New Rules for Hobby Drone Operators from FAA

[hoggdoc]

I know that they were under a lot of pressure in Washington but agreed - this is unlikely to end well.

Why would it end well, its a government agency. One only has to look at the TAS to see show screwed up things get when the a Federal agency gets involved.

 

[hoggdoc]

Where’s the tongue-in-cheek icon when you need it?

Exactly my thought as well!

 

[Springerdog1]

I usually fly from my back yard and sometimes I get a class B airspace warning.I am approximately 9 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor and that is closest airport. So if I am understanding all this correctly no more flying from my back yard?

 

[raymo]

It's interesting how Transport Canada is rolling out similar (but stricter) rules in just a few weeks for all of our Northern friends.

I'm afraid we're going to get nailed even worse than before. It's clear that UAV flyers are like the plague. Stamp us out. As I've said before, you hardly ever see ANY UAV flying anywhere even now. Alcohol kills thousands of people here in Canada every year, and no one is killing that action. Car fatalities - ~1800 in 2017 in Canada. Just sayin'

 

[2020HeinSite]

Please see these other threads currently on the issue.

New Rules for Hobby Drone Operators from FAA

Released today... FAA Highlights Changes for Recreational Drones

mavicpilots.com

Overview of current hobbyist FAA rules (updated 7/23/19)

As of 5/17/19, here's a complete list of rules hobbyists must follow when flying outdoors in the US: Register your drone with the FAA Mark your registration number on the exterior of the drone (decals available here) Fly a drone under 55 lbs Fly only for hobby or recreation Follow the safety...

mavicpilots.com

FAA Section 349, Recreational Operations ~ The bits & pieces

That's true, but it's ridiculous when an organization starts enforcing rules the same day that it informs the public. As an example, the state of MN recently made it illegal to talk on a cell phone on a non-hands free device. The State Patrol has been having a marketing campaign for months...

mavicpilots.com

Add the link to 49 USC 44809: Exception for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft to the list:

http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section44809&num=0&edition=prelim

 

[Springerdog1]

I tried to get approval once from the control tower at KPHX and they were kind of [Language Removed by Admin] that I bothered them.

 

[wco81]

So I checked the FAA map of the Bay Area, much I which have red or green zones.

Southern part of San Francisco have green zones but if you select each cell, many of them list ceilings of 100 feet, presumably because SFO is nearby.

But the northern part of the city doesn’t have any colored zones.

Does that mean no FAA done restrictions?

I know places like the areas on either end of the Golden Gate Bridge are no fly zones because those areas are actually parts of national parks.

But otherwise, no fligh restrictions in San Francisco or Marin County?

That seems hard o believe.

 

[Amarand]

I have three in my entire state (Ohio), one in my city, about 15 miles away. And it looks like a pay site.

 

[Amarand]

Also, that arcgis web-site is terrible.

 

[Amarand]

Okay, so for right now, when I pull up the map, I don't have any red or green squares over my house. I'm on the edge (a few miles away), but there's a decent buffer, so I should be okay.

Assuming I don't want to go Part 107, I'm wondering what changes in these new rules apply to me? I'm sure folks will be talking/debating this for the next few years. ?

Also, looks like there might be some on-line testing for all drone operators, including recreational? But that isn't available yet?

The LAANC looks like it might be useful, but that's only for Part 107, non-recreational fliers, right? I wonder if recreational fliers will be able to use it for safety, at some point?

So many questions. And I haven't had my coffee yet.

 

[msinger]

Assuming I don't want to go Part 107, I'm wondering what changes in these new rules apply to me?

You can find a complete list of rules that apply to you (and other hobbyists) here:

Overview of current hobbyist FAA rules (updated 7/23/19)

As of 5/17/19, here's a complete list of rules hobbyists must follow when flying outdoors in the US: Register your drone with the FAA Mark your registration number on the exterior of the drone (decals available here) Fly a drone under 55 lbs Fly only for hobby or recreation Follow the safety...

mavicpilots.com

Also, looks like there might be some on-line testing for all drone operators, including recreational? But that isn't available yet?

That's correct. When it's available, the FAA will post a notification with more details. In the meantime, the FAA is asking hobbyists to follow the rules listed here.

The LAANC looks like it might be useful, but that's only for Part 107, non-recreational fliers, right? I wonder if recreational fliers will be able to use it for safety, at some point?

Hobbyists must get FAA authorization through LAANC before flying in controlled airspace. Since hobbyists aren't able to use LAANC yet, they are currently only allowed to fly in authorized fixed sites. See more details here.

