[RECREATIONAL] What are the rules of flying near people in the US?

[JVMV]

More specifically for Nevada if that matters. I've been searching the FAA website and searching Google and the only rules I can find apply to other countries only. I read a post a few days ago from some forum I can't remember that said 25ft, but that's not direct from the FAA. The closest my drone has been to a person is 100ft in a horizontal distance when I was landing. Not sure if that's good or bad.

Anyone have a copy-paste or a link I can read to find that information?

 

[brett8883]

More specifically for Nevada if that matters. I've been searching the FAA website and searching Google and the only rules I can find apply to other countries only. I read a post a few days ago from some forum I can't remember that said 25ft, but that's not direct from the FAA. The closest my drone has been to a person is 100ft in a horizontal distance when I was landing. Not sure if that's good or bad.

Anyone have a copy-paste or a link I can read to find that information?

They really don’t want you flying directly over people, although, technically that isn’t officially a rule at this moment. Any day now but as of the time of this post there’s no rule regarding flying over people for recreational flyers in the US.

Here’s the copy and paste you asked for

1. Fly only for recreational purposes (enjoyment).
2. Follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized Community Based Organization (CBO).
   Note: We have not yet begun officially recognizing CBOs. Recreational flyers are directed to follow the safety guidelines of existing aeromodeling organizations or use the FAA provided safety guidelines per Advisory Circular 91-57B.
3. Keep your drone within the visual line of sight or use a visual observer who is co-located (physically next to) and in direct communication with you.
4. Give way to and do not interfere with manned aircraft.
5. Fly at or below 400' in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, and E) only with prior authorization by using LAANC or DroneZone.
6. Fly at or below 400 feet in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace.
   Note: Flying drones in certain airspace is not allowed. Classes of airspace and flying restrictions can be found on our B4UFLY app or the UAS Facility Maps webpage.
7. Take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) and carry proof of test passage.
8. Have a current registration, mark (PDF) your drones on the outside with the registration number, and carry proof of registration with you.
9. Do not operate your drone in a dangerous manner. For example:
   1. Do not interfere with emergency response or law enforcement activities.
   2. Do not fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Individuals violating any of these rules, and/or operating in a dangerous manner, may be subject to FAA enforcement action.

Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

www.faa.gov

Like I said they really don’t want you to fly directly over people even though it’s not listed as a rule above. To be safe just don’t fly directly over someone. Be aware the rules are different for part 107 pilots but I just assume you aren’t a part 107 pilot. Also be aware these things can change at any moment

 

[JVMV]

They really don’t want you flying directly over people, although, technically that isn’t officially a rule at this moment. Any day now but as of the time of this post there’s no rule regarding flying over people for recreational flyers in the US.

Here’s the copy and paste you asked for

1. Fly only for recreational purposes (enjoyment).
2. Follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized Community Based Organization (CBO).
   Note: We have not yet begun officially recognizing CBOs. Recreational flyers are directed to follow the safety guidelines of existing aeromodeling organizations or use the FAA provided safety guidelines per Advisory Circular 91-57B.
3. Keep your drone within the visual line of sight or use a visual observer who is co-located (physically next to) and in direct communication with you.
4. Give way to and do not interfere with manned aircraft.
5. Fly at or below 400' in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, and E) only with prior authorization by using LAANC or DroneZone.
6. Fly at or below 400 feet in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace.
   Note: Flying drones in certain airspace is not allowed. Classes of airspace and flying restrictions can be found on our B4UFLY app or the UAS Facility Maps webpage.
7. Take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) and carry proof of test passage.
8. Have a current registration, mark (PDF) your drones on the outside with the registration number, and carry proof of registration with you.
9. Do not operate your drone in a dangerous manner. For example:
   1. Do not interfere with emergency response or law enforcement activities.
   2. Do not fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Individuals violating any of these rules, and/or operating in a dangerous manner, may be subject to FAA enforcement action.

Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

www.faa.gov

Like I said they really don’t want you to fly directly over people even though it’s not listed as a rule above. To be safe just don’t fly directly over someone. Be aware the rules are different for part 107 pilots but I just assume you aren’t a part 107 pilot. Also be aware these things can change at any moment

I'm thinking about getting a Part 107 at a later time once I feel like I can ace the test. I avoid flying over people but didn't know that there's no rule against it. It's really just the "flying near people". Considering there's no rule against flying over people, I guess there's no rule against flying near people either? Just use common sense? By people, I don't mean crowds.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

..
It seems that this is the craziest thing, that the US doesn't have something in place for this already.
Most countries follow the same sort of drone rules for all aspects of use, and have a lateral distance to keep away from people not involved in the UAV ops.

Great idea to impose the rule yourself, can't imagine how it would annoy many people if a drone got too close, let alone flying over them.
Even if I'm at a park ok to fly, and someone walking their dog comes to near our 30m limit (approx 100', and our people distance rule), I fly further afield for a while, or bring it down and land if the dog is getting nervous / aggressive about the drone noise, and just wait a while until they move through the area.

50m is the people distance rule in the UK, not sure if this has changed to anything else as the EU partnership is dead now a while.

 

[Rich QR]

..
It seems that this is the craziest thing, that the US doesn't have something in place for this already.

I agree that it seems crazy to omit this area of regulation. Under Part 107, there are rules generally prohibiting flight over people, but with exceptions if the propellers are shrouded such that they're incapable of causing a laceration to exposed skin, and with further detailed rules about the amount of kinetic energy that can be imparted by the drone. I believe no current drones are approved for flight over people under these regulations yet, but the framework is there. And until there are drones approved for flight above people, such flight is prohibited under Part 107.

For recreational flight under Section 44809, there's no statutory prohibition against flight over people. However, there is a statutory requirement to comply with the rules of an established Community Based Organization (CBO). There are still no approved CBOs that have rules established, but a leading contender, the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) has the following in their safety code, "I will avoid flying directly over unprotected people, moving vehicles, and occupied structures."

As I said, they're not an approved CBO yet, but I believe the AMA is likely to be one of the first ones approved. My guess is that all the approved CBOs will have some sort of rule that prohibits or restricts flight over people, especially over bystanders not involved in the flight. We'll see the details when they come out.

 

[MARK (LI)]

It does have something in place

eCFR :: 14 CFR Part 107 -- Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

ecfr.federalregister.gov

go to part 107.39 specifically...not trying to burst your bubble but if you did not know about this...it is unlikely you would ace the test..do you know anything about METARs, TAFs, Controlled airspace , weather, weight and speed restrictions, Category 1 through 4 operations, radio frequencies...can you read a sectional chart?

 

[brett8883]

It does have something in place

eCFR :: 14 CFR Part 107 -- Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

ecfr.federalregister.gov

go to part 107.39 specifically...not trying to burst your bubble but if you did not know about this...it is unlikely you would ace the test..do you know anything about METARs, TAFs, Controlled airspace , weather, weight and speed restrictions, Category 1 through 4 operations, radio frequencies...can you read a sectional chart?

We are talking specifically about recreational rules in the US. As mentioned Part 107 rules are different

 

[brett8883]

I'm thinking about getting a Part 107 at a later time once I feel like I can ace the test. I avoid flying over people but didn't know that there's no rule against it. It's really just the "flying near people". Considering there's no rule against flying over people, I guess there's no rule against flying near people either? Just use common sense? By people, I don't mean crowds.

Recreation pilots technically do not have rules against flying over are near people but if flying under part 107 rules there are pretty detailed rules against flying directly over people or moving vehicles.

We live in this weird time after the FAA realized they couldn’t just make up their own rules and took down the rules about over people and flying and flying at night from their website but haven’t certified any CBOs yet. Literally tomorrow this could change.

 

[lilewis]

It seems to me there is zero need to intentionally fly over people you know are directly under you since you can reposition the drone and still get the shot you want with no noticeable difference. I woudn't want to be the person who has a battery disconnect in flight or any other malfunction that might cause a serious injury or auto accident to someone under it. Pretty much all mechanical things eventually malfunction over time and some prematurely. We see posts all the time even here, about drones dropping out of the sky, either by pilot error or for other reasons. Maybe I'm just over-cautious, (or paranoid) but it just isn't worth the lawsuits, medical bill, and worldwide notoriety if the 1 in a million drops onto a person from 300'.

