimes the light is the only thing I can see thru glare.

 

[Skywalker]

LOS? in all honesty I would say everyone flies beyond LOS. How cat you not? Trees, corners, buildings and most flights are 1/2 mile or more. Be real nobody adhere to this rule especially with the small MA or Spark which are visible for about 30 feet. What's next people not texting and driving?

30 ft! Oh I see, I am younger than you. But I’m catching up. Where are those carrots?
<comments made in jest>