New York City Opens Up For Drones.

[The Droning Company]

New York City Opens Up for Drones

 

[bitsbytes]

Only for movies or big commercial shoots. Small creators won't be realistically allowed.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Lovely. What a waste of time. So glad I don't live in NYC. In Santa Cruz, CA I just turn it on and fly. From the article:

Other requirements include:​

• A photo ID of the applicant and any proposed operators or visual observers.
• A remote pilot certificate from the FAA with a small UAS rating, including any waivers (such as operations over people) applicable to the requested permit.
• An FAA UAS registration certificate for the drone itself.
• Proof of commercial general liability insurance and drone aviation liability/UAS coverage.
• Details of the applicant’s data privacy and cybersecurity practices.
• The manufacturer, model number, weight, and year of manufacture of the UAS.
• Having drone insurance.
• Paying a nonrefundable $150 permit fee.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Only for movies or big commercial shoots. Small creators won't be realistically allowed.

It'll be just like getting a concealed-carry permit.

 

[mavic3usa]

In case anyone wants to watch the press conference and watch their demonstration using a chinese DJI drone:

Mayor Eric Adams Makes Technology Related Announcement

Mayor Eric Adams Makes Technology Related AnnouncementPier 35South Street & Jefferson StreetLower ManhattanJuly 21, 2023

www.youtube.com

 

[Droning on and on...]

I forgot to mention they want your left nut in escrow, and will return it after mission completion with no "violations".

'Gonna be a lot of mono-nutters wandering around in a few years...

 

[mavic3usa]

Wow, so the Mayor and the team (in the presser) just mentioned two things that are important to know. They said it, not so sure if I believe them, but here goes:

1. This permitting process is for part 107 holders only. They said there are 5 major parks in the NYC area where recreational pilots can fly and they do NOT need a permit. They alluded to the idea that a commercial pilot is different than a recreational pilot and recreational pilots do not need NYC permits. Yeah, right. Not sure how that's going to work.

2. Someone asked how this process supports the needs of the media. The mayor dodged the question because the lawsuit is coming. But anyway, one of the administrators said the permit is good for up to 5 different dates/locations. So as someone mentioned earlier, you could fly as low as $30 per flight in some cases. Not sure how anyone is supposed to know where and when they want to fly at least 30 days in advance.

Ultimately this appears to be a process that gives the various government agencies a pass which they have been getting all along. Mayor said, in the past, no one know how to make drones work....well, that's because up until now, drones were "prohibited." The officer said at the top of the conference, 99% of all drone flights in the city up until now were probably illegal.

What a joke.

 

[bitsbytes]

2. Someone asked how this process supports the needs of the media. The mayor dodged the question because the lawsuit is coming. But anyway, one of the administrators said the permit is good for up to 5 different dates/locations. So as someone mentioned earlier, you could fly as low as $30 per flight in some cases. Not sure how anyone is supposed to know where and when they want to fly at least 30 days in advance.

Ultimately this appears to be a process that gives the various government agencies a pass which they have been getting all along. Mayor said, in the past, no one know how to make drones work....well, that's because up until now, drones were "prohibited." The officer said at the top of the conference, 99% of all drone flights in the city up until now were probably illegal.

Exactly. I can't wait 30 days for a permit to process and pay $150 to launch once because there is a car crash on the highway and I'd like to take some photos of it to send to news agencies. It's completely ridiculous. The event would be long since over and forgotten about.

 

[mavic3usa]

Exactly. I can't wait 30 days for a permit to process and pay $30 to launch once because there is a car crash on the highway and I'd like to take some photos of it to send to news agencies. It's completely ridiculous. The event would be long since over and forgotten about.

For sure. And I believe the minimum you can pay is $150 if you only want one location/one event. If you happen to have 5, that would drive down your cost....that's the way I understand it. NYC made it sound like you were buying take-off locations/slots. Hopefully they don't mean that literally (you should be able to spend several hours in one location no matter how many "flights").

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Exactly. I can't wait 30 days for a permit to process and pay $150 to launch once because there is a car crash on the highway and I'd like to take some photos of it to send to news agencies. It's completely ridiculous. The event would be long since over and forgotten about.