I do understand though that at 400' lots of us cannot see if there are individual people in the "drop zone" especially if looking through a small phone screen.

 

[Smooth Rhythm]

As I understand it, “Sustained” flight over people is the issue, for both recreational and part 107 pilots.
Kevin Morris, FAA spokesman, has discussed this issue in FAA webinars on YouTube.
To my knowledge, there are no current rules in place for recreational pilots that restrict or forbid flights over people. There will be in a couple of years when remote ID is effective, but not now. According to Kevin Morris, the FAA doesn’t seem to have a problem with incidental flight over people, that is, during your flight from point a to point B, you happen to fly over a person here or there. But sustained flight over people, for example, hovering over a group of people, or flying over people in a stadium or concert or or even flying over a crowded beach of wall to wall people, is a problem. But again, there are no current rules in place for recreational fliers. Common sense and good judgment has to prevail.

 

[dronerdave]

More specifically for Nevada if that matters. I've been searching the FAA website and searching Google and the only rules I can find apply to other countries only. I read a post a few days ago from some forum I can't remember that said 25ft, but that's not direct from the FAA. The closest my drone has been to a person is 100ft in a horizontal distance when I was landing. Not sure if that's good or bad.

Anyone have a copy-paste or a link I can read to find that information?

Probably came from the AMA's site:
"I will not fly a powered model outdoors closer than 25 feet to any individual, except for myself or my helper(s) located at the flightline, unless I am taking off and landing, or as otherwise
provided in AMA’s Competition Regulation. "

As mentioned the FAA has not picked a specific CBO and just suggest to fly under a CBO's set of rules. I fly fixed wing RC under the AMA insurance so I follow those rules to keep me in compliance with the AMA. If I want to be insured flying my drone I follow the same AMA rules.

 

[spudster]

Probably came from the AMA's site:
"I will not fly a powered model outdoors closer than 25 feet to any individual, except for myself or my helper(s) located at the flightline, unless I am taking off and landing, or as otherwise provided in AMA’s Competition Regulation. "

So does that mean if your are at a 50' altitude that you can fly over people?

 

[dronerdave]

So does that mean if your are at a 50' altitude that you can fly over people?

"I will not operate any model aircraft while I am under the influence of alcohol or any drug that could adversely affect my ability to safely control the model.• I will avoid flying directly over unprotected people, moving vehicles, and occupied structures. • I will fly Free Flight (FF) and Control Line
(CL) models in compliance with AMA’s safety
programming.• I will maintain visual contact of an RC model aircraft without enhancement other than corrective lenses prescribed to me. When using an advanced flight system, such as an autopilot, or flying First-Person
View (FPV), I will comply with AMA’s Advanced Flight
System programming.• I will only fly models weighing more than 55
pounds, including fuel, if certified through AMA’s
Large Model Airplane Program.• I will only fly a turbine-powered model aircraft in
compliance with AMA’s Gas Turbine Program.
• I will not fly a powered model outdoors closer than 25 feet to any individual, except for myself or my helper(s) located at the flightline, unless I am taking off and landing, or as otherwise
provided in AMA’s Competition Regulation.
• I will use an established safety line to separate all model aircraft operations from spectators and bystanders."

 

[LA 2020]

More specifically for Nevada if that matters. I've been searching the FAA website and searching Google and the only rules I can find apply to other countries only. I read a post a few days ago from some forum I can't remember that said 25ft, but that's not direct from the FAA. The closest my drone has been to a person is 100ft in a horizontal distance when I was landing. Not sure if that's good or bad.

Anyone have a copy-paste or a link I can read to find that information?

The FAA rules have recently eased up on flying over people but basically don't fly over groups or don't fly too close. The goal of course is if your drone loses power you don't crash into someone. A while back a drone killed someone by slitting his throat with its propeller. Be aware they can be dangerous and fly like that

 

[spudster]

drone killed someone by slitting his throat with its propeller.

Link to this article?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

drone killed someone by slitting his throat

Link to this article?

Nothing I could find online, not even Snopes to debunk it.

Worst I know of a drone / human being incident would have to be the toddler / eye incident in the UK.

