USA Commercial part 107 Pilots

heygeorge · Nov 2, 2016

I knew this is a problem we would run across, but I didn't know just how rampant it was. I've been doing a lot of commercial real estate shoots, but came across a farm for sale. When I offered my services, I find out the guy who does the interior shots overs "drone shots" for an additional $50. After a little research I find this guy is not 107 certified and has been doing it for almost a year.

I talked with a realtor friend and find out there are 4 others that do the same thing, and one guy does drones exclusively - none are 107 certified. And the one guy has done work in class D and E airspace. It wouldn't bother me if they did the work, studied for the exam, paid the fees and then worked as a competitor. I subnit the authorization requests and wait for the FAA, while these guys are doing work I should get paid for.

How do we non-violently do away with these law breakers.

brad90631 · Nov 2, 2016

Turn them in!!!!!!!

heygeorge · Nov 2, 2016

How and to who?

Highrpm955 · Nov 2, 2016

THE FAA!
FAA Hotlines

heygeorge · Nov 3, 2016

Thanks. I will report them today!

SkipTV · Nov 5, 2016

Dont report the pilots, educate the Realtors, they are breaking the law too, and they are enabling those without a license to film for them in an effort to get reduced prices. I work in the film industry, and you DO NOT GET HIRED to work unless you have the right paper work, insurance and permits. Seriously do you think the FAA has the time or the manpower to enforce anything, hell it takes them months to get you your license.

DStew · Nov 5, 2016

I vote report and lower your expectations on the enforcement side but also market yourself as licensed & insured and educate the realtor community that they bear responsibility if bad things happen with an illegal pilot they hired and brought to their homeowner. Also, It's my impression you can pass your test and within a week pick up a temporary permit from your local FSDO while you await the official hard copy to crawl towards you in the ole snail mail.

William Gaddy · Nov 7, 2016

SkipTV said:
Dont report the pilots, educate the Realtors, they are breaking the law too, and they are enabling those without a license to film for them in an effort to get reduced prices. I work in the film industry, and you DO NOT GET HIRED to work unless you have the right paper work, insurance and permits. Seriously do you think the FAA has the time or the manpower to enforce anything, hell it takes them months to get you your license.

Agreed that you have to have the paperwork and insurance! However, if you report a violation to the nearest FSDO they WILL investigate VERY promptly especially if safety was an issue. They're focused on safety, not enforcing the licensing rules for the sake of enforcing licensing rules to protect your investment. Also, if you want to see enforcement in action, just try and launch within a TFR because of VIP movement without authorization. Your UAV will be hijacked and/or netted with a "Secret Service T-shirt cannon", and you will be in an orange jumpsuit very promptly, at least in the USA. Of course they prioritize that kind of thing over "hey, I saw some random guy flying over a farm for an ag survey in Pocatello Idaho, and I don't think he was licensed". They DO have the manpower for enforcement, but they have their priorities, just like everyone else.

Cheers!

licensed pilot · Nov 8, 2016

heygeorge said:
How and to who?

I am a little surprised at your question. As a licensed part 107 pilot you are not aware of the FAA and FSDOs?
Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO)

heygeorge · Nov 8, 2016

licensed pilot said:
I am a little surprised at your question. As a licensed part 107 pilot you are not aware of the FAA and FSDOs?
Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO)

Yes I am licensed both for s UAS and as a private pilot, but in all my time flying, I have never had a situation where reporting someone was necessary. I probably could have just googled the question, but I liked to find out what others were thinking. I like the idea of just educating potential clients rather than going an enforcement route. The question was how to handle unlicensed competitors not necessarily how to report people.

heygeorge · Nov 16, 2016

This article appeared in the local newspaper this morning. Non certified pilot flying at night over a sporting event and crashing the drone due to poor battery management!

Buffalo get high-tech help out on the field

I sent a letter to the Principal. Let's see what happens!

Colorado Dronography · Dec 16, 2016

Turning people into the FAA is a complete waste of time. They will do nothing. You can provide emails, photos, video evidence of repeated law violations and the FSDO will thank you for wasting your time and do absolutely nothing. Or reward the pilot - and you think I am kidding huh? Read on...

