Drone Reports Soaring Into Clouds, FAA Says

[InspiredOne]

"Pilots' reports of unmanned aircraft this year have already more than doubled all of the reports filed last year, the FAA said Wednesday — from 238 in all of 2014 to more than 650 from Jan. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 9."

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/unauthorized-drone-reports-soar-clouds-faa-says-n408926

 

[Jenn348]

I'll bet they're counting mostly mere sightings. I'd be curious how many actually caused a course change or otherwise interfered with operations.

 

[huppe]

Well I have a report also.Last night I was flying when I heard something coming from behind.Was very surprised to see a helicopter coming and this one was under 80 mtr(240ft).So all I could do was to come down asap.Wonder WTH he was doing there,because there is nothing off an airport in my flying area.

 

[Gary E]

From that linked news article:

"...At least 138 pilots have reported spotting drones as high as 10,000 feet, the FAA said...."

10,000 feet. Not very many operators have that kind of capacity, unless they launch from a very high altitude.

Instead of complaining about it, maybe the FAA needs to get cracking on making a decision about their proposed rules.

 

[andydallas]

I believe the 10,000' was actually above sea level, it was in the mountains of California during a wildfire,,the drone was only 1-200' Above Ground Level (AGL),,,,,but the pilot gave the above sea level figure (because that's what you do) and the news people never figured it out,,,it was a fire fighting plane, and those things aren't hanging around 10,000 AGL

 

[Luis Morales]

I believe the 10,000' was actually above sea level, it was in the mountains of California during a wildfire,,the drone was only 1-200' Above Ground Level (AGL),,,,,but the pilot gave the above sea level figure (because that's what you do) and the news people never figured it out,,,it was a fire fighting plane, and those things aren't hanging around 10,000 AGL

the problem is that their calling drones everything, and the media think of drones as a dji phantom.

but the rc guys with their wings and planes can very well go above 3000m.

i am pretty sure this is way way above 3km

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[Gregg G]

the problem is that their calling drones everything, and the media think of drones as a dji phantom.

but the rc guys with their wings and planes can very well go above 3000m.

i am pretty sure this is way way above 3km

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That guys needs to be fined and thrown in jail!!!!

 

[PB30X]

Well I have a report also.Last night I was flying when I heard something coming from behind.Was very surprised to see a helicopter coming and this one was under 80 mtr(240ft).So all I could do was to come down asap.Wonder WTH he was doing there,because there is nothing off an airport in my flying area.

I have "video and flight record" of a non incident that happened back in February.. And the Med Flight was below 400'[emoji15] luckily wasn't a windy day and herd it from a distance. I was only @90ft but still lowered and acknowledged RIGHT of WAY[emoji6].. I will always give rights to them first but let it be known I do believe they have tracking capability, BELIEVE IT OR NOT! Doesn't take much in today's technology world that they can pinpoint signal in our RF BAND.. Beginning to believe they want us grounded[emoji34]! Someone mentioned in another post that makes perfect sense.. Allot of career pilots that depend on photography and aerial survey will take loss just because of UAV aerial CAMS... Conspiracy?? Without facts and proof of either side makes one wander why airspace is CRITICAL PROPAGANDA right now.. Just some thoughts to ponder[emoji6]! However I'm not looking for PUBLICITY, I will always do the right thing and stay within LOS and all flight regulations pending or not pending.. If? Just if, something should happen, well let's just hope NOTHING HAPPENS[emoji6]

 

[Gary E]

the problem is that their calling drones everything, and the media think of drones as a dji phantom.

but the rc guys with their wings and planes can very well go above 3000m.

i am pretty sure this is way way above 3km

Or this one at 16,177 feet.

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But then again, maybe the flight was in a remote part of Alaska, Northern Canada, or some other remote area.

 

[Luis Morales]

Or this one at 16,177 feet.

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But then again, maybe the flight was in a remote part of Alaska, Northern Canada, or some other remote area.

yeah sure... i know people flying in altitudes of 1000/10000 and they don't even look at the charts to see what kind of traffic there will be.

the ones with the planes in my opinion are way way worst than anyone with a copter.

 

[Mazz]

There are dumb people everywhere. I was flying for a speedway in my area because they had a large event. I was flying at my max altitude but had to land because some idiot pilot wanted to keep buzzing the speedway. Legally his lowest altitude is supposed to be 500ft but when I brought my cam up to check on him he was directly at my level. I was with the police at the time and we reported the pilot to the FAA. The cops were more angry than I was. They didn't want me to stop but I told them it just wasn't safe. He left after 15 min anyway.

 

[Luis Morales]

we should write to the FAA or what ever agency control air space in our location and ask whats the proper way to report those incidents, i seem quite a few with helicopters here in spain and some planes were flying way way bellow their limit. and there was no NOTAM about it.

it is absurd that we are being kept push about security and not treated equally.