 

[Rangerider]

every 5 minutes the FAA adds modifies and creates another rule, regulation limitation to save the airspace from us wild and crazy guys and gals.
You get the idea these masters of the air space have nothing better to do than to jump our little bones while they seem to completely trip over themselves trying to explain why all that Boeing lobbyist money kept them from grounding the 777MAX all the while a crap load of pilots were complaining to deaf ears and hundreds of people died in two crashes. It still took a number of days before they actually grounded the planes.
Guess they were all real busy working on these drone issues. You have to admire dedication in whatever form it comes in I guess
mikemoose55

I think you meant 737 Max?

 

[Rangerider]

Government’s need for power and control leads to this nonsense.

Ah so grasshopper!

 

[Rangerider]

I'm afraid we're going to get nailed even worse than before. It's clear that UAV flyers are like the plague. Stamp us out. As I've said before, you hardly ever see ANY UAV flying anywhere even now. Alcohol kills thousands of people here in Canada every year, and no one is killing that action. Car fatalities - ~1800 in 2017 in Canada. Just sayin'

Yep I'm giving up on this hobby and taking up cluster-balloon flying! A man needs to live like a man!

 

[Rangerider]

Okay, so for right now, when I pull up the map, I don't have any red or green squares over my house. I'm on the edge (a few miles away), but there's a decent buffer, so I should be okay.

Assuming I don't want to go Part 107, I'm wondering what changes in these new rules apply to me? I'm sure folks will be talking/debating this for the next few years. ?

Also, looks like there might be some on-line testing for all drone operators, including recreational? But that isn't available yet?

The LAANC looks like it might be useful, but that's only for Part 107, non-recreational fliers, right? I wonder if recreational fliers will be able to use it for safety, at some point?

So many questions. And I haven't had my coffee yet.

Will this testing include random drug testing? After all, real pilots have to take them! We need to be safe. Remember, see something, say something.

 

[badgenes]

In going to pile on with the point about legislation and who pays attention to it. I ranted about this during the Gatwick BS so I'll keep it short: the fliers who require limits to tell them it isn't safe to fly where heavy low altitude air traffic frequents either lack the cognitive horsepower to make the 'mental leap' this requires, are unable to simulate situations and examine possible consequences (another cognitive disorder), or just don't [Language Removed by Admin] care. Make the aircraft completely illegal to possess and it won't change anything for them. The ones primarily affected by ever more restrictive regulations are the conscientious, responsible fliers. Out of that group I'm sure a few would very outside the limits of the law be it for the excitement or in pursuit of a goal (to get video or pics of something they legally could not) and so the laws may perhaps curtail this behavior. It is that tiny percentage of real intended outcome that is the result of screwing everyone else.

Our government may be one if the better on this planet, but you are foolish if you rely on them to be fair, keep you safe, or have any real concern for your safety and we'll being much less contentedness. It's all about keeping their power base and we are the latest unfortunate victims of this modus operandi that government officials operate under (to degrees person to person to be fair but still the same underlying motivation).

Now go out and demand equal treatment under the Civil Rights act like everyone else, maybe that will have some traction. Rainbow symbol is taken, going to have to pick something else.

 

[Bluelineflight]

So looking at the UAS FM website, I’m trying to understand what class of E airspace actually starts at the surface rather than 700 or 1,200 AGL? Is there a hard and fast rule?

 

[sar104]

So looking at the UAS FM website, I’m trying to understand what class of E airspace actually starts at the surface rather than 700 or 1,200 AGL? Is there a hard and fast rule?

You are looking in the wrong place - it's marked on the VFR sectionals. Surface Class E protects small, non-towered airports, usually with precision approaches, although not all such airports have surface Class E. 700 ft Class E is transition airspace that surrounds small airports protecting arriving and departing traffic. 1200 ft Class E is enroute controlled airspace.

 

[Deleted member 93449]

The new regulations regarding hobbiest is going to kill the recreational drone market in the U.S., maybe intentionally so. This may not be as much of an issue for DJI but more so for smaller manufacturers whose sole market is the consumer drone market. A lot is probably going to depend on the difficult and cost of the test.

Beyond that these regulations seems to address another issue that has been debated before, who controls what airspace. Imagine a 12 year old not having taken the knowledge test is fined by the FAA for flying his "toy" drone in his backyard no higher than the treeline and the homeowner decides to challenge the fine in court. Personally I think the regulations are too restrictive if the extend to the point of flying a drone in your own backyard and at some point I see them being challenged when it comes to the immediate airspace over private property.

 

[stberlin]

So I checked the FAA map of the Bay Area, much I which have red or green zones.

Southern part of San Francisco have green zones but if you select each cell, many of them list ceilings of 100 feet, presumably because SFO is nearby.

But the northern part of the city doesn’t have any colored zones.

Does that mean no FAA done restrictions?

I know places like the areas on either end of the Golden Gate Bridge are no fly zones because those areas are actually parts of national parks.

But otherwise, no fligh restrictions in San Francisco or Marin County?

That seems hard o believe.

I wonder about treasure island, the piers before and after the bay bridge and also Rockaway beach in Pacifica.