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2019, The Year of The Drone?

Oh, great, "Year of the Drone"... for attorneys :eek:??!! NOT a good sign! Starting to look like I picked a bad time to get back into RC :rolleyes:. So Pat, you seem pretty clued into all this stuff, what do we, as drone owner/operators, need to focus on, both to advance our hobby, and stay out of trouble? At the moment, I'm only looking at it as a hobby, but I can see the possibility of it morphing into something else in the not too distant future. Thanks.

Dave
 
From what I've experienced in the big leagues we're facing a coordinated effort to force us into smaller and smaller segments of airspace. This will be heavily focused on the recreational side. The commercial side will be facing some onerous and very expensive equipment certification standards. Knowledge and testing standards will be implemented for recreational, and some form of remote ID will be forced on anyone not flying at a sanctioned AMA site. How they get around to enforcing all that is anyone's guess, but the remote ID aspect will end up built into drones else they won't be allowed for import here. DJI has spent a lot of money and effort in promoting their stuff ADS-B In, NFZ's, telemetry tracking, and remote ID as the base standard for airspace management but our aerospace and avionics developers and manufacturers will not let that happen. To roll with a DJI license concept would take far too much money out of their pockets.

What we need to do is what we've always needed to do, form an organization of similar minded operators, both recreational and commercial, in order to generate a voice containing enough voters to be recognized by our legislators. Common cause if you will, but devoid of brand and model discourse to maintain focus. That organizational group would need to add more efforts to educating newbies and the misinformed about regulations and the long term and full spectrum of the effects of ignoring them, while creating more favorable press releases for the general media. If anyone has been paying attention, big commercial and government operated drones are always good in the press, recreational drones are always bad. There's a reason the media has been reporting as they have been.

We need sensible rules, not rules that bestow all favor and airspace to big spenders like Boeing, Lockheed, General Atomics, Amazon, and Google that in turn lock us out through prohibitive cost factors. We understand what needs to be done better than most might think. We only need to make it happen.
 
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So it sounds like a two pronged answer. Prong one, educating the public, sounds like an industry level job, with as much help as possible from the rest of us, by being an example of responsible users, as well as harassing our various congress critters. Getting the media on our side would probably also be a good idea.

Prong 2 sounds like either overhauling the AMA to make it more drone friendly, or starting a whole new organization dedicated to drone pilots. But if we still end up with only being able to fly at sanctioned fields, that leaves guys like me out in the cold, I live in the boonies, I'm not even sure where the closest AMA sanctioned field is, but I doubt there's one within 100 miles, and it could easily be double that.

Which brings us to the million dollar question. How do we get started? And who's going to get the ball rolling? Starting a national (international?) organization takes time, planning, and money, not to mention folks that know what the heck they're doing. I know I don't have the necessary skills, and I sure don't have the money. But I'd be more than willing to do what I can, as well as pay dues into such an organization. So what next?

Dave
 
From what I've experienced in the big leagues we're facing a coordinated effort to force us into smaller and smaller segments of airspace. This will be heavily focused on the recreational side. The commercial side will be facing some onerous and very expensive equipment certification standards. Knowledge and testing standards will be implemented for recreational, and some form of remote ID will be forced on anyone not flying at a sanctioned AMA site. How they get around to enforcing all that is anyone's guess, but the remote ID aspect will end up built into drones else they won't be allowed for import here. DJI has spent a lot of money and effort in promoting their stuff ADS-B In, NFZ's, telemetry tracking, and remote ID as the base standard for airspace management but our aerospace and avionics developers and manufacturers will not let that happen. To roll with a DJI license concept would take far too much money out of their pockets.

What we need to do is what we've always needed to do, form an organization of similar minded operators, both recreational and commercial, in order to generate a voice containing enough voters to be recognized by our legislators. Common cause if you will, but devoid of brand and model discourse to maintain focus. That organizational group would need to add more efforts to educating newbies and the misinformed about regulations and the long term and full spectrum of the effects of ignoring them, while creating more favorable press releases for the general media. If anyone has been paying attention, big commercial and government operated drones are always good in the press, recreational drones are always bad. There's a reason the media has been reporting as they have been.

We need sensible rules, not rules that bestow all favor and airspace to big spenders like Boeing, Lockheed, General Atomics, Amazon, and Google that in turn lock us out through prohibitive cost factors. We understand what needs to be done better than most might think. We only need to make it happen.
We had a similar thing here in the UK last year. We had the chance to make our voices heard, which I and many others did by answering a questionnaire issued by The Department for Transport. It was long winded and deliberately made hard to follow. But at the end, you had a chance to let rip in the "Any Other Comments" section. Remote ID and set your location before you fly by app was also mentioned but that part at least was dropped. Not gone away forever, it could be brought back to the table at any time but at least for now it's gone.

