Own a drone?

[LordFerret]

Do you own a drone? Even just one of those little RC models? If you're a US citizen, expect in the near future to be required to register/license yourself for it.

[URL]http://www.faa.gov/uas/publications/media/RTFARCFinalReport_11-21-15.pdf[/URL]

[FishInferno]

Dangit, I don't even have a "drone", just an RC plane, but those bad few have to ruin it for all of us.

and why is this tagged "spaceflight"?

[LordFerret]

[quote name='FishInferno']...

and why is this tagged "spaceflight"?[/QUOTE]

Umm... because drones are up there? Airspace! lol ;)

[FishInferno]

[quote name='LordFerret']Umm... because drones are up there? Airspace! lol ;)[/QUOTE]

If you could build me a Jet/prop powered drone that works in space sign me up:D:D:D

But what are the minimum qualifications? What about those 20 dollar helicopters you can buy at walmart?

[Robotengineer]

Drones are a nuisance, I do not own one. IMO, privacy and peace are more important than somebody's ability to fly a drone. If you are going to fly hobby aircraft, fly RC planes, steeper learning curve and more difficult to control, as well as not being able to hover and watch things.

[Dispatcher]

I'm going to register my paper airplane. ➣

[RainDreamer]

This would probably screw the business of commercial drones companies that sells those automated drones that follows the owner and recording them doing video worthy things.

[razark]

[quote name='FishInferno']What about those 20 dollar helicopters you can buy at walmart?[/QUOTE]
Well:
[QUOTE]An “aircraft” is defined as “any contrivance invented, used, or designed to navigate, or fly in, the air”... In 2012, Congress confirmed that UAS, including those used for recreation or hobby purposes, are aircraft consistent with the statutory definition set forth...[/QUOTE]
So, yes.

How long until this thread gets locked for "politics"?

[Kerbart]

[quote name='LordFerret']Do you own a drone? Even just one of those little RC models? If you're a US citizen, expect in the near future to be required to register/license yourself for it.[/QUOTE]

Actually not correct. US Citizens outside the US are not required to register (at least not as far as the FAA is concerned as it's outside their jurisdiction), and non-US Citizens who reside in the US are. More correct would be “if you’re a US [I]resident[/I]...”

Personally I think the FAA should be applauded for going on a strategy that seems to keep the barrier on owning/operating a drone as low as possible, while simultaneously attempting to curb the effects of the usual parade of idiots who are trying very hard to ruin it for the rest of us. I'm not even talking about the “ZOMG drones near commercial jets” occurrences (of which apparently the vast majority are actually military drones), but more of the boneheaded cases of flying over large crowds, in national parks, and spying on your neighbors. From what I gather there's a small fee, an acknowledgement that you read the regulations (no hiding behind “[I]I didn't know...[/I]”) and a registration of the serial number so they can find you when you're leaving a wreck behind.

Given the alternatives (it was considered that you'd need a pilot's license to fly one) it's all very reasonable.

[Flymetothemun]

[quote name='Kerbart']Actually not correct. US Citizens outside the US are not required to register (at least not as far as the FAA is concerned as it's outside their jurisdiction), and non-US Citizens who reside in the US are. More correct would be “if you’re a US [I]resident[/I]...”

[U][B]Personally I think the FAA should be applauded for going on a strategy that seems to keep the barrier on owning/operating a drone as low as possible, while simultaneously attempting to curb the effects of the usual parade of idiots who are trying very hard to ruin it for the rest of us. I'm not even talking about the “ZOMG drones near commercial jets” occurrences (of which apparently the vast majority are actually military drones), but more of the boneheaded cases of flying over large crowds, in national parks, and spying on your neighbors. From what I gather there's a small fee, an acknowledgement that you read the regulations (no hiding behind “[I]I didn't know...[/I]”) and a registration of the serial number so they can find you when you're leaving a wreck behind.[/B][/U]

[U][B]Given the alternatives (it was considered that you'd need a pilot's license to fly one) it's all very reasonable.[/B][/U][/QUOTE]

Exactly. I'm a licensed Amateur Radio operator and I see this as sort of the same thing. On Amateur Radio, we're friendly, clean, responsible, and we're accountable for everything we do. We're required to be licensed and we'll report those who aren't to the FCC. If we don't follow the rules and good operating practice we can get our licenses taken away and even get a fine from the FCC. We also help out our communities in times of disaster by providing communications when internet, telephone, and cell phone networks are destroyed. Now, look at CB radio: unlicensed, filthy, usually populated by unsavory people, users often exceed the 4 (or 7, can't remember) watt power limit, and there is very, very little accountability. Oftentimes the FCC will track down bad CB users with a van with radios in it that they drive around and measure the signal strength of the bad person's CB transmissions. As I said, there are also no CB licenses, but I think they can still fine you. Furthermore, users of CB often have very little desire to help their communities.

I'm normally not one for this kind of government control, and I've never seen a drone in real life let alone flown one, but I see this as a common sense thing. Think about it: you're flying something in public that could injure someone else if piloted incorrectly. You can also be a nuisance and do things to others with them that they might not want to do (like your example of people spying on their neighbors). I think that a licensing program would not only increase the quality and responsibility of the drone community, it would also increase the quality of the drones on the market. You'll have people who truly enjoy it and not those who just want a toy to fly about and perhaps hassle people with. Edited November 24, 2015 by Flymetothemun

[LordFerret]

[quote name='FishInferno']But what are the minimum qualifications? What about those 20 dollar helicopters you can buy at walmart?[/QUOTE]
That's defined in the publication... read it. ;)

[quote name='RainDreamer']This would probably screw the business of commercial drones companies that sells those automated drones that follows the owner and recording them doing video worthy things.[/QUOTE]
I don't think so, considering some of the biggest names in the industry were in the Task Force evaluating this.

[quote name='razark']How long until this thread gets locked for "politics"?[/QUOTE]
This is no more a political discussion than any previous discussion in these forums regarding RC planes/etc and model rockets. It's just an outline of pending regulations for drone owners/operators in the US.

[quote name='Kerbart']Actually not correct. US Citizens outside the US are not required to register (at least not as far as the FAA is concerned as it's outside their jurisdiction), and non-US Citizens who reside in the US are. More correct would be “if you’re a US [I]resident[/I]...”[/QUOTE]
I stand corrected; Yes, it will apply to current 'residents' and 'visitors'.

[quote name='Flymetothemun']Exactly. I'm a licensed Amateur Radio operator and I see this as sort of the same thing. ...[/QUOTE]
Exactly. The obvious drone 'toys', made for kids, fly around in the house or yard, aren't the issue here. It's the bigger ticket items, those with speed and range and duration, capable of carrying 'payloads', with more powerful/sophisticated radio equipment, that are of concern. RC plane owners (gas powered) should be able to relate to this, and model rocketeers as well... there's all kinds of varying rules and regulations (depending on where you live), registrations/licensing, the need for carrying insurance, etc, involved - mostly involving safety (liability) concerns.

[razark]

[quote name='LordFerret']This is no more a political discussion than any previous discussion in these forums regarding RC planes/etc and model rockets. It's just an outline of pending regulations for drone owners/operators in the US.[/QUOTE]
And other discussions about laws/regulations have gotten locked for "politics".

(Note the quotation marks.)

[Astronut]

[quote name='Robotengineer']Drones are a nuisance, I do not own one. IMO, privacy and peace are more important than somebody's ability to fly a drone. If you are going to fly hobby aircraft, fly RC planes, steeper learning curve and more difficult to control, as well as not being able to hover and watch things.

Seems to me that you are caught up with the media induced paranoia Robotengineer. While there will always be a few that will not fly in a considerate manner, the vast majority of recreational drone owners are very conscientious and not at all interested in invading anyone's privacy. A greater threat to privacy is the fact that we now live in a world where everyone carries a good quality camera in their pocket all of the time, usually with an internet connection that allows instant posting. Nobody seems to freak out about that though.

Here are a few of shots taken with my Phantom 3.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Astronut

[LordFerret]

[quote name='Astronut']Seems to me that you are caught up with the media induced paranoia Robotengineer. While there will always be a few that will not fly in a considerate manner, the vast majority of recreational drone owners are very conscientious and not at all interested in invading anyone's privacy. A greater threat to privacy is the fact that we now live in a world where everyone carries a good quality camera in their pocket all of the time, usually with an internet connection that allows instant posting. Nobody seems to freak out about that though.

Here are a few of shots taken with my Phantom 3.

[URL]http://i.imgur.com/iVeQIy9.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i.imgur.com/wONCyk1.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i.imgur.com/tHVfl6w.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i.imgur.com/ZL0y3oo.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i.imgur.com/w1PQAKk.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i.imgur.com/rNdX3Fs.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i.imgur.com/pOhlz8a.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i.imgur.com/GjD5pyC.jpg[/URL][/QUOTE]

That's a really good point!

Those are great pictures, way cool. :cool: While I had an RC glider, and was into model rockets, we didn't have such technology 'back then'... I wish I had, there's so many awesome places that I'd been that I used to wish there was such a thing. My friends and I used to discuss building a large glider/plane and mounting my friend's video camera (VHS camcorder) on it - the thing weighed several pounds lol. The closest I ever got to aerial photography was my [URL="http://www.poweredmodelairplanes.com/fmr/camroc.html"]Camroc model rocket[/URL], mounted on a home-made 2-stage "D" class engine lifter. That was the most powerful engine I could get a hold of at the time, as I only had a Class C firearms permit for purchase of such things. I had several good launches with it, got some nice pictures of Bloomfield NJ from around 1800+ft up ... until the authorities told me I wasn't allowed to launch from their park anymore. That was and still is a big problem around here with launching model rockets and flying RC planes - there's no place left where you're allowed do it (without belonging to a 'club'). :huh:

[r4pt0r]

I [URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEMlp0aDGAg"]build my own RC planes out of pink fanfold insulation[/URL]. They usually last a dozen or so flights before pilot error gets the best of them. Then I tear out the electronics and slap together another plane.

You saying I would need to register each plane I build, even when their average lifespan is a week?

[Nuke]

i own a rc heli. i want to upgrade it with an imu so that i can give it some drone features. after getting a mockup working on an arduino and 10dof imu i realized that it did not update the intertial reference fast enough to be useful. so it quickly became apparent that i need an arm dev board of small stature. so my project has kind of been shelved for now. meanwhile im stripping parts off the chopper to build a hovercraft.

[LordFerret]

[quote name='r4pt0r']I [URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEMlp0aDGAg"]build my own RC planes out of pink fanfold insulation[/URL]. They usually last a dozen or so flights before pilot error gets the best of them. Then I tear out the electronics and slap together another plane.

You saying I would need to register each plane I build, even when their average lifespan is a week?[/QUOTE]

I think RC 'planes' follow different guidelines... and it all depends on where you live I would think. But, based on what you're describing, 'no', I think it's more a case of [I]you[/I] being registered as an 'operator of' (or maybe perhaps your radio equipment??) and not so much the plane itself.


Oh, and I saw mention of the Task Force findings/recommendations on the news for the first time tonight. The emphasis of course was regarding the timely release of these new rules and the up-coming holiday season. Edited November 26, 2015 by LordFerret