Filming football practice

[TheeJD]

Can I use my drone to record boys football practice (at the coach's request)?

 

[Cafguy]

Sorry but No. That would be "providing a service" As a recreational pilot you can only fly for "recreation".
NOW if you film the practice for your own enjoyment then you are fine.
In other words( as far as anyone asking is concerned) you are NOT filming for anyone but yourself.
Its all about the "Intent" of your flight. If you intend to fly your Drone for the purpose of filming practice for the coach then you cannot do that without a part 107. (you cannot provide a service. Even for free.)
If you Intend to fly your Drone to video practice to watch yourself then you are fine. Maybe invite the coach to come see some of your "Personal" Videos. I know it sounds funny but thats kinda how the rules work. Always think of intent.

 

[PHZ]

I would hate to have to argue that one with the FAA should anything go awry, let alone the player or his parents.
If this effort has value, get your 107 and insurance. You won’t regret having both that freedom and that protection.

 

[TheeJD]

So if I have a 107 License - I could use my drone to record the team practice?

 

[Cafguy]

You can record the team now, as long as you are not doing it for someone elses benefit.
As a recreational pilot You Cannot
1. Accept any payment or offer any service.
2. Sell any photos that you specifically intended to take with your Drone. (its complex) INTENT.
3. Create anything of value with or thru your Drone Flights. No "watch me fly for a dollar" allowed lol.

 

[PHZ]

So if I have a 107 License - I could use my drone to record the team practice?

Yes. But not able to fly over people.

 

[TheeJD]

I am confused...so if I get my 107 License - I can use the drone to record the practice?
Could I charge a fee?

 

[Cafguy]

With a 107 YES you can charge a fee .You can legally film and give it to the coach for free if you like with a 107..

 

[TheeJD]

Thanks!

 

[Cafguy]

Here is a fun little example I heard.
The town you live in gets a new big shopping center. You are a Recreational Drone pilot and a person interested in construction.
You take your drone out each day and film the progress. after a year (or 3 if a union state) you get a great video of the mall going up! You Cannot sell the video of the mall under construction for money. BUT WAIT.....While editing your under construction" video (complete with 80's montage music) you notice a figure running in the background,...Hey! thats Bigfoot!! You can sell the bigfoot part even tho you took it with your Drone simply because the INTENT of the flight was to video the building....NOT the Bigfoot.

 

[mavic3usa]

Here is a fun little example I heard.
The town you live in gets a new big shopping center. You are a Recreational Drone pilot and a person interested in construction.
You take your drone out each day and film the progress. after a year (or 3 if a union state) you get a great video of the mall going up! You Cannot sell the video of the mall under construction for money. BUT WAIT.....While editing your under construction" video (complete with 80's montage music) you notice a figure running in the background,...Hey! thats Bigfoot!! You can sell the bigfoot part even tho you took it with your Drone simply because the INTENT of the flight was to video the building....NOT the Bigfoot.

except for one thing, if your intent is to film the building as it is going up and you do it just for fun, then the flights are legal recreational flights and pretty much *nothing* can change that going forward. meaning, if 5 years from now (in a swing state), the building tenant who moved in last year offers to pay you money for your video clip, you are ok to sell it to him and take his money because you flew legally at the time with the recreational intent. the flights are marked as commercial or recreational, not the resulting content (video, photo, etc). faa doesn't validate the legality of a business transaction, they are only interested in drone flights and drone safety.

so here's the question I'm going to ask to see if it changes my mind or not: if I get my part 107 tomorrow, can I sell the thousands of hours of recreational footage I've made over the past several years?

I know we are getting into the weeds and I know some of the comments will be faa doesn't care or get your license and don't worry about taking the risk, etc.

 

[Max Headroom]

Yes. But not able to fly over people.

Under 249g you cannot fly over a crowd but i imagine at football practice its going to be a few people watching not a crowd (big grey area here) when does a few spectators become a crowd?

 

[mavic3usa]

Under 249g you cannot fly over a crowd but i imagine at football practice its going to be a few people watching not a crowd (big grey area here) when does a few spectators become a crowd?

Isn't there something about the crowd being uninvolved? If it's the football and they all are aware of a drone and they all agree, it's ok, right?

 

[Cafguy]

Isn't there something about the crowd being uninvolved? If it's the football and they all are aware of a drone and they all agree, it's ok, right?

On the back of the tickets I am sure there is a "agreement" that they are allowed to fly over you. It might not say Drone but I bet it gives you notice that you agree to let them fly Drones over you within law and reason.

 

[Max Headroom]

Isn't there something about the crowd being uninvolved? If it's the football and they all are aware of a drone and they all agree, it's ok, right?

I found this and again its a very grey area, in the case of a 249g drone i would fly but make sure it never went directly overhead to be on the safe side, cameras on these things are so good it really isn't necessary to be overhead to record a football practice.


5. Never fly over people who are crowded together

A crowd is any group of people who cannot move away quickly because of the number of other people around them.

Never fly over people who are crowded together, no matter what size of drone or model aircraft you have.

Examples of places where people are often crowded together include:

shopping areas
sports events
religious gatherings
political gatherings
music festivals and concerts
marches and rallies
at a crowded beach or park
parties, carnivals and fêtes

Where you can fly drones | UK Civil Aviation Authority

Find out about height limits and distances from people, buildings, crowds and vehicles. Restrictions on flying drones and model aircraft near airports.

register-drones.caa.co.uk