Wondering about interfering with EMS Air, police or fire

[jkerrins]

WOW! Looks like a slow news day. LOL I could have simply wrapped it up by saying, "Lets use a little Common Sense". Sometimes that works better then splitting hairs. In the old days, I would have just pinched you for Disorderly Conduct and let the Judge figure it out.

 

[ToledoJDF]

While I may come across as the drone cop to hobbyist operators, I will point out the obvious on night flying, if you don't have a waiver, you are breaking the law, turning your lights off takes that to another level of interference if life flight, or a police copter, or even a need copter is en route. The intent of the laws are fairly clear, your presence in an emergency situation is not anticipated by any of the above-mentioned manned aircraft pilots, and shouldn't have to be.
The FAA has issued laws without all the hundreds of possible scenarios covered, based on reliance of good common sense, and that has repeatedly failed. The best example, FAA mandated that all drones over 5.5 ounces be registered, and the number of hobby registrations is estimated to represent 18% of the actual number of drones owned by hobbyists. They counted on people taking airspace issues seriously. The FAA has determined that additional measures are necessary to prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control as the private and commercial use of UAV continues to skyrocket. As a result, there is now an FAA issued, 319 page draft legislation awaiting the final approval and implementation process that they feel will insure that airspace safety will be maintainable as that growth explodes.
Do I like it, not at all, but this thread alone shows that existing rules are not definative enough, that we cant extrapulate from "avoiding interference with emergency responders" to the basic point of staying away period... I understand the desire to be the Johny on the spot operator that captures the footage that gets used on the 11:00 news, but if it's dark, and my lights are off, I'm going to be fined, if not worse, and if I caused an incident with incoming manned aircraft or drop my drone into the middle of an emergency operation and injury someone, I'm going to jail...
I'm guilty, I remember when I first owned a Phantom 2 Vision Plus, and couldn't resist the urge to see how far up it could really go, after that, the numerous times I have pushed "line of sight"... But after 6 years of flying professionally, I can't continue to look at it as "my right to fly my drone where ever I want"... Most if you here in this forum started there as well, and now get it, but we all know how many don't. And with that number literally poised to increase expedentially, many of us have known something was going to have to change.
So, if we have to have threads dedicated solely to discussing the ins and it's of this one particular FAA rule, we are going to have a really hard time arguing that we don't need 319 pages of additional legislation. For those that want to voice their opinion to the FAA before the law is implemented, there is 5 weeks of comment period left.

 

[Donnie Frank]

While I may come across as the drone cop to hobbyist operators, I will point out the obvious on night flying, if you don't have a waiver, you are breaking the law, turning your lights off takes that to another level of interference if life flight, or a police copter, or even a need copter is en route.

With all due respect, not @ 50' AGL. Turns out, no air traffic at that altitude. If ever you see a helicopter @ 50' AGL, a Mavic Pro is the LEAST of his problems. Believe me (see "auto rotation glide ratio"). And we already covered "evacuating the area prior to landing" (ad nauseum), so interfering with a helicopter's "landing" is not an issue.

Let's not cite statute. Instead, let us embrace the common sense.

If sitting at a red turning arrow @ 3:AM seems like the "right thing to do because it's the law," we probably have nothing in common and should probably just politely agree to disagree. And if you think having a perfect safety record over a 35 year RC career history "means nothing," then again, we should just politely agree to disagree.

If you agree that 99.999% of drone pilots would never interfere with emergency operations (on purpose or otherwise), and that it's asinine to make laws because of the .001%, then we just might have something to talk about.

I'll remind everyone that, to date, there's not a single proven drone/aircraft collision-related death or injury on record. Not one. The list of things that have caused more aerial death and carnage than drones is as high as an elephants eye. Let's not let THAT dissuade us from the "what if" arguments.

Good day, sir.

D

 

[AMGPilot]

I have personally shot a couple car accidents without incident. I find shooting especially uneventful if I'm there ahead of first responders. At night, I turn off all the lights on my Mavic Pro, fly a safe distance from the accident, and personnel are none-the-wiser. BUT....like I said, these are common-sense arguments. I think you will find yourself flooded with a bevy of senseless "what if" arguments with zero data to support them. Maybe I'm wrong. We'll see.


I have experimented with my Mavic Pro at night. With all the lights off, I can't see the thing a mere 20' away. Given the loud noise floor of a traffic accident situation, I seriously doubt anybody will hear it, either. I keep my distance, at least 100' away from the accident.

