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USA Flying over people COA

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Has anyone here ever submitted an application for flying over people waiver? To the best of my knowledge CNN is the only company who has had one approved- or at least listed on the FFA's website. (Side note: Do they really list every approved request? I'd assume there would be more approved by now.)

To my understanding the FAA granted them this because it would be safer than having a 6,000 pound helicopter flying above people and that they're using a tethered system (Fotokite Home - Aerial Filming Made Easy). Although their waiver stipulates they are allowed to use an Inspire among a couple others.

I work at ski resort and would love to fly over people (safely of course) and if that means buying a tethered system, than so be it. But I would much rather fly my Inspire 2 (when it comes). Any suggestions/tips or resources to look into would be greatly appreciated? I appreciate any and all feedback. I will be submitting one even if the chance of approval is slim to none.

Thanks.
 
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So, the tether will keep it from flying away. I don't see how it would / could keep the bird from landing (Crashing) on people under it.
 
Yeah, I mean I guess it would prevent flyaways... but I'm with you on how practical a tether would be in protecting it from hitting people.

So nothing? No one here has submitted one or could help point me in the right direction? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
I'm not sure they post ALL COAs. But it shouldn't be difficult as it IS safer than full scale alternative and thats the whole purpose of the COA process (to be as safe as possible).

And after the incident at the olympics where the overhead cable cam crashed down on a couple of people, the drone could potentially be safer than a cable cam. Cable cam weighed around 50lbs or something.
 
Steve@AerialmagesPro don't forget, drones are super dangerous, everyone thinks they're like flying chainsaws, riding lawn-mowers or worse. (Tongue in cheek) Most of the time the problem is between the sticks and the seat. And this includes the riggers and gaffers who set up that cablecam... I have the feeling they are going to relax the absolute restriction, but say something like thou shalt have redundant props, esc's, an emergency plan, obnoxious lighting, inform the crowd with a megaphone, and other performance-based measures, etc. And you will still need a waiver/COA, but at least they'll give guidance as to what they expect. It's too bad they're not posting comments to the regulation addendum, I'd love to see that.
 
Has anyone here ever submitted an application for flying over people waiver? To the best of my knowledge CNN is the only company who has had one approved- or at least listed on the FFA's website. (Side note: Do they really list every approved request? I'd assume there would be more approved by now.)

To my understanding the FAA granted them this because it would be safer than having a 6,000 pound helicopter flying above people and that they're using a tethered system (Fotokite Home - Aerial Filming Made Easy). Although their waiver stipulates they are allowed to use an Inspire among a couple others.

I work at ski resort and would love to fly over people (safely of course) and if that means buying a tethered system, than so be it. But I would much rather fly my Inspire 2 (when it comes). Any suggestions/tips or resources to look into would be greatly appreciated? I appreciate any and all feedback. I will be submitting one even if the chance of approval is slim to none.

Thanks.
I'm guessing you'll have better luck getting your waiver with a hexa or octo, quads drop like rocks with a motor failure. A tether is no guarantee it won't come straight down. Just my 2_cents.gif but don't waste time, the FAA does that rather well for you, file ASAP. The worst it can happen is that they will return you app with comments on how to improve your application.
 
I have a $1 million dollar liability policy on my drones, (in case something should ever happen).
I also have liability policies on both my vehicles as well, (in case something should ever happen).

If I did NOT fly over people, houses, or roads, I would have no reason for such policy.
If I did NOT drive my vehicles on roads or around people, I would have no need for that policy either.

That is why I pay for liability insurance, because I live, breath, and operate among other Humans.
 
I have a $1 million dollar liability policy on my drones, (in case something should ever happen).
I also have liability policies on both my vehicles as well, (in case something should ever happen).

If I did NOT fly over people, houses, or roads, I would have no reason for such policy.
If I did NOT drive my vehicles on roads or around people, I would have no need for that policy either.

That is why I pay for liability insurance, because I live, breath, and operate among other Humans.
Good for you, how is this helpful to the OP?
 
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AAEAAQAAAAAAAAVrAAAAJDhlYmNhNmFkLWVlMWMtNGI4ZS1iNTMyLTQzZDM4NTQ0YjBhOA.png
;)
 
I'm not sure they post ALL COAs. But it shouldn't be difficult as it IS safer than full scale alternative and thats the whole purpose of the COA process (to be as safe as possible).

And after the incident at the olympics where the overhead cable cam crashed down on a couple of people, the drone could potentially be safer than a cable cam. Cable cam weighed around 50lbs or something.


A full size Heli can Autorotate and you can pick where you're going to land. a Drone just falls from the sky in a ballistic trajectory. A cable cam also has a defined path which can be protected. A drone is not going to be "Safer" than either of those two
 
A full size Heli can Autorotate and you can pick where you're going to land. a Drone just falls from the sky in a ballistic trajectory. A cable cam also has a defined path which can be protected. A drone is not going to be "Safer" than either of those two
I violently agree with you, almost. Heli can autorotate ... Yeah if you just lose the turbine... But what if you lose the tail rotor(Twilight Zone accident) ..we r back to a falling rock, spinning but still a rock. Everything we put in the sky has its hazards when Murphy comes calling...I don't see a chopper being any safer than a octo UAV, IMHO.

The crux of this "safety" issue is the lack of test data on falling UAVs v. Choppers v cable cams....
 
A full size Heli can Autorotate and you can pick where you're going to land. a Drone just falls from the sky in a ballistic trajectory. A cable cam also has a defined path which can be protected. A drone is not going to be "Safer" than either of those two
It certainly depends on the size of the drone. I would rather see a 2lbs Phantom coming down in my vicinity than an autorotating 2000lbs Heli any day .
 
I violently agree with you, almost. Heli can autorotate ... Yeah if you just lose the turbine... But what if you lose the tail rotor(Twilight Zone accident) ..we r back to a falling rock, spinning but still a rock. Everything we put in the sky has its hazards when Murphy comes calling...I don't see a chopper being any safer than a octo UAV, IMHO.

The crux of this "safety" issue is the lack of test data on falling UAVs v. Choppers v cable cams....

The Twilight zone accident changed onset aircraft safety. In a loss of tail rotor event in an aircraft the moment you bottom the collective you stop spinning since their is no longer any torque input to the main rotor shaft. The Huey in the twilight zone accident only made 3/4 of a revolution, and it was the rollover that caused the blades to strike Vic Morrow. Had the mortar load been half of what it was it wouldn't have damaged the tail rotor. Had the aircraft been 15 feet higher (As was the approved flight plan) there wouldn't have been an accident. Had it not been a confined area there wouldn't have been an accident. The most dangerous regime for a helicopter to operate in is one that is low with little forward airspeed since you have no energy to spin the blades in order to make a successful autorotation and that's exactly where they were operating that night.

The safest single engine aircraft in use today is a the Bell 206 JetRanger type. Same can't be said for a UAS. Lose a prop and it's falling from the sky and there is zero control on it. Even losing a prop on an Octo has safety issues. then there are the issues with the radio transmission reliability, winds, sunspots all sorts of things. I'll take a cable cam or a manned helicopter over a UAS for safety any day of the week

Hvcurve.png
 
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And if Wingo stayed home that night we wouldn't be talking about it, that's a lot of "ifs." . I think we agree; there is no test data available comparing choppers v. UAVs v. cable cams risk/reliability.

As you know, lose a tail rotor and you are falling from the sky . Since the original topic was UAVs over persons would you agree what's needed is more reliable risk/performance testing, along these lines?

A Risk-Based Approach for the Classification of UAS - Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
I grow fatigued..moving on.
Luis
 

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