Toddler's eyeball sliced in half by drone propeller

An 18-month-old boy loses an eye after it is sliced in half by the propeller of a drone flown by a family friend.

www.bbc.com

 

[cgmaxed]

Nothing I could find online, not even Snopes to debunk it.

Worst I know of a drone / human being incident would have to be the toddler / eye incident in the UK.

Toddler's eyeball sliced in half by drone propeller

An 18-month-old boy loses an eye after it is sliced in half by the propeller of a drone flown by a family friend.

www.bbc.com

Holy crap. That is so sad. I wish the laceration was repairable. I'm in shock.

But I'm a little perturbed by this line in the article,
"...... given their popularity (drones) and the common use, it's inevitable that we'll see a lot more."

"... see A LOT more", That's a bunch of malarkey. BB gun accidents to eyes are a lot more common and always will be. Drone accidents causing eye injuries? The odds are way lower, but still there of course. The exact sequence of events to hit that exact part of a person would be extremely hard to reproduce. This is unlikely to happen to an adult, as most of us would, in a split second, instinctively react to a dangerous object approaching the face. But a child? No , he/she will stare at the object not knowing the danger the object possesses. One thing is for sure, If there are toddlers close by, I definitely won't get near them, knowing that a small miscalculation could cause the drone to go flying toward someone's face. As adults we would most likely flinch and turn our heads, but a naïve child wouldn't have a clue. Poor kid, he's gonna be pissed when he gets older and realizes what he lost. I doubt we will be seeing "A LOT MORE" of this type of eye injury.

Edit: There is approximately 2,070 air gun related eye injuries to children per year in the U.S.
The most common variety was corneal abrasion, a scratch to the eyeball that typically heals within a day or two.
But it was followed by more serious injuries: Hyphema, when blood pools in the eye and can impair vision if untreated; globe rupture, when blunt trauma injures the cornea and sclera, or white of the eye; and foreign body, when an object becomes lodged in the eye.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Holy crap. That is so sad. I wish the laceration was repairable. I'm in shock.

But I'm a little perturbed by this line in the article,
"...... given their popularity (drones) and the common use, it's inevitable that we'll see a lot more."

"... see A LOT more", That's a bunch of malarkey. BB gun accidents to eyes are a lot more common and always will be. Drone accidents causing eye injuries? The odds are way lower, but still there of course. The exact sequence of events to hit that exact part of a person would be extremely hard to reproduce. This is unlikely to happen to an adult, as most of us would, in a split second, instinctively react to a dangerous object approaching the face. But a child? No , he/she will stare at the object not knowing the danger the object possesses. One thing is for sure, If there are toddlers close by, I definitely won't get near them, knowing that a small miscalculation could cause the drone to go flying toward someone's face. As adults we would most likely flinch and turn our heads, but a naïve child wouldn't have a clue. Poor kid, he's gonna be pissed when he gets older and realizes what he lost. I doubt we will be seeing "A LOT MORE" of this type of eye injury.

Edit: There is approximately 2,070 air gun related eye injuries to children per year in the U.S.
The most common variety was corneal abrasion, a scratch to the eyeball that typically heals within a day or two.
But it was followed by more serious injuries: Hyphema, when blood pools in the eye and can impair vision if untreated; globe rupture, when blunt trauma injures the cornea and sclera, or white of the eye; and foreign body, when an object becomes lodged in the eye.

Agree with what you say (and your sig line).

 

[B52-D]

I would suggest that you use FAA Advisory Circular # 91-57 B for RECREATIONAL flying guidance.
(This is an excerpt)
RECREATIONAL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS. Unmanned aircraft are aircraft without a human pilot on board; they are controlled by an operator on the ground. Operators flying unmanned aircraft can endanger other aircraft, people, or property when flying recklessly or without regard to risks. Additionally, most unmanned aircraft manufactured for recreational use are not tested to any FAA standards for airworthiness, meaning they come with no assurance they will stay airborne or fly in a predictable manner, especially when encountering unexpected circumstances such as radio interference, winds, or power failures. When you fly an unmanned aircraft in the United States, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of the flight, and to understand and follow the appropriate Federal, state, and local laws.

You can find this AC on the FAA’s website at:

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars.

Blue Skys & Happy Contrails
B-52-D