LAANC for hobbyists!

[jacquespa]

I sat in on the FAA hobbyist webinar today and it was announced that LAANC will be available effective July 23, 2019.

 

[msinger]

The FAA posted a note about this at the top of the LAANC page on the FAA website. If interested, you can sign up there to receive more information via email.

 

[solarguy]

I sat in on the FAA hobbyist webinar today and it was announced that LAANC will be available effective July 23, 2019.

I also listened in, good info but was really disappointed they didn't use any slides to summarize the materials and VERY disappointed they only did 30 minutes, and didn't share how many people were online listening. Given the importance of the info and changes coming I don't think we got our tax $$ money worth.

 

[jacquespa]

I also listened in, good info but was really disappointed they didn't use any slides to summarize the materials and VERY disappointed they only did 30 minutes, and didn't share how many people were online listening. Given the importance of the info and changes coming I don't think we got our tax $$ money worth.

I agree. The short 30 min. caught me off guard too since I know they didn't get to answer one of my questions. I think the summary, important links and other answered questions are going to be posted to Youtube. Did you read all the written responses? They rolled by pretty fast. The one that surprised me was telling the submitter that he needed a Part 107 to fly over his grandmother's roof to see where she lost shingles!

 

[Thomas B]

I agree. The short 30 min. caught me off guard too since I know they didn't get to answer one of my questions. I think the summary, important links and other answered questions are going to be posted to Youtube. Did you read all the written responses? They rolled by pretty fast. The one that surprised me was telling the submitter that he needed a Part 107 to fly over his grandmother's roof to see where she lost shingles!

That one caught my eye also. I think it can be worked around as I posted elsewhere.

 

[BD0G]

I also listened in, good info but was really disappointed they didn't use any slides to summarize the materials and VERY disappointed they only did 30 minutes, and didn't share how many people were online listening. Given the importance of the info and changes coming I don't think we got our tax $$ money worth.

I am pleased I was not the only one that had this same thought.

I think as concerned drone flyers we have place a special importance on knowing the rules and have an expectation that the FAA will provide a wealth of information that allows us to fly within thier rules and regulations and this Webinar appeared to be a very short overview. I posted 3 questions in the chat that were unanswered. Kinda disappointing.

 

[sar104]

That one caught my eye also. I think it can be worked around as I posted elsewhere.

I'm not sure how you can work around it legitimately. The intent of the flight is to inspect the shingles. How do you spin that realistically as purely recreational?

 

[BD0G]

When I flew over the house I happened to notice something on the roof en route to where I intended to fly.

 

[Thomas B]

I'm not sure how you can work around it legitimately. The intent of the flight is to inspect the shingles. How do you spin that realistically as purely recreational?

Tricky for sure. See the post above. Also, could be part of tasks as the caretaker of an aged relative done for free and without consulting the care recipient... no different than thinking house needs painting, new carpet, etc. Pics can still be shown to others.

 

[TheWolfen]

I'm not sure how you can work around it legitimately. The intent of the flight is to inspect the shingles. How do you spin that realistically as purely recreational?

While it may not be 'recreational' as in 'for fun', it's certainly not commercial either, which I think should matter more! If I want to photograph or inspect my property (or a relative's in this example), I should be able to use any tool at my disposal. I can take pics with any other camera in a situation like that without having to worry about a commercial license of any kind, why not my UAV?

 

[sar104]

Tricky for sure. See the post above. Also, could be part of tasks as the caretaker of an aged relative done for free and without consulting the care recipient... no different than thinking house needs painting, new carpet, etc. Pics can still be shown to others.

While it may not be 'recreational' as in 'for fun', it's certainly not commercial either, which I think should matter more! If I want to photograph or inspect my property (or a relative's in this example), I should be able to use any tool at my disposal. I can take pics with any other camera in a situation like that without having to worry about a commercial license of any kind, why not my UAV?

Doing it for free versus commercial is not the test - it's whether or not the flight is recreational. 49 44809 (a) (1) says: "The aircraft is flown strictly for recreational purposes." Simply not flying commercially doesn't satisfy that requirement, as the FAA has confirmed many times.

When I flew over the house I happened to notice something on the roof en route to where I intended to fly.

Certainly - one can simply lie about the flight if asked, if that's what you regard as a "workaround".

 

[Slade]

Great news. Looking forward to using LAANC. Has anyone heard about testing for recreational pilots?

 

[Thomas B]

Doing it for free versus commercial is not the test - it's whether or not the flight is recreational. 49 44809 (a) (1) says: "The aircraft is flown strictly for recreational purposes."

@sar104 Could you post the link, TIA

 

[kensteele]

I'm not sure how you can work around it legitimately. The intent of the flight is to inspect the shingles. How do you spin that realistically as purely recreational?

lie about your intent as others have mentioned.

 

[Libertyflights]

I think the purpose of the flight was to inspect the roof for missing shingles, to report it to the insurance company. If it was just to inspect the roof it might be OK, but to do it to report a claim to the insurance company make it a 107 flight. IMHO

 

[Thomas B]

lie about your intent as others have mentioned.

Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive... nope, not gonna

 

[BD0G]

Its going to be really hard to enforce either way. FAA has bigger fish to fry.

 

[kensteele]

When I flew over the house I happened to notice something on the roof en route to where I intended to fly.

you will need to land your recreational flight and start a new commercial flight. you cannot mix the two. you can't be flying recreationally and then decide to start taking commercial pictures in the same flight. if you do, the flight will be considered a non-recreational commercial flight and with a 107 license that flight would be in violation.

the rules are stupid. which is why i was pushing the either your a 107 or you're not. trying to classify the activity by flight is stupid and pointless and it won't work.

 

[kensteele]

While it may not be 'recreational' as in 'for fun', it's certainly not commercial either, which I think should matter more! If I want to photograph or inspect my property (or a relative's in this example), I should be able to use any tool at my disposal. I can take pics with any other camera in a situation like that without having to worry about a commercial license of any kind, why not my UAV?

no sir. the drone is special and there are special rules for drone use. if you don't fly strictly for fun, it's commercial work. period.

 

[kensteele]

I think the purpose of the flight was to inspect the roof for missing shingles, to report it to the insurance company. If it was just to inspect the roof it might be OK, but to do it to report a claim to the insurance company make it a 107 flight. IMHO

um, not. reporting the collected data to another entity is not part of the equation to determine if the flight is commercial or recreational. it is intent. if it's not strictly for fun, it's commercial. so easy.