What Do You Do if You See Commercial Enterprise Flying Without Part 107 Certificate

[Endeavor]

I would do nothing unless they are working a job I am on then I would confront the pilot. I would not notify the FAA in any case

 

[Dougcjohn]

It is possible to have multiple people with same names too. Names by themselves aren't a reliable source to database lookup that appears to not be reliable too.

 

[Jsaint]

Unless you see them doing something clearly unsafe or they threaten your business directly just move on.

Two good reasons,

One - Getting someone in trouble will create attention usually in a negative way for all of us as politicians, media outlets and law enforcement tend to overreact without generally not learning from the experience and sometimes just in malice.

Two - Destroying someone's life even when it was their fault won't be seen by the recipient as building their character and will probably make you a lifelong vehement enemy. And if they are crazy enough, you might get a stalker situation, I have seen this happen. You do you but take care not to be a Karen.

 

[Tom Johnson]

Sounds like a new way to get shot.

Uhm, hey buddy, where’s your part 107 … BANG!! I live in Atlanta and that’s what happens if you confront someone on the road or walking, etc…

 

[sar104]

It turns out I do show up as Part 107 in the database provided that I leave the "State" and "Country" fields blank. If I include them then the search fails.

 

[Douglas Peebles]

I just tell my clients to check for license and insurance.

 

[RussOnTheRoad]

I recently obtained my part 107, yet I know of several commercial enterprises, either YouTube channels or companies taking photos for websites that are flying without Part 107 certification. I am just curious what you do. Do you call the FAA? Just ignore it and worry about yourself? Or do you confront them (may not be in person, but perhaps send them an email or DM)

Just kind of frustrating to know that I forked out over $300 and many hours to do this under the confines of the regulation when others just don't bother. One of these enterprises can't claim ignorance because they keep saying they are considering getting their Part 107.

Lots of replies with many opinions. Here's mine: If someone is doing something against the law it is not my _job_ to play the role of cop, but the question must be asked what the best action would be for me to take as a responsible member of society? If you see someone driving erratically on the freeway amidst other motorists it's obvious that driver is risking life and limb of others and IMHO failure to report that is something akin to tacit approval tantamount to complicity. If someone were injured and I might have been able to do something that might have prevented it I would feel badly I did not.

I recently obtained my part 107, yet I know of several commercial enterprises, either YouTube channels or companies taking photos for websites that are flying without Part 107 certification. I am just curious what you do. Do you call the FAA? Just ignore it and worry about yourself? Or do you confront them (may not be in person, but perhaps send them an email or DM)

Just kind of frustrating to know that I forked out over $300 and many hours to do this under the confines of the regulation when others just don't bother. One of these enterprises can't claim ignorance because they keep saying they are considering getting their Part 107.

What I or anyone else might do is an individual decision as is yours. If it bothers you that someone else is earning money unlawfully that might have lawfully gone to you or another licensed pilot then by all means, report them. You have every legal right to do so whereas the other pilot has none. You would perhaps also be doing all licensed pilots a favor by helping eliminate unfair competition.

IMHO, unlawfully taking something without permission that belongs to someone else should be discouraged by all, otherwise we tacitly, at least, encourage bad behavior...certainly we don't actively discourage it. We should. Apart from flying unlawfully an unlicensed pilot taking a job is taking it away from a licensed pilot. This may not be codified as theft but it is, nevertheless, theft.

 

[Alky1229]

If you have nothing better to do then to Police other drone operators, you really need to get more in your life.

 

[spudster]

Apart from flying unlawfully an unlicensed pilot taking a job is taking it away from a licensed pilot.

And how do you know they are doing this? It could be that they can show better past results, have been recommended, they can do it at the customers convenance or even just has a better personality. $300 is a small expense over a year of jobs and should not affect the cost of the job.

A license also doesn't meant that person is a good, or even safe, pilot. It can just mean they have learned how to pass a test and that they paid the federal government for a license. There is no proficiency test to show they actually have any skills to fly. In fact, they may have never flown a drone before taking and passing the test.