I'll say what I always say when regulators start looking our way. I get it, I really do, there is the 'potential' for something very bad to happen caused by a drone. But for all the scare stories and near miss reports, many of which are completely false (Gatwick). Thus far, our hobby has been a pretty safe one. I don't think there has been a single death or even a life threatening injury caused by a drone. Yeah, there have been a few incidents where drones have been flown into people and one I can think of where a drone hit a building and then fell and hit someone. But compared with a lot of other things in life, getting killed by a drone is pretty unlikely to happen. Last year in the UK over 400 people died falling down the stairs in their own homes. Are we all to get training on how to use stairs properly? Drones aren't just falling out of the sky killing and injuring people every day, they just aren't! There are a few common sense things for us all to follow and as long as we do, I don't see the need for any more regulation.
 
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The focus by media is just “drones”... painted bad period, unless as mentioned: big business, govt, military... and recently News channel’s own “eye in the sky” drones... which are normally one of the models highlighted in different news story painted negative.

Similar to firearms, drugs, etc; most Drone negative news blips are already related to illegal or improper behavior that responsible Hobbyist or Commercial Operators wouldn’t be performing. Hovering at 3000-4000 ft, flying over crowded pool, beaches, highways and testing max flight range distance aren’t displaying responsible flying and the irresponsible idiots performing these stunts (and YouTubing) have no care or interest how it will effect or impact the sUAV community.

Sadly, this probably is the majority of drone purchases... based on sales being more consumer... ever just watched the behavior of prospective drone Buyers at BestBuy. To most it’s a entertainment tool to have fun and if taken away they’ll move on to the next instrument to express their self righteous behaviors. High probability this represents the largest percentage of drone community. An organization to protect sUAV Ownership & operations will have minimal impact on these individuals and unable to govern themselves. As big as the NRA and other organizations, they still have an extremely difficult time protecting the 2nd Admendment and Ownership. I don’t foresee a sUAV organization even approach a fraction of the size of current protective organizations.

The AMA simply doesn’t “feel” interested in drones. I’d gladly join an organization for drone community, even if it provides minimal “voice”, it’d still be a worthy endeavor.
 
Speaking of focused sUAV organizations, has anyone explored or joined the AUVSI ? Who is AUVSI Membership isn’t free at an annual $150.
Looks to be some kind of industry professional organisation, catering for the commercial side of sUAV flying. What we need is an organisation that caters for ALL sUAV flyers, commercial and hobby.
 
The only organisation I can find that fits the bill is NODE. (Network Of Drone Enthusiasts) Alright, it's run by DJI by the look of it but it's better than nothing. Don't know if this is just a European organisation or worldwide?

 
The only organisation I can find that fits the bill is NODE. (Network Of Drone Enthusiasts) Alright, it's run by DJI by the look of it but it's better than nothing. Don't know if this is just a European organisation or worldwide?

Looks interesting, enough to explore.
At bottom of EU page was a North American selection which produced a page that looks more global without the Europe stament... so I’d say it includes N America too.
This is the Notth American link,
NODE - Dedicated to ensuring fair and responsible drone regulations

On the AUVSI, it is a more commercial focused, but it does indicate Professional Operators and Lg & Sm Business. To me looks more professional and the subject matter more focused. They do provide large sUAV shows, webinars, and industry opportunities. Probably not a Hobbyist discussion site, but a site a serious Hobbyist intersted in the technology might enjoy or track if they have an interest of professional.
 
Speaking of focused sUAV organizations, has anyone explored or joined the AUVSI ? Who is AUVSI Membership isn’t free at an annual $150.

Don't bother. It's a deep pocket group, with very little interest in this side of autonomous operations. You probably have the connections needed to initiate a course of action but unless you have millions of disposable $ to play your prospects are dim. There are a lot of dogs fighting over the same meat, while larger dogs don't bother with the meat, they just eat the other dogs. Their conventions are great for seeing the state of the art stuff and meeting people but for day to day things, not so great.

Another thing to consider, the AUVSI has been the autonomous aerial inventor/developer spokes group for well over a decade. What have they actually done in that time to improve the regulatory environment or advise the media? How well have they managed with organizing the drone industry?
 
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Don't bother. It's a deep pocket group, with very little interest in this side of autonomous operations. You probably have the connections needed to initiate a course of action but unless you have millions of disposable $ to play your prospects are dim. There are a lot of dogs fighting over the same meat, while larger dogs don't bother with the meat, they just eat the other dogs. Their conventions are great for seeing the state of the art stuff and meeting people but for day to day things, not so great.

Another thing to consider, the AUVSI has been the autonomous aerial inventor/developer spokes group for well over a decade. What have they actually done in that time to improve the regulatory environment or advise the media? How well have they managed with organizing the drone industry?
Reading the material and noting their Tech Show spectator entry fee... pricey, they were beginning to look like other privy high membership organizations within IT that aren’t worth the investment.

If they’ve been around for 10 years and not well name recognized or heard from in the regulation or technology channels then I’d agree not a organization to consider... especially since my little business is a “niblet” in dog meat.

The upcoming UAV Tech show in Chicago got my attention, but stepped back when entry fee was $300 just to wonder and look, more to attend a few discussion sessions.
 
I'm new at this whole sUAS thing, but I've had a good deal of experience with other activities that governments like to block.

Honestly, and feel free to convince me I'm wrong, I'm in favor of recreational licensure. I see several advantages. First, you won't see idiotic videos on Youtube like the Florida helicopter near-miss, or that idiot who was racing a drone over a moving train - at least, not without consequences.

And there should be consequences for behavior like that, because it's that kind of crap that's pushing local governments to make knee-jerk reactions and ban them entirely, either outright or via more subtle ordinances that effectively close off the whole area to drone flights. It's also that kind of crap that's pushing the general public toward a strong dislike of drones in general, which doesn't help the cause.

Youtube provides evidence that the drone community isn't doing a good enough job of policing itself - mainly because it's impossible for any group to police itself to the point that *no one* does dangerous things. All it takes is one moron slamming a racing drone into a toddler's face to start a widespread call to ban them entirely.

A regulatory framework for recreational fliers would mean that after passing the requirements for licensure, local governments would have much less authority to tell us where we can and can't fly - kind of like local governments can't say that Joe Cessna can't fly his 172 over their county, because if they try the FAA will smack them down.

I have a driver's license and that means cities can't tell me that I'm not allowed to drive down a given street simply because they feel like banning my car from it. They have to follow proper procedures if they want to close a street to traffic, and that's not the case with drones. A city council can ban drones on a whim, and one thing about city/county governments is that they tend to be filled with people who like to ban things they don't understand or aren't interested in doing themselves.

Drones are low-hanging fruit compared to some of the bans local governments have come up with -- for example there are lots of bans on swearing in public out there, even though that's Constitutionally-protected speech and bans on swearing are completely illegal.

Governments even tried to ban playing cell phone games in parks after games like Ingress and Pokemon Go got popular. There was no particular reason for it beyond a general dislike of people gathering in parks. I'm not kidding.

The problem is that once a city bans something, it costs a lot of time and money to get it un-banned, whereas a stronger licensure system for recreational users would also in effect be the Federal government saying "drones are under our purview, everyone else stay out."


A licensure framework would also give us a one-stop-shopping place for information on how to follow proper procedures while flying. Currently, it's pretty well-known that you need to take steps before flying within 5 miles of an airport. It's seemingly less well-known that it can be illegal to overfly rivers, because if the river is covered by the NPS, they've banned drones. And that's the easy part - figuring out if it's legal to fly a drone in a given park is an exercise in frustration.

No one goes to a car dealership and expects to just buy a car and drive around - they know they have to get licensed to drive - and that licensure procedure hasn't resulted in cars being inaccessible to the public. If anything, it's made it easier to drive around because there's a set standard of procedures that everyone's expected to follow.

If we did not have to take a test that proved we knew to stop at red lights, then it'd be much more justifiable for cities to ban you from driving within their limits unless you jumped through their hoops - and if every city came up with their own set of hoops, figuring out how to legally drive from point A to point B would be as frustrating as I'm finding it to figure out where I can legally fly.
 
Better definition of “drone” would be a tremendous benefit to the”recreational” community. For the better part of 50 years there never was and currently still is not any significant problems generated by the model airplane and helicopter groups. There are a few airplane people that set up and fly ultra long distances illegally but they are an extreme minority.

It’s those flying automated multirotors that created and perpetuate the problem. Had it not been for FPV and auto pilots, things generally germane to multirotors, we would have far fewer macho type people involved with our activities. Having to actually learn how to fly would have required more time and effort than most have a desire to put into “drone” activities.

Take “buy