Rich QR
Well-Known Member
You visual observer can look at the drone while you look at the screen, right.OK, I just read this, and it confirms my view of the situation.
Please refer to section 107.31.b
It says that the VLOS requirement must be excercised for the entire flight by *EITHER* the remote PIC *OR* the Visual Observer.
Right?
So my hypothetical kid with awesome eysight can meet this requirement, while I fly the little beast just by reference to the data on the screen. Drone IFR!
Right?
Please let me know if there's something there that you're looking at, that I'm not seeing.
Thx!
TCS
But if your vision isn't adequate to see the drone, you're not legal, even if your kid with good eyesight can see it.
Read 107.31 carefully. Part (a) explains who must "be able to see the unmanned aircraft throughout the entire flight". The answer to that question is everyone; the pilot in command, the visual observer, and the person manipulating the controls. Part (a) uses "and".
Part (b) explains who must exercise that ability described in part (a), and exercise it throughout the duration of the flight. In other words, it says who has to actually keep their eyeballs pointed at the drone, rather than just have the theoretical ability to see it. And only one of you needs to do that. Part (b) uses "or".
So if you've got a visual observer watching the drone, you can have your head down on the screen. But if the visual observer shouts, "Hey, look, you're about to crash!", you've got to have the ability to actually look up at the drone and figure out what the problem is.
If your eyes aren't good enough to see the drone, you're in violation of part (a), even though your operation may be in compliance with part (b).