Quote:
Originally Posted by JSMCMS
I do still fly. In fact, my BFR is scheduled for tomorrow if the weather holds. It's always tricky this time of year. I used to fly RC for years before jumping full scale. I was active in a Pontiac, MI club for about a decade. You know the drill: build in the winter and fly in the summer. I still have a giant scale and three of four park flyers but I am sure to be really rusty. It is amazing the progress in LiPo technology since I was active.
I was into building drones before the corporate world took over. It was fun being part of the hardware and software development but my two home built drones are way behind the times. I do have one of my drones registered with the FAA but I did not hear about the pilot licensing requirement. I know there is a regulation and airspace operating requirement for drone pilots operating in controlled airspace outside a AMA sanctioned field and that's something I support but it does surprise me if that extends to a local flying field. I have a good friend that makes a living as a drone photographer but I've never heard him talk about having to have a pilot's license. At least not in the traditional sense. You've peaked my interest. Now I must investigate.
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Yes , right now the FAA is finalizing the requirements for recreational UAS users , you friend being a professional drone photographer is already bound by a more stringent rule set known as Part 107 . Part 107 requires a pre filed flight plan for all commercially operated UAS flights , already has a knowledge and skills test if I recall correctly , as well as a remote identification requirement to be enacted sometime in 2020 . Like you said and I can't blame them one bit , the FAA had to take action before a drone takes out a full scale aircraft , but my own opinion is that RC aircraft being operated within their operator's direct line of sight are not now nor have ever been the same collision risk as an RC aircraft being operated by an operator using remote cameras to conduct the flight . "See and avoid" has worked well for traditional line of sight RC model flying for many years , it was the advent of the remote cameras where the operator no longer actually sees his RC aircraft and what's near it that got the FAA's notice .
https://www.federalregister.gov/docu...rcraft-systems