New FAA rulings

[Rolex]

If you like to fly by goggles or monitor, this effects you. Make your feelings known before it becomes hard law.
They are inviting your opinions at this point.

http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf

 

[sur3fir3]

FYI this only bans goggles, not Monitor FPV. It says u must maintain Sight of the vehicle at all times. So FPV without goggles is not affected.

 

[hamz9561]

I actually prefer to keep my aircraft in sight so I can watch them crash WHEN I do something stupid with the controls. I love the D'oh moments, even my own. I think that goggle-type FPV systems should not be used by hobbyists.

 

[Plaidfish]

I think that goggle-type FPV systems should not be used by hobbyists.

I think they shouldn't do that by banning the tool. ban the act.
there are WAAAAAY more people who legally use guns than use them for illegal acts.
and likewise for drones.
Remember laws like this work both ways.

I personally don't fly. so this isn't a personal issue about drones its just the overall willingness for people to give up freedoms daily and still allow more to be taken.
I'm a proponent of there being less laws and more judiciary actions made based on case by case scenario rather than rubber stamping a judgment based on statute of law. Not sure how this can happen but it should. make laws that make people aware they have to be accountable for their actions.
Not many people understand how much easier life would be if everyone looked out for the next man, rather than self. I surround myself with friends who are more my family than some of my own blood because we help each other out. My brothers included. laws are just a way of controlling the masses, the more laws the more control right?
what could the powers that be, do to you when they have MORE control over your life than now. that road leads down a sorry looking path my friend.

DEEP like the ocean I'm chillin in. HAHA
nuff said

 

[HPIguy]

A lot of these laws and regulations have been on the books for a while now, only they're being much more strongly enforced now. A few people have even been arrested thus far. There are numerous things along the way that have contributed to getting us to this point. But the single biggest issue is people who see an FPV vid on youtube, think it's the coolest thing ever, and rush out and buy a brand whatever RTF quad that was built by 7 year olds (even though they have little / no flight experience at all, much less know proper aircraft inspection or pre-flight checklists) and then fly it in the worst possible surroundings around large groups of people and it all goes wrong. I'm actually amazed that nobody has been killed by a 4lbs aircraft falling from the sky and hitting them in the head from God knows how high up. It's no different from all the heli / plane fail vids all over youtube with aircraft large enough to do some serious damage, or possibly even kill someone that the pilot knew far too little about, and didn't bother taking the normal path to learning to be a safe / proficient RC pilot.

I fly FPV (although I haven't done it in a long time) myself, have been for over a year now. I doubt I've been out past 1/4 mile yet, even though my gear is more than capable of it. I also never fly FPV around people, it just weirds me out to be honest worrying about the what if, and I can't relax and enjoy flying because of that. The only people around are usually a spotter, maybe a buddy that wants to watch the DVR screen while I'm under the goggles. There's also a lot of money hanging in the air, and thus a lot of risk if it all goes wrong. I guess I just never was able to totally let go and let it all hang out to get that money shot, even though this area is gorgeous from the air.

I personally think there need to be license tests of varying degrees for FPV flight, including an entry level for hobbyists similar to HAM radio. I mean we haven't banned cars for all the drunk driving deaths every year have we? Nope, but we do require a license to operate them that requires you demonstrate you can operate one in a safe manner though.

Just my $.02

 

[sur3fir3]

A responsible hobbyist will use a spotter with FPV goggles, just like a responsible UltraLight owner won't fly over a sports stadium.

Really FPV presents quite a few problems because people are flying these with little to no real feel for the orientation of the craft to everything around and under it. This part of the hobby should be regulated, at least by age. And needs to require a spotter. The problem is who is going to police this.

I am the last person to say we need to give lawmakers more power, but it is so easy to fly these quads, that unlike Helis, and Airplanes, most people don't join clubs, and aren't exposed to the safety aspect and the true destructive force of a 10 inch prop spinning at 20k+ RPM.

**Edit flying in the middle of nowhere is good enough for FPV without a spotter in my book, but how far out? and what do they consider nowhere.. i mean there are so many variables when you introduce language like that into law, that someone would find some loophole somewhere.

 

[Rolex]

http://www.modelaircraft.org/aboutama/AMAInterpretiveRuleResponse.aspx

 

[Nitro4910]

Thanks for the link Rolex, I left my comments and thought on the matter.
This is just another case of bureaucratic overreach.

 

[Rolex]

If people would stop calling our Quadcopters "DRONES" we probably wouldn't be dealing with this now.
Give them an inch. One new rule at a time and soon our transmitters will be back to AM and limited to a 50 foot range.

 

[hamz9561]

More mixed news on this front:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...rstechnica/index+(Ars+Technica+-+All+content)

 

[Rolex]

Good article, but probably leading to more bad news.

 

[Nitro4910]

Yup, give the buracrat vampires 1/32 of an inch and they want to take 2000 miles, the whole lot of them need to be fired.

If they had it their way we would need ATC permission to fly a folded paper air plane, only after you get your pilots license and take 4000 hours of class time! :whhooo: