Flying over roads, NOT Part 107

[Nesher]

First off, if this is a stupid question, feel free to (gently?) let me know and I will delete the thread.
Drone PIC's flying under Part 107 may not fly over people in vehicles unless the vehicle is stationary. So they cannot fly over any moving traffic.
Can hobby, i.e. Non-107 pilots fly over moving vehicles?
I'm am not asking if it is wise or not ( a separate discussion that has its own worth) , I just don't know how much of Part 107 applies to use non-certified pilots.
Thanks in advance for your patience and wisdom!

 

[Cruncher]

I think this is a great question…and I don’t have an answer. I have asked myself this question many times, hope you get a satisfying response.

 

[MICKDOGGIE13]

I would say at the very least we have insurance for liability purposes.

Whether you hit something stationary or not, you definitely don’t want to be on the hook financially.

That being said, I’m not sure insurance companies will cover you without a part107.

I am about a month away from really digging into the insurance part of it.

I’m not worried about a $1500 aircraft as much as the damage it could do to someone or their property.

I’m sure that more experienced flyers will be through to help us.

First off, if this is a stupid question, feel free to (gently?) let me know and I will delete the thread.
Drone PIC's flying under Part 107 may not fly over people in vehicles unless the vehicle is stationary. So they cannot fly over any moving traffic.
Can hobby, i.e. Non-107 pilots fly over moving vehicles?
I'm am not asking if it is wise or not ( a separate discussion that has its own worth) , I just don't know how much of Part 107 applies to use non-certified pilots.
Thanks in advance for your patience and wisdom!

 

[licensed pilot]

First off, if this is a stupid question, feel free to (gently?) let me know and I will delete the thread.
Drone PIC's flying under Part 107 may not fly over people in vehicles unless the vehicle is stationary. So they cannot fly over any moving traffic.
Can hobby, i.e. Non-107 pilots fly over moving vehicles?
I'm am not asking if it is wise or not ( a separate discussion that has its own worth) , I just don't know how much of Part 107 applies to use non-certified pilots.
Thanks in advance for your patience and wisdom!

Can they? yes. Should they? NO. Folks who've never seen a UAV drop out of the sky for no good reason are what I call the non-believers, a group I used to belong to. One day in 2016 I joined the believers....since I don;t fly over people my insurance never got "exercised."

 

[ReadyKilowatt]

To fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft you must:

• Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization

Fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft

So the answer is still no. Because the "community-based organization" is the AMA. AMA guidelines pretty much mirror part 107 when it comes to flying over people and I'm fairly certain include no flight over roads.

I recently listened to a podcast that discussed this in light of the guy who flew the P3 into the Blackhawk that was patrolling the UN. The AMA's attitude is that either you're flying as a hobbyist and following their rules, or you're flying under part 107 and following those rules. If you're not following either then you're not a pilot.

 

[Dejan Smaic]

Reality is: you'll fly across roads with traffic, people, animals, and even encroach into regulated airspace. It happens. I've seen it happen. Just sayin. Use your best judgement.

 

[924]

First off, if this is a stupid question, feel free to (gently?) let me know and I will delete the thread.
Drone PIC's flying under Part 107 may not fly over people in vehicles unless the vehicle is stationary. So they cannot fly over any moving traffic.
Can hobby, i.e. Non-107 pilots fly over moving vehicles?
I'm am not asking if it is wise or not ( a separate discussion that has its own worth) , I just don't know how much of Part 107 applies to use non-certified pilots.
Thanks in advance for your patience and wisdom!

My understanding - based on material from the FAA, was that under Part 107 one could not fly over people who were not part of the operation if they were not in a protected structure, such as a building, car, etc.; and that one could not fly FROM a moving vehicle unless in a sparsely populated area and maintaining LOS (never when transporting property for hire). I don't recall a "statutory" admonishment not to fly over a vehicle because it is moving. Yeah, there's always the liability issue if/when something goes wrong but NEVER over moving vehicles?

 

[Eric Braun]

My understanding - based on material from the FAA, was that under Part 107 one could not fly over people who were not part of the operation if they were not in a protected structure, such as a building, car, etc.; and that one could not fly FROM a moving vehicle unless in a sparsely populated area and maintaining LOS (never when transporting property for hire). I don't recall a "statutory" admonishment not to fly over a vehicle because it is moving. Yeah, there's always the liability issue if/when something goes wrong but NEVER over moving vehicles?

Part 107 says you can fly over a “stationary” vehicle. That means you may not fly over any other type of vehicle. “Any other type of vehicle” includes “moving”.

 

[924]

Ok

 

[licensed pilot]

Reality is: you'll fly across roads with traffic, people, animals, and even encroach into regulated airspace. It happens. I've seen it happen. Just sayin. Use your best judgement.

"It just happens?"
"You'll fly across roads with traffic, people, animals, and even encroach into regulated airspace." Any part 107 pilot who intentionally flies over moving traffic or people or into controlled airspace should be sanctioned. I am not referring to a pilot filming in the middle of nowhere and a four wheeling jeep just happens to pop out under the UAV. Unavoidable. The regulations are quite clear.

 

[Dave Stanton]

I too have grappled with this many times. A client needs a shot of his/her facility from the air. We're been hired to do it but to do so I must fly over a road with traffic. What I usually do is wait for a red light at the nearest intersection(s). This stops traffic enough for me to fly over the road but not over moving cars. I can usually get one, maybe two good shots before the light changes and I have to wait for the next red light. I fly as safely as I possibly can but we all know "something" can happen that causes the craft to drop out of the sky. Nothing I can do if that's the case. My bigger concern is, if I fly while cars are moving under my drone, drivers will be looking at my drone and not the road. I've seen many drivers gawking at my drone and not paying attention to their driving even when I'm well off the road shooting a building. I know it's their fault if they rear-end another driver because they aren't watching where they are going but I don't want to be (if I can help it) the reason their attention is distracted.

 

[licensed pilot]

Sometimes we have to say no.; it hurts but it's right.