But important to remember you shouldn't be flying anywhere near a car crash / emergency type scenario (fire, accident, police activity, etc).
If an air evac or support is needed, and a drone has been reported flying, then they won't be able to respond into the airspace.

 

[mavic3usa]

But important to remember you shouldn't be flying anywhere near a car crash / emergency type scenario (fire, accident, police activity, etc).
If an air evac or support is needed, and a drone has been reported flying, then they won't be able to respond into the airspace.

This is why the NYC process isn't ready. You cannot tell the media not to fly a drone because we might need a helicopter on the scene. Maybe the rules could explain where the media drones may fly or whom to check with or be in contact with in case air assets are summons....maybe there's an app. But if the city hates drones and they claim every "traffic stop" in the city might need a helicopter or another police drone so prohibits all drones (except police/fire/ems drones) is not realistic. They already tried this with news helicopter so rules were established and the news can be "free" to fly.

The FAA controls the airspace, if you want to prohibit a drone, get a TFR. But when there is a car fire, the media needs to be able to send over a drone. When the police are stacking up in a nearby parking lot to prepare a raid, the media needs to be able to send over a drone. When there is a school shooting and the suspect is dead and the police are clearing the buildings for the next hour, the media needs to be able to send over a drone. When there is a suspicious package and the police robot is roaming, the media needs to be able to send in the drone. The police already have a law that says don't interfere with the operation and don't interfere with the police drone but they go to far when they say "we cannot send in the police drone when we need it if your drone is on scene so please, no drones anywhere near police at all times."

Ideally the best process would be to learn to fly a helicopter amongst the "legal flights" by the drones. We know this can be done/coordinated because they fly in the helicopter when the police drones are flying on site. Would you like to coordinate with the media? Happy to do so. Does RID help solve this?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

The FAA controls the airspace, if you want to prohibit a drone, get a TFR.

Often time is of the essence, but then it isn't likely to be the drone operators family member concerned.
Here we do get TFR zones come up, but the main drone rule regarding this is not to fly over fire emergencies, traffic accidents etc.
It's common sense, or should be.

I feel the other cases you mentioned it should be the media that has to get clearance from police to fly over any of their non routine activities.
Like a pre raid flyover ? Could give the game away to the drug lab team !

 

[mavic3usa]

Often time is of the essence, but then it isn't likely to be the drone operators family member concerned.
Here we do get TFR zones come up, but the main drone rule regarding this is not to fly over fire emergencies, traffic accidents etc.
It's common sense, or should be.

I feel the other cases you mentioned it should be the media that has to get clearance from police to fly over any of their non routine activities.
Like a pre raid flyover ? Could give the game away to the drug lab team !

The only reason why I mentioned a TFR is because it might be the best option to work with the FAA and control the drone flight using this method. I'm not sure if they can get one posted fast enough but maybe there's an agreement that says when an incident occurs, allow the authorities 30 minutes to arrange for a TFR is needed. The media is flexible and willing to be reasonable, if that's what it takes. However, if a TFR pops up at every event, may need to revisit. Think of it as airborne crime scene tape and it doesn't go up at every event.

It's just one idea, maybe there's a hotline or a website or an app....I dunno. But before the drone permit process is final, this has to be worked on. Because an extensive no-fly zone automatically reserved for helicopters/drones is simply not an option. Never do we want to fly over an emergency, it's always preferable to fly around an emergency at a safe distance. We can negotiate and accept a safe distance. It's 2023, we have the tech, we're happy to stand off, blur faces, without identities, delay feeds, etc.

In America, the press has a First Amendment right to cover news worthy stories for public dissemination and we have a right to record public officials during the course of their duties. The media doesn't have to ask the police for clearance regardless of the activities. Again, if you want to strike up a deal or have an agreement, happy to accommodate. The NYC rules that I am reading about doesn't look like a deal; looks to me like an invitation to an injunction plus a lawsuit. If this is allowed to stand, it will spread to Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and elsewhere which is not good for anyone.

Finally, I am not official part of the mainstream media (I think I may have used "we" a couple of times) although every American has that right. Instead, I believe in the Constitution. The news drone is no different than the news camera. Media respects safety and will always obey the safety rules but they can smell B.S. a mile away and what I saw at that news conference, I can tell the mayor is not a fan.

