Flying further than LOS
- Thread starter redserv
- Start date
running a mission like that grab a friend, ask them to spot for you.
if your flying out of vlos just for the sake of it, gotta ask yourself if the juice is worth the squeeze.
if your flying out of vlos just for the sake of it, gotta ask yourself if the juice is worth the squeeze.
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Trolleydodger
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Cheech Wizard
Well-Known Member
The law says one thing but what really matters is how the FAA defines VLOS in the CFR (code of federal regulations) in relation to drones.
The old VLOS standard was written with model aircraft in mind which needed to maintain true visual line of sight because they didn’t have a camera streaming 1080 video and telemetry back to the operator. It’s possible that exceptions could be made that take modern unmanned aircraft into account.
After all, the intent is to prevent collisions with other aircraft and I could see or hear a plane/helo further out than a mile easily and drop my altitude until they pass.
Additionally, if VLOS is the rule then commercial drone delivery will never get off the ground either. I imagine something will get done to allow it in some fashion.
Or we’ll keep driving 70 in a 65 while getting the stink eye from all the white knights in the right lane.
The old VLOS standard was written with model aircraft in mind which needed to maintain true visual line of sight because they didn’t have a camera streaming 1080 video and telemetry back to the operator. It’s possible that exceptions could be made that take modern unmanned aircraft into account.
After all, the intent is to prevent collisions with other aircraft and I could see or hear a plane/helo further out than a mile easily and drop my altitude until they pass.
Additionally, if VLOS is the rule then commercial drone delivery will never get off the ground either. I imagine something will get done to allow it in some fashion.
Or we’ll keep driving 70 in a 65 while getting the stink eye from all the white knights in the right lane.
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See post #74 above. That quote is from a document on the FAA's website and it's referring to model aircraft (which includes drones).
Right but that document was written a while ago and the new law was just passed so it’s possible they will be forced to re-evaluate things. The drone hobby isn’t going to last long if people are stuck flying only 1000ft away. These companies have invested good money in better transmission systems so I doubt they will just sit by and do nothing. Or the FAA continues to only enforce when something bad happens and the status quo continues...
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Yep -- the power is in their hands now. The FAA is all about doing things safely. They are certainly not going to be forced into doing anything they feel is unsafe. With that said, they are working on ways to allow people to fly beyond VLOS. I don't know if that will ever include hobbyists.
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Yep, that's me with the tripod at the time I was shooting the photo above it.
Mark
Practical questions:
1. I fly my drone VLOS, and the policeman cannot see it. Am I illegal?
2. A few days ago, after a cyclone hitting us, I saw firemen operating an Inspire, searching for lost people in a river. They were flying certainly beyond LOS (this is logical, otherwise drone would be useless).
If the definition of the law makers for unmanned aircrafts, is that they must fly in VLOS, then THAT drone wasn't an unmanned aircraft?
I live away from us, and here we have other problems to solve with our regulations, but I worry because if something happens in us, sooner or later will happen in my country too.
1. I fly my drone VLOS, and the policeman cannot see it. Am I illegal?
2. A few days ago, after a cyclone hitting us, I saw firemen operating an Inspire, searching for lost people in a river. They were flying certainly beyond LOS (this is logical, otherwise drone would be useless).
If the definition of the law makers for unmanned aircrafts, is that they must fly in VLOS, then THAT drone wasn't an unmanned aircraft?
I live away from us, and here we have other problems to solve with our regulations, but I worry because if something happens in us, sooner or later will happen in my country too.
Honestly I think it would be like how many officers view speeding. Many will ignore you going between 5-9 over the speed limit. I don’t think the FAA or local police are going to go out hunting for VLOS violators. They’re only going to come down on someone who does something stupid and causes an accident.
They already have proof of many VLOS violations from people on YouTube and no action has been taken against them.
Mossiback
Well-Known Member
- No.
- It was an unmanned aircraft. It is impossible to know what exceptions the fireman was flying under, but you can assume they were in communication with other emergency services.
1. I'm sure, I'll get a ticket, and there will be no way to prove that officer had a poor vision.
2. Laws must be the same for all, and they must be fair and reasonable. If I cannot fly blos, because it is dangerous, it should be dangerous for fireman too.
If it isn't dangerous, even under some circumstances, the same should be for me too.
Erm, no! A police officer doing there duty and chasing a criminal in a police car going above the speed limit is entitled to, there is no circumstance when it would be ok for you to also break the speed limit. I suspect that most of us do, on occasions, but it’s breaking the rules & you’d have to accept the punishment if caught.
A member of the emergency services using a drone beyond VLOS in the cause of their duty is perfectly legitimate, if we do the same, which we might on occasions, we have to be prepared to accept the punishment if caught!
Interesting. It says that the aircraft must be flown within the visual line of sight of the operator. It does not say that you can actually see it - just that you can't fly it in an visually obstructed area. I know, I know - it's the presumed intent of the law that you need to be able to see your drone, but that section is vague enough that a defense attorney might very well defeat it.
Definitions for 'within' as a preposition:
1) inside of; in.
2) in the compass or limits of; not beyond: within view; to live within one's income.
3) at or to some point not beyond, as in length or distance
The aircraft is flown inside of the visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft.
The aircraft is flown in the limits of, not beyond, the visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft
The aircraft is flown at or to some point not beyond the visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft.
There's no wiggle room.
What you are suggesting is "line of sight", not "visual line of sight'. Once the aircraft can't be seen by the operator it *may* be in the line of sight but it's not longer in the visual line of sight.
No wiggle room.
Mark
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