What goes into a manned Pilot getting an instrument rating to fly? What do drones lack that prevents them from being instrument rated?

[Jeff A]

A full answer to this would take volumes.
Flying an airplane according to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) requires a qualified pilot & airplane with duplicate radio and Nav. equipment and an airframe that can handle all the environmental conditions (including rain, ice etc). There are multiple instrument ratings requiring particular equipment and qualifications and allow operations in different visibilities and conditions. The pilots has to have completed and been tested under a long list of conditions and have extensive knowledge of meteorology, navigation, equipment & avionics, theory of flight, airmanship, human factors (illusions etc) and safety. Take a glance at pilots basic bible called From the Ground Up to understand that flying in instrument conditions is in a different league to operating a small drone.
On top of all this, remember that airplanes under IFR operate in restricted areas like approach paths into airports, tracks in the sky and predetermined flight levels following radio navigation aids.
all this for the safety of the pilot, their passengers and life on the ground.

And that's just the beginning. ;-) How many drones that you know of that could keep up with the traffic in the NAS (National Airspace System)?

 

[Robert Prior]

remember that airplanes under IFR operate in restricted areas like approach paths into airports, tracks in the sky and predetermined flight levels following radio navigation aids

Anecdotally, in my experience the drone pilots who most vocally insist that they can operate their drones safely without seeing them — nay, that it is safer to rely only on the video feed rather than eyeballs — are also the ones who most vocally chafe against restrictions and insist that they will ignore restrictions and regulations that stop them flying when and where they want, if in their sole judgement it would be safe to do so.

 

[Don Testme]

Anecdotally, in my experience the drone pilots who most vocally insist that they can operate their drones safely without seeing them — nay, that it is safer to rely only on the video feed rather than eyeballs — are also the ones who most vocally chafe against restrictions and insist that they will ignore restrictions and regulations that stop them flying when and where they want, if in their sole judgement it would be safe to do so.

I confess

 

[Tolly]

As an instrument rated pilot for over 40 years I can only chuckle at some of the answers given to this question in this forum. Multiple instrument ratings, dual instruments, bodily risk?? Walleye Hunter is the closest to being correct. The quick & simple answer is an Instrument rated pilot files a flight plan with Air Traffic Control, is in radio contact with ATC from before taxiing, through takeoff, departure, enroute, approach, landing, and arrival. You can’t do that with a drone.

Totally agree and I was quick to dismiss any comparison. My point was maybe not to clear and there should be no comparison between drones and piloted aircraft. After all they put their lives on the line when they fly. My point was to highlight how ridiculously OTT the regulations are on sub 250g drones. A drone pilot is tightly restricted and regulated by the CAA in the UK for a piece of plastic the size and weight of a packet of butter. Does any pilot of light aircraft or helicopter believe a collision with 250g of plastic could harm their flight? By comparison a paramoter pilot can fly where he likes with far less regulation and less telemetry to support him and not even any formal training or qualification. To me, at the very least, his flying location should be visible to drone operators for very obvious safety reasons (deliberately not thinking of calling us pilots).