Would you rather hire someone with no license but years of drone flying experience or one that has a license but very little experience?

 

[sar104]

Would you rather hire someone with no license but years of drone flying experience or one that has a license but very little experience?

That depends whether you care about exposing yourself to significant financial liability in the event of an accident or if the FAA goes after the unlicensed pilot.

 

[Repaid1]

That depends whether you care about exposing yourself to significant financial liability in the event of an accident or if the FAA goes after the unlicensed pilot.

Granted but just holding a 107 Cert. (Not a license as mentioned above) does not guarantee ones ability to properly hold the financial means (Insurance) to pay anything if something goes wrong and I am sure there are more flying without a 107 breaking the commecial ops than the 107 pilots that aren't qualified at some level IMHO. And then and only then would the FAA get involved most probably as the OP has stated the situation had someone not report.

Personally I stay out of others life's unless I do see the higher probability they are endangering others, but to each their own, there are avenues for reporting had those wish to do so. If they were doing something that seemed as if harm was evident, then the local police can handle it from there as that is their jurisdiction.

As mentioned this world is full of the crazies, and messing with someones livelihood could end bad. If you went up and challenged someone, you may not walk away in some parts of this crazy world.

 

[sar104]

Granted but just holding a 107 Cert. (Not a license as mentioned above) does not guarantee ones ability to properly hold the financial means (Insurance) to pay anything if something goes wrong and I am sure there are more flying without a 107 breaking the commecial ops than the 107 pilots that aren't qualified at some level IMHO. And then and only then would the FAA get involved most probably as the OP has stated the situation had someone not report.

Personally I stay out of others life's unless I do see the higher probability they are endangering others, but to each their own, there are avenues for reporting had those wish to do so. If they were doing something that seemed as if harm was evident, then the local police can handle it from there as that is their jurisdiction.

As mentioned this world is full of the crazies, and messing with someones livelihood could end bad. If you went up and challenged someone, you may not walk away in some parts of this crazy world.

That's not the point. It is certainly also up to you to ensure that your pilot is properly insured, but if the pilot is not Part 107 then he/she will definitely be uninsured.

I wasn't commenting on whether anyone should intervene or report, just on the post above that implied that a skilled but uncertified pilot would be better than an unskilled certified pilot. It's a loaded question of course, since neither are good options, and the correct choice would be a skilled and certified pilot.

 

[TS_Thomas02]

I know their full names and can look them up in the FAA Airmen Registry.

I know that I had issues with getting a record to pop up when finding myself in the Airman Registry. So, I'm going to go with the basis that Karma will catch up to them if they ever mess up and don't have their ticket with the FAA.

 

[RussOnTheRoad]

And how do you know they are doing this? It could be that they can show better past results, have been recommended, they can do it at the customers convenance or even just has a better personality. $300 is a small expense over a year of jobs and should not affect the cost of the job.

A license also doesn't meant that person is a good, or even safe, pilot. It can just mean they have learned how to pass a test and that they paid the federal government for a license. There is no proficiency test to show they actually have any skills to fly. In fact, they may have never flown a drone before taking and passing the test.

Would you rather hire someone with no license but years of drone flying experience or one that has a license but very little experience?

I never said that a licensed pilot was necessarily better, cheaper, faster etc. than an unlicensed pilot. What I am talking about has nothing to do with who is the better pilot, videographer, photographer, whatever.

What I said was "Apart from flying unlawfully an unlicensed pilot taking a job is taking it away from a licensed pilot."

It's really a very simple, straightforward equation. If there is one job that needs doing and two pilots vying for it one of which is licensed but the unlicensed pilot gets the job, who lost the job? Take the unlicensed pilot out of the picture and who gets the job? It's really that simple. Take all the unlicensed pilots out of the picture and all the jobs they would have done would go to those who are lawfully entitled. Unlicensed pilots operating commercially are in violation of the law and unlawfully taking work from those pilots lawfully licensed. Are you one of them?