No License Needed

[Zeprider]

I'm confused. Pivotal’s Helix brings real flying cars to everyday buyers with no requirement for a pilot's license. Yet we can't fly drones and take pictures for money without a Part 107 that requires Aeronautical knowledge

Add in the banning of certain drones which are fundamentally plastic flying cameras not flying cars with four dangerous props that can crash through a roof. You wonder how we made it this far with our extremely confused, mercurial government. </end-rant>

 

[Droning on and on...]

It's all about risk.

It's why you can build whatever Frankenstein ground contraption you want with jet engines and risk your life to your heart's content on private acreage without any license, or DOT certification of your Rube Golberg machine – but can't take it on public roads without said DOT approval and a license demonstrating your competence not to injure someone else.

The gubmint, populated with imperfect humans, doesn't always get it right in implementation. But the reasons make obvious sense where we share space.

 

[Zeprider]

It's all about risk.

It's why you can build whatever Frankenstein ground contraption you want with jet engines and risk your life to your heart's content on private acreage without any license, or DOT certification of your Rube Golberg machine – but can't take it on public roads without said DOT approval and a license demonstrating your competence not to injure someone else.

The gubmint, populated with imperfect humans, doesn't always get it right in implementation. But the reasons make obvious sense where we share space.

That makes a great deal of sense.

 

[Droning on and on...]

That makes a great deal of sense.

Which is why licensing will catch up with flying cars when they become of some significance. Until then, like home-built drones of the past, it will be the Wild West. Right now regulators have their hands full working out how the explosion of self-driving cars is going to mesh smoothly with the rest of vehicles out there being operated by Natural Intelligence.

Flying cars aren't even a spittle stain on the radar scope yet.

Who to blame for the proliferation of rules, restrictions, and licensing/certification for drones in the last 15 years?

DJI.

They made it possible for a 5 year-old to take a drone out of the box and fly it well enough to be potentially harmful to others, exercising merely 5 year-old judgement.

The bigger risk is, of course, adults with 5 year-old judgement, of which there are plenty. DJI enabled them too, and they have COSTCO memberships.