Line of sight

[Carl36]

Am confused by line of sight rule which appear to be very important. My problem is all the Drone Pilots I know use an ipad or iphone to control the Drone not one looks into the Sky when flying, does this action make them/me illegal as we are breaking the golden rule?

 

[FoxhallGH]

It's pretty difficult to see a drone at distance (at 400 ft. it's just a speck after all), but it's pretty important to be able to see the air between you and the drone, and around the drone. That way you can be aware of any obstacles around it and can be fairly sure that you'll retain RC connection to control it. If you fly the drone over a ridge, or behind a building then a) you can have situational issues with what's behind or beside it (leading to a plummet & crash!!), or b) you could get a signal loss that leads to your drone doing something it shouldn't (leading to a plummet & crash!). In theory, we can pan the drone and rotate the camera gimbal to get a fairly good 360 degree view of what's around the drone, but we can't look at all those directions at once if the drone's in a piece of sky we can't see.

 

[Porky]

I must admit I’m one of the guys that looks mostly at the screen while flying you’ve got you map & direction of the craft on it which I rely on. The only time I look at my drone is when I’m bringing it in to land. Yep I abide by the rules set out by the CAA but never go out of line of sight... well the distance anyway

Also people use the screen more for taking pics & videos so I think there will be loads of us here guilty of that.

One problem is while looking at your drone, small dot in the sky then you look away, then you try and relocate it, it’s virtually impossible to find

 

[okw]

My understanding of the rule, here in the US anyway, is that you must be able to see it without the aid of any type of magnification; such as binoculars. But this doesn't mean that you have to constantly be looking at it. Only that you are able to look up and see the aircraft and everything in the area you are flying in.

 

[choo choo]

My understanding of the rule, here in the US anyway, is that you must be able to see it without the aid of any type of magnification; such as binoculars. But this doesn't mean that you have to constantly be looking at it. Only that you are able to look up and see the aircraft and everything in the area you are flying in.

I agree. And that’s what it says in the U.K. CAA regulations. It’s a no brainer really when you think about it, no matter how much people interpret the rules to justify themselves breaking them. If you want to fly further,make your aircraft more visible with either bright colours (colors in the USA) or fit some bright strobe lights.

 

[tcope]

Am confused by line of sight rule which appear to be very important. My problem is all the Drone Pilots I know use an ipad or iphone to control the Drone not one looks into the Sky when flying, does this action make them/me illegal as we are breaking the golden rule?

OKW is correct. If you are in the US, the FAA has released information on this. It has also been posted in this forum.

 

[FatherXmas]

Here in the USA, you can have a Visual Observer. My wife goes with me the majority of the time and she's really good at keeping an eye on it for me.

 

[tcope]

Here in the USA, you can have a Visual Observer. My wife goes with me the majority of the time and she's really good at keeping an eye on it for me.

That only applies to flights under Part 107, not hobby flights.

 

[lighthunteralp]

DJI Goggles break the rule of line of sight

 

[Porky]

DJI Goggles break the rule of line of sight

Good point, didn’t think about the goggles.

 

[lighthunteralp]

Good point, didn’t think about the goggles.

If used by Part 107 pilots, they will be a real rule-breaker

 

[tcope]

If used by Part 107 pilots, they will be a real rule-breaker

Have not kept up to speed but Part 107 allows for someone else to have VLOS. Do the goggles break another rule?

 

[Carl36]

Here in the USA, you can have a Visual Observer. My wife goes with me the majority of the time and she's really good at keeping an eye on it for me.

Same here, because I was introduced to Drone using Ipad I find it very difficult to see Drone when looking skyward so my Wife is usually with me.

 

[tcope]

Same here, because I was introduced to Drone using Ipad I find it very difficult to see Drone when looking skyward so my Wife is usually with me.

As mentioned above, you would need to be working at the time otherwise you are not in compliance.

 

[Duke846]

That only applies to flights under Part 107, not hobby flights.

Didn’t hobby and 107 kinda become the same.

 

[Jaycee]

I understand the VLOS rule and the rationale for it. However don’t you all find you lost the drone well before it reaches 400ft?

 

[Cymruflyer]

Good point, didn’t think about the goggles.

That is why you must always have a spotter when using goggles.

 

[Cymruflyer]

If used by Part 107 pilots, they will be a real rule-breaker

Unless that pilot is working with a spotter.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Didn’t hobby and 107 kinda become the same.

I believe they are still different, otherwise who would bother going through the time, effort and expense of getting your FAR Part 107?

 

[Porky]

Can I just ask why this has totally gone off topic, the op didn’t ask about being a part 107 pilot & LOS he’s question was about LOS.