VLOS

[Jack Daw]

What's with the V? Isn't pretty much any line of sight a visual line of sight? I mean, what else could it be: an auditory line of sight? This is one for the Department of Redundancy Department.

OK. Back to work.

 

[aokusman]

My guess is visual would indicate with the eyes only without any assistance. No binoculars.

 

[CanadaDrone]

They are just trying to clarify that it is with the naked eye rather than with aides, such as binoculars or the DJI goggles, and that there are no obstacles obstructing your view of the drone. The intent is all the same for LOS, VLOS, etc. Just different terminology.

 

[BD0G]

I can my Mavic Pro fly line of sight away from me and continue to do so until I can no longer see the drone. At that point I am flying Line of Sight , but not visual line of sight. Mavic Pro's specifications indicate it can fly up to 4.3 miles line of sight away from the Home Point. There is not a member here that can see a Mavic Pro at 4.3 miles away visually.

 

[tcope]

Visual, as with your own eyes. As opposed to a high powered camera lens, binoculars, etc.

 

[Jack Daw]

Yeah, but “Visual” doesn’t mean “Unaided”. “Unaided” means unaided.

 

[tcope]

Yeah, but “Visual” doesn’t mean “Unaided”. “Unaided” means unaided.

Visual means sight, seeing. As in optical, eye. It means with the eye.

 

[Prospero]

I've seen it defined thus:

Visual line of sight (VLOS)

Distance at which the pilot/operator is capable of maintaining visual contact with the sUAS and determine its orientation and altitude without enhancements other than corrective lenses.

The MA is so small it's basically beyond VLOS after a few hundred meters. It can also easily become lost against a busy background, or when behind a tree, even momentarily.

 

[thebigbaddan]

Virtual Line of Sight.

It's virtually in my line of sight...

 

[Deanrobi]

As well as VLOS we also use the term ELOS - Electronic Line Of Sight in our drone ops documents

 

[Simmo]

Yup. A satellite is LOS to you on earth. From 36 k's up! (unless you are in a building, or under trees???)
VLOS is close enough for YOU to see with YOUR eyes!!

 

[Robothamster]

Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) operations; means exactly that, keeping the unmanned aircraft in visual-line-of-sight at all times. This means not flying an unmanned aircraft into clouds or fog, not behind trees, buildings or other [even partial] obstructions. VLOS also means un-aided vision except for prescription glasses or sunglasses, and not having to use binoculars, telescopes or zoom lenses to see the unmanned aircraft.

In Europe, maximum VLOS is typically set at not more than 400ft AGL vertically and 500m horizontally. In Australia, CASA has not set a limit. Maximum VLOS will vary according to the size and ‘visibility’ of the unmanned aircraft at extreme range. VLOS range can vary from about 200-300m horizontally for the popular small 'Quadcopter' UAS, out to maybe 3-4kms if the unmanned aircraft is of a suitable size & colour and fitted with high-visibility lighting.

How do we see them: VLOS, EVLOS, BVLOS & FPV? - Australian Certified UAV Operators Inc.

 

[Thwyllo]

Yup. A satellite is LOS to you on earth. From 36 k's up! (unless you are in a building, or under trees???)
VLOS is close enough for YOU to see with YOUR eyes!!

But I assume you've laid out on the deck at night looking up at the stars? Here in France it's not uncommon to have VLOS to 10-20 satellites an hour. They're easily detectable compared to say aircraft lights because of their motion. Sometimes you can see a rare iridium satellite that gives a single long flash because of the 'spotlight' reflection it casts on the earth's surface, other times a tumbling satellite that crosses the sky with a series of slow flashes.

Idiots take em for UFOs....

 

[Simmo]

Yeah man, I'm hearing ya! If you can maintain VLOS, then you would be 'obeying' most countries flight rules! (except the 400 ft rule??) If you can keep eyes on it fly to the moon! (and back????!)

 

[Air Beetle]

wrong - VLOS means that you can see it well enough to control it. You can't see the orientation and attitude much further than a few hundred yards.

 

[Prismatic]

If the “VLOS rule” were intended to mean that the drone must be visible to the pilot at all times, the “LO” would have been omitted. If you can see where the drone is, you have satisfied the rule, even if it’s too distant to actually see it. Seeing the drone is not the point. The point is that the pilot have absolute knowledge of any and all potential aerial hazards.
I can easily do that out to the range of my MA, though she’s essentially invisible beyond a few hundred yards. Note however that I fly in a barren landscape, not from beneath a canopy of trees that obscures the view everywhere but directly overhead. I have no idea how to interpret VLOS in that situation.

 

[Air Beetle]

Good luck with that in court or trying to defend yourself against a police officer.

You know that’s complete b.s. and ignorance of the law is not a valid defense.

 

[tcope]

If the “VLOS rule” were intended to mean that the drone must be visible to the pilot at all times, the “LO” would have been omitted. If you can see where the drone is, you have satisfied the rule, even if it’s too distant to actually see it. Seeing the drone is not the point. The point is that the pilot have absolute knowledge of any and all potential aerial hazards.
I can easily do that out to the range of my MA, though she’s essentially invisible beyond a few hundred yards. Note however that I fly in a barren landscape, not from beneath a canopy of trees that obscures the view everywhere but directly overhead. I have no idea how to interpret VLOS in that situation.

That is incorrect... and simply does not make any sense.

You don't need to see the drone... just "see where it is"? If you can't see the drone... how can you know where it is? Of you did not need to actually _see_ the drone, the V would not be in VLOS.

Not omitting LO means you don't need to see the drone does not even make any sense. Just to be clear, LO means Line Of Sight. This simple means that you need to train your eye directly on the drone. That is, LO(S) actually means that you _do_ need to see the drone itself.

Just to dive into your crazy statement a little further..... it also does not make sense in that your statement appears to be that you can just tell someone... "it's that direction"... and that is all that is needed. "Yeah, some where over there"... while pointing blindly in some direction.

Yeah.... no. Not even close.

 

[Thwyllo]

If the “VLOS rule” were intended to mean that the drone must be visible to the pilot at all times, the “LO” would have been omitted. If you can see where the drone is, you have satisfied the rule, even if it’s too distant to actually see it. Seeing the drone is not the point. The point is that the pilot have absolute knowledge of any and all potential aerial hazards.
I can easily do that out to the range of my MA, though she’s essentially invisible beyond a few hundred yards. Note however that I fly in a barren landscape, not from beneath a canopy of trees that obscures the view everywhere but directly overhead. I have no idea how to interpret VLOS in that situation.

That's exactly what it is. From the FAA:

"QQ. Visual Line of Sight (VLOS). Means that any flightcrew member (i.e., remote PIC, the person manipulating the controls, and visual observer, if used) is capable of seeing the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, spectacles or contact lenses in order to know the UA’s location, determine the UA’s attitude, altitude, and direction of flight, observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards, and determine that the UA does not endanger the life or property of another."

 

[tcope]

That's exactly what it is. From the FAA:

"QQ. Visual Line of Sight (VLOS). Means that any flightcrew member (i.e., remote PIC, the person manipulating the controls, and visual observer, if used) is capable of seeing the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, spectacles or contact lenses in order to know the UA’s location, determine the UA’s attitude, altitude, and direction of flight, observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards, and determine that the UA does not endanger the life or property of another."

I think that might be from Part 107 and not section 336 (i.e. commercial flight and not hobby flight. Hobby flight requires that the person operating the controls needs to have VLOS. I'm under the impression that commercial flight allows for a spotter.