 

[andydallas]

There is a 'pecking order" with the FAA, and I'm sure other countries aviation enforcement, drones are at the bottom, and that won't change.

Ultralights are just above that, then "regular" private aircraft,,the freight operators are above that, emergency aircraft are way up the list and above everything are the commercial passenger airlines (forgive me if I skipped a few).

If drones were being sighted by single engine Cessna's with 2 people on board it wouldn't be in the news, they are being seen by passenger airlines and emergency aircraft,,,the people that fly these are considered to be the most important pilot (for good reason).

The only way to combat this will probable be the FAA having serial numbers on all drones, so if one is doing something dumb, it can be confiscated and the operator or owner made an example of.

The first time someone goes to jail for flying a drone in a way that endangered others, the faster people will realize this isn't a video game.

 

[Gary E]

...The only way to combat this will probable be the FAA having serial numbers on all drones, so if one is doing something dumb, it can be confiscated and the operator or owner made an example of...

That would likely be very difficult to do and not very practical. In the US, N numbers on the side of aircraft up to a certain cruising speed (about 175 knots) are required to be a minimum of 3" font size in height with only a few font styles allowed. Over that speed the minimum size is 12" in height, with a few exceptions made for aircraft that cannot accomodate the 12" tall size. At speed, 3" letters cannot legibly be seen unless at a close distance. Not sure how they would require size readable numbers on the sides or bottom of UAV's, with some of the aircraft smaller than 6" inches in size.

 

[andydallas]

That would likely be very difficult to do and not very practical. In the US, N numbers on the side of aircraft up to a certain cruising speed (about 175 knots) are required to be a minimum of 3" font size in height with only a few font styles allowed. Over that speed the minimum size is 12" in height, with a few exceptions made for aircraft that cannot accomodate the 12" tall size. At speed, 3" letters cannot legibly be seen unless at a close distance. Not sure how they would require size readable numbers on the sides or bottom of UAV's, with some of the aircraft smaller than 6" inches in size.

No, I'm talking about so if they can get a drone by knocking it down (or knocking out the signal going to it), they would know who owned it when they take possession of the drone. If people knew there drones could be traced back to them they might think twice about risky behavious

 

[Drone Mastery]

There is a 'pecking order" with the FAA, and I'm sure other countries aviation enforcement, drones are at the bottom, and that won't change.

Ultralights are just above that, then "regular" private aircraft,,the freight operators are above that, emergency aircraft are way up the list and above everything are the commercial passenger airlines (forgive me if I skipped a few).

If drones were being sighted by single engine Cessna's with 2 people on board it wouldn't be in the news, they are being seen by passenger airlines and emergency aircraft,,,the people that fly these are considered to be the most important pilot (for good reason).

The only way to combat this will probable be the FAA having serial numbers on all drones, so if one is doing something dumb, it can be confiscated and the operator or owner made an example of.

The first time someone goes to jail for flying a drone in a way that endangered others, the faster people will realize this isn't a video game.

More Government??? That's crazy dude, don't you think they already own you enough? No fucken Thank You! Pretty silly to think that every person that owns a drone will give up the SN#... Perhaps a tattoo on everyone's forehead that flies a drone.... Easy to sell a drone to anyone and they can sell it to anyone and so on......

 

[andydallas]

More Government??? That's crazy dude, don't you think they already own you enough? No fucken Thank You! Pretty silly to think that every person that owns a drone will give up the SN#... Perhaps a tattoo on everyone's forehead that flies a drone.... Easy to sell a drone to anyone and they can sell it to anyone and so on......

Well the options will probable come down to getting rid of all drones except for commercial use, or making anyone that flies one for any reason have a license and requiring insurance,,just like a car.

If you are flying responsible why would you worry about them knowing who owned your drone?

There are too many people, obviously, that don't follow the rules, the way it is being overseen right now isn't working,,so they will do something unless dumb people flying stop, and I don't see that happening

 

[Drone Mastery]

Well the options will probable come down to getting rid of all drones except for commercial use, or making anyone that flies one for any reason have a license and requiring insurance,,just like a car.

If you are flying responsible why would you worry about them knowing who owned your drone?

There are too many people, obviously, that don't follow the rules, the way it is being overseen right now isn't working,,so they will do something unless dumb people flying stop, and I don't see that happening

Democrat for sure..... Enough said!

Perhaps we should have a pull tag number system too, to make sure we let the government know when were gonna take a **** just in case they are have a sewage treatment problem....

 

[Drone Mastery]

 

[andydallas]

Long time Republican, I'm just into the "real" world,,,,the government is going to take action, its just a guess what it will be.

If they wanted the serial numbers, they can get them. Just remember, any picture you take with your cell phone, contains the GPS coordinates from where the picture was taken,,take a copy or print something on any printer, it also encodes the make, model and SERIAL number of the copier,,,

What's your plan to stop the drone sightings,,,,head in the sand?