Case in point. I filed a report (alone with 3 others) against a 107 pilot. He was conducting business using a fake LLC that doesn't exist, flying at night, over people, in controlled airspace, within a few miles of an airport, over stadiums, etc. No waivers were issued. Basically violating every FAA 107 law there is. After weeks and weeks of a so-called "investigation" he was rewarded with a Class D waiver - issued to his FAKE LLC even!

Here is what the FSDO told me:

"As far as the investigation against Mr. Reems, we have concluded our investigation and found that Mr. Reems is a very competent UAS operator, he knows the CFR 107 rule pretty well, he was very straightforward and forthcoming and has a very compliant attitude towards the operation of an UAS. It is also my opinion that the website containing disparaging remarks was not his website as I have found his website and the two are very different. I am not sure if someone is trying to misrepresent themselves as Mr. Reems but I am convinced that Mr. Reems will not only be a safe operator but I also believe he will be a good ambassador for safe operation as well. I wanted to thank you again for alerting us to a potential safety hazard and please stay vigilant in the future.

Have a great day,

Lance E. Rooms,

Aviation Safety Technician

Denver FSDO, ANM-FSDO-03

(303)342-1120

[email protected] "

--------------------

Mr. Reems scored a 72% on his test, so clearly he needs more studying. So there you go. THAT folks is just how worthless the FAA really is and the FSDO in particular. Prove me wrong, post a single
case where the FAA took action against a certified 107 pilot for breaking 107 laws. I would love to see that.

www.jrcaerial dot com. He removed most of it, but there is still illegal material posted. Flying from withing a Colorado State park in one, Colorado Springs City Park in another (both are illegal), flying at night without a waiver, doing commercial work months before his 107 was issued, flying over a stadium 3 miles from an airport - again no waiver at the time.

需要安全验证 AS you know Facebook has the date of each post. So there you can see pictures posted of illegal flying before his waiver was issued. What did the FAA do about this? Issued him a waiver of course! A nice reward for months of breaking the laws!!!!

The Denver FSDO Safety Tech calls this guy "a good ambassador for safe operation". Not only is this guy constantly breaking the 107 laws, but is also conducting business as a fake LLC - even taking taxes with his fake company.

LOL The FAA is such a joke. Why even bother with waivers?

William Gaddy · Dec 16, 2016

So... alleged perp is named Reems, FAA FSDO respondent is named Rooms. What could possibly be wrong here, an inquiring mind would like to ask. Not promoting any conspiracy theories here but the coincidence seems a bit odd...

Cheers

Colorado Dronography · Dec 16, 2016

LOL Gotta love the worthless FAA.

William Gaddy · Dec 16, 2016

Colorado Dronography said:
LOL Gotta love the worthless FAA.

Well god-bless their pointy-little heads for trying (with a grade of E for Effort). They've even enlisted NASA's help with this

licensed pilot · Dec 16, 2016

Colorado Dronography said:
Turning people into the FAA is a complete waste of time. They will do nothing. You can provide emails, photos, video evidence of repeated law violations and the FSDO will thank you for wasting your time and do absolutely nothing. Or reward the pilot - and you think I am kidding huh? Read on...

Case in point. I filed a report (alone with 3 others) against a 107 pilot. He was conducting business using a fake LLC that doesn't exist, flying at night, over people, in controlled airspace, within a few miles of an airport, over stadiums, etc. No waivers were issued. Basically violating every FAA 107 law there is. After weeks and weeks of a so-called "investigation" he was rewarded with a Class D waiver - issued to his FAKE LLC even!

Here is what the FSDO told me:

"As far as the investigation against Mr. Reems, we have concluded our investigation and found that Mr. Reems is a very competent UAS operator, he knows the CFR 107 rule pretty well, he was very straightforward and forthcoming and has a very compliant attitude towards the operation of an UAS. It is also my opinion that the website containing disparaging remarks was not his website as I have found his website and the two are very different. I am not sure if someone is trying to misrepresent themselves as Mr. Reems but I am convinced that Mr. Reems will not only be a safe operator but I also believe he will be a good ambassador for safe operation as well. I wanted to thank you again for alerting us to a potential safety hazard and please stay vigilant in the future.

