Survey of Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems Operators

[MS Coast]

I received an email from the FAA inviting me to participate in their Survey of Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems Operators. I chose to participate. The link below provides a description of the survey. I'm not advocating that anyone participate or not, just providing a heads-up and a few comments.

(Yes, yes, yes, I know I'm now on a list to singled out for malevolent actions.) For those who are concerned, it seems possible to participate without an invitation and without providing identifying information, though responding to the link in the mail could certainly allow identification or your email address. I elected to respond to the optional detailed questions, too, which focused.

The survey addresses drones and model aircraft. It seems to me that some of the questions provide information of little value or accuracy. Estimates are requested of the numbers of flights by month and by day of the week during the past year. Others ask for the altitude at which you "generally" flew and the general flight duration. There are questions about which states and counties within your home state you fly in and which resources you use to check airspace prior to flights.

Surveys always lead me to wonder who wrote them and what the information will be used for. This one looks more naive than sinister.

https://www.faa.gov/uas/drone-survey

 

[Jim Martin]

Add me to whatever list that survey puts you on

They were specifically looking for responses from Hobbyist, not commercial pilots.

They wanted to know how many drones I have, and what they weigh. Also wanted to know if I ever fly at FAA-Recognized Identification Areas.

The questions asking me to break down my flights by month, what counties I have flown in, what days of the week and times of day, were rather curious... Does the FAA think hobbyist document their flights to that degree? I certain don't, but maybe some folks do.

 

[mavic3usa]

I'll get two VPNs going and reach out from the public library wifi later on.....

 

[hank970]

I received an email from the FAA inviting me to participate in their Survey of Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems Operators. I chose to participate. The link below provides a description of the survey. I'm not advocating that anyone participate or not, just providing a heads-up and a few comments.

(Yes, yes, yes, I know I'm now on a list to singled out for malevolent actions.) For those who are concerned, it seems possible to participate without an invitation and without providing identifying information, though responding to the link in the mail could certainly allow identification or your email address. I elected to respond to the optional detailed questions, too, which focused.

The survey addresses drones and model aircraft. It seems to me that some of the questions provide information of little value or accuracy. Estimates are requested of the numbers of flights by month and by day of the week during the past year. Others ask for the altitude at which you "generally" flew and the general flight duration. There are questions about which states and counties within your home state you fly in and which resources you use to check airspace prior to flights.

Surveys always lead me to wonder who wrote them and what the information will be used for. This one looks more naive than sinister.

https://www.faa.gov/uas/drone-survey

The FAA obviously knows the email addresses of everyone to whom they sent the request, and the inquiry and responses are keyed exclusively to each participating addressee. That doesn't bother me, because I opted to register my drone and furnish the FAA with identifying information. But when I started the survey, I soon concluded that it expected a far more thorough distillation of information about my flight history than I could possibly answer. There's no way that this survey could be completed in only ten minutes with any degree of accuracy.

Without examining the log for each flight in detail, is there any way to compile the kinds of summary information that the FAA is seeking?

 

[mavic3usa]

The FAA obviously knows the email addresses of everyone to whom they sent the request, and the inquiry and responses are keyed exclusively to each participating addressee. That doesn't bother me, because I opted to register my drone and furnish the FAA with identifying information. But when I started the survey, I soon concluded that it expected a far more thorough distillation of information about my flight history than I could possibly answer. There's no way that this survey could be completed in only ten minutes with any degree of accuracy.

Without examining the log for each flight in detail, is there any way to compile the kinds of summary information that the FAA is seeking?

I got the survey monkey as well.....changed my mind; not going to reply.

 

[Mt-Ed]

I too received the survey, and yes I completed it. Thing is, I haven't flown in over 2 years, so I doubt they will even believe my results to their survey!

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

You don't need this survey to be put on any list IF that is one of their goals. You are already on any list they need, if you have a 107, registered your drone, or took a trust test.