Are you a 107 licensed pilot?

Do you have a night waiver?

Do you have a BVLOS Waiver?

You seem to think that you are immune from the laws and regulations

 

[Donnie Frank]

Are you a 107 licensed pilot?

Do you have a night waiver?

Do you have a BVLOS Waiver?

You seem to think that you are immune from the laws and regulations

I guess that whole "common sense" thing just flew right over your head like a Mavic with no lights at night.

* Does the 107 guarantee safe flight? No. Any housewife who's never flown a drone in her life can get one. The 107 just means you know how to take tests. Period.

* Does the night waiver guarantee safe flight at night. No. Being a safe night pilot guarantees safe night flight.

* Does the night waiver guarantee the operator knows how to fly safely at night? No.

* Does the night waiver make a pilot any more aware of night traffic? No. Check out this video...LOOOOONG before the 107 was even thought of.

BEFORE there was the 107 OR "night wavers," High Flight Media had night time safety protocols FIRMLY in place. BAM!!!

* Does flying LOS guarantee safe flight? No. FPV essentially puts you in the cockpit, which is where EVERY pilot would prefer to be. Tell a pilot that it's safer to fly his plane via remote control from the ground. I would argue that FPV capabilities SAVED me (and many pilots) from crashing MANY times.

Discuss.

D

 

[Mixchief]

I sometimes wish I had a Mavic Pro/Zoom as my Inspires and Phantoms (esp. the Inspire 2) are big, make a fair amount of noise, and never ever look inconspicuous. I'm not a commercial pilot and likely will never be, tho' am encouraging a grandson. I've looked for a 'photographer vest' that I could have screen printed with the following, tho' while misleading is true, that has on its back: REGISTERED FAA DRONE PILOT, At 79 perhaps not too many more years of flying . . . LOL

Amazon has yellow vests with the FAA blah blah on them and reflective strips for visibility, but maybe that is the problem, visibility can you say "catch 22"?

 

[The Editor]

Does flying LOS guarantee safe flight? No. FPV essentially puts you in the cockpit, which is where EVERY pilot would prefer to be. Tell a pilot that it's safer to fly his plane via remote control from the ground. I would argue that FPV capabilities SAVED me (and many pilots) from crashing MANY times.

It has very little to do with crashing.
VLOS us all about situational awareness (SA) of which FPV flying gives you a very limited view Usually forwards and governed by the cameras field of view

For the individuals that consider flying BVLOS is acceptable and fly miles away, they have also had any aural sense (as well as common sense) taken away.
Their wonderful sense and avoid ability FPV experience limits them to 120 degree(ish) poor resolution silent feed - which could be lost or dropped at any point. No amount of spinning a camera or aircraft around can be as fast or reliable as using your eyes, head and ears to scan the sky for other aircraft.



If this thread just goes around in an ever self destructing helix it will get pulled.

There really is no argument whatsoever.
If you do not have permission and emergency services do not know you are there you should simply not be airborne at the scene of a major incident.

 

[JeffB2002]

I guess that whole "common sense" thing just flew right over your head like a Mavic with no lights at night.

* Does the 107 guarantee safe flight? No. Any housewife who's never flown a drone in her life can get one. The 107 just means you know how to take tests. Period.

* Does the night waiver guarantee safe flight at night. No. Being a safe night pilot guarantees safe night flight.

* Does the night waiver guarantee the operator knows how to fly safely at night? No.

* Does the night waiver make a pilot any more aware of night traffic? No. Check out this video...LOOOOONG before the 107 was even thought of.

BEFORE there was the 107 OR "night wavers," High Flight Media had night time safety protocols FIRMLY in place. BAM!!!

* Does flying LOS guarantee safe flight? No. FPV essentially puts you in the cockpit, which is where EVERY pilot would prefer to be. Tell a pilot that it's safer to fly his plane via remote control from the ground. I would argue that FPV capabilities SAVED me (and many pilots) from crashing MANY times.

Discuss.

D

I only have one question....Since you have your own idea of how things should work, do you at least have a Part 107, Nighttime waiver, etc since you have a business? I don't care about your philosophy, just wondering if you have complied with the rules. This is just an inquiry, not any kind of accusation.

 

[licensed pilot]

Every time I start feeling like the FAA sometimes acts like the bad guys in the drone drama, one visit to this site reminds me why they must do what they do and why so many drone aficionados (won't call them pilots) are the reason.