Have a great day,

Lance E. Rooms,

Aviation Safety Technician

Denver FSDO, ANM-FSDO-03

(303)342-1120

[email protected] "

--------------------

Mr. Reems scored a 72% on his test, so clearly he needs more studying. So there you go. THAT folks is just how worthless the FAA really is and the FSDO in particular. Prove me wrong, post a single
case where the FAA took action against a certified 107 pilot for breaking 107 laws. I would love to see that.

www.jrcaerial dot com. He removed most of it, but there is still illegal material posted. Flying from withing a Colorado State park in one, Colorado Springs City Park in another (both are illegal), flying at night without a waiver, doing commercial work months before his 107 was issued, flying over a stadium 3 miles from an airport - again no waiver at the time.

需要安全验证 AS you know Facebook has the date of each post. So there you can see pictures posted of illegal flying before his waiver was issued. What did the FAA do about this? Issued him a waiver of course! A nice reward for months of breaking the laws!!!!

The Denver FSDO Safety Tech calls this guy "a good ambassador for safe operation". Not only is this guy constantly breaking the 107 laws, but is also conducting business as a fake LLC - even taking taxes with his fake company.

LOL The FAA is such a joke. Why even bother with waivers?

Sorry but you sound petty and appear to be taking it personal. What the hell difference does his test score makes? He passed. The FAA, took the time to reply to you, let it go.

Colorado Dronography · Dec 16, 2016

Excuse me? I filed a report against someone that was breaking the laws. Instead of being held accountable he was rewarded by the FAA. Nothing personal or petty about this, simply a fact. Do you think the FAA should ignore people that violate their own laws? I don't, sorry if that means I am taking this personally.

As far as his score - of course that doesn't matter except that the Safety Tech said, " Mr. Reems is a very competent UAS operator, he knows the CFR 107 rule pretty well, he was very straightforward and forthcoming and has a very compliant attitude towards the operation of an UAS." He barely passed, and obviously learned nothing as he went out and flew over groups of people, flew at night in controlled airspace, flew next to an airport over a stadium, etc. Sorry man, I think that's just plain stupid.

My only point here is reporting violations to the FAA is a waste of your time. Even when they have a slam dunk case against a 107 pilot they would rather look the other way than have to take action that would make us all safer.

You have a 107. Do you think its okay for kids to operate commercially without one? This guy was doing that since June. The FAA has known about him since July. The only action they ever took was issuing him a waiver. C'mon Mr. Licensed Pilot - you really think this is okay for the FAA to ignore?

I was just offering my own actual experience with the FAA to the OP. But hey, you can attack me all you want if that makes you feel better.

licensed pilot · Dec 16, 2016

Colorado Dronography said:
Excuse me? I filed a report against someone that was breaking the laws. Instead of being held accountable he was rewarded by the FAA. Nothing personal or petty about this, simply a fact. Do you think the FAA should ignore people that violate their own laws? I don't, sorry if that means I am taking this personally.

As far as his score - of course that doesn't matter except that the Safety Tech said, " Mr. Reems is a very competent UAS operator, he knows the CFR 107 rule pretty well, he was very straightforward and forthcoming and has a very compliant attitude towards the operation of an UAS." He barely passed, and obviously learned nothing as he went out and flew over groups of people, flew at night in controlled airspace, flew next to an airport over a stadium, etc. Sorry man, I think that's just plain stupid.

My only point here is reporting violations to the FAA is a waste of your time. Even when they have a slam dunk case against a 107 pilot they would rather look the other way than have to take action that would make us all safer.

You have a 107. Do you think its okay for kids to operate commercially without one? This guy was doing that since June. The FAA has known about him since July. The only action they ever took was issuing him a waiver. C'mon Mr. Licensed Pilot - you really think this is okay for the FAA to ignore?

I was just offering my own actual experience with the FAA to the OP. But hey, you can attack me all you want if that makes you feel better.