 

[bitsbytes]

But important to remember you shouldn't be flying anywhere near a car crash / emergency type scenario (fire, accident, police activity, etc).

I don't. Mavic 3 7x camera.
Also, I monitor EMS/police frequencies when flying near those activities, and there isn't ever really this type of response by emergency or news helicopters in my area.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Finally, I am not official part of the mainstream media (I think I may have used "we" a couple of times) although every American has that right. Instead, I believe in the Constitution. The news drone is no different than the news camera.

Agree we need to keep our freedoms, freedom of the press etc.
In general helicopters have been the prime tool news / media has used for events like fires, accidents, etc . . . I am sure it works or has worked due to normal comms between aircraft, and the media requirement to fly x distance from a scene.
Drones are a great tool, but there are higher risks in many ways when used for such news reporting.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Agree we need to keep our freedoms, freedom of the press etc.
In general helicopters have been the prime tool news / media has used for events like fires, accidents, etc . . . I am sure it works or has worked due to normal comms between aircraft, and the media requirement to fly x distance from a scene.
Drones are a great tool, but there are higher risks in many ways when used for such news reporting.

Mediapersons have been killed in helicopter accidents while reporting.

How many people – all people, not just media – have been killed by a media drone reporting on some story?

I don't know, but I'm very comfortable saying I believe it is ZERO. And that's certainly not because drone use by the media is rare.

The risk and danger here due to drones is overblown. Way overblown. It's due to ignorance, and fear due to lack of control.

A helicopter is well controlled. The authorities on site from experience trust the system in control of a helicopter. Not so for drones, hence this fear of interference when an EMS flight comes in. Ridiculous. The media drone pilot is 107, and can be trusted to act appropriately when there is need to clear the airspace. S/he has a spotter, and they're listening to EMS and police radios. They have almost certainly let LE know they are there.

An inbound Life Flight can trust the media pilots flying drones are watching for them and will get out of the way, just as a media helicopter would.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

How many people – all people, not just media – have been killed by a media drone reporting on some story?

I don't know, but I'm very comfortable saying I believe it is ZERO. And that's certainly not because drone use by the media is rare.

The risk and danger here due to drones is overblown. Way overblown. It's due to ignorance, and fear due to lack of control.

People have been killed often in helicopter crashes, news crew too.

I agree on paper drones have posed little threat or caused too great a incident to manned aircraft, heli or fixed wing.

We've seen helis striking drones in the past, possibly fixed wing too, but so far, nil drone incidents causing death or injury, dare I say, from what we've seen here on the forum in past threads.
The risks and danger due to drones as you said above . . . if a drone is sighted near any airspace that an aircraft is moving through, airport airspace or incident airspace, then of course authorities aren't going to allow that manned heli or fixed wing into that same airspace, until confirmed clear.

 

[lookout]

So my drone delivery in NYC should have to wait 30 days before the city approves of the flight. Might as well just get my deliveries the old way and it'll get there a whole lot quicker. They already ran Amazon out of NYC.

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

News drones are controlled by ATC and are usually kept at different altitudes than the police helicopters. News drone PIC/VO's have the same ability to have communications as there helicopter counterparts, maintaining safe distances, and altitude limitations, and to leave the area IF a lifeline is inbound. Their drone could immediately land in such a case.

 

[BetterBizWorks]

Lovely. What a waste of time. So glad I don't live in NYC. In Santa Cruz, CA I just turn it on and fly. From the article:

Other requirements include:​

• A photo ID of the applicant and any proposed operators or visual observers.
• A remote pilot certificate from the FAA with a small UAS rating, including any waivers (such as operations over people) applicable to the requested permit.
• An FAA UAS registration certificate for the drone itself.
• Proof of commercial general liability insurance and drone aviation liability/UAS coverage.
• Details of the applicant’s data privacy and cybersecurity practices.
• The manufacturer, model number, weight, and year of manufacture of the UAS.
• Having drone insurance.
• Paying a nonrefundable $150 permit fee.

And all of that 30days in advance with a non refundable fee.