PatR
Premium Pilot
Delmustator,
What you described relative to "shared expenses" had been a very contentious subject between pilots and the FAA for a very long time...until about two years ago. The FAA pretty much clearly defined when, how, and where expenses for a flight could be shared between non-commercial users of the aircraft. If at any time during the flight in question there had commercial intent, or consideration, the entire flight is commercial, and no amount of "wiggling" will change that. You are also dealing with a rule that is intended to serve manned aviation where two or more people are actually inside the aircraft, traveling from point to point. The rule is not applicable to unmanned systems where two people cannot possibly share the same physical destination.
What you described relative to "shared expenses" had been a very contentious subject between pilots and the FAA for a very long time...until about two years ago. The FAA pretty much clearly defined when, how, and where expenses for a flight could be shared between non-commercial users of the aircraft. If at any time during the flight in question there had commercial intent, or consideration, the entire flight is commercial, and no amount of "wiggling" will change that. You are also dealing with a rule that is intended to serve manned aviation where two or more people are actually inside the aircraft, traveling from point to point. The rule is not applicable to unmanned systems where two people cannot possibly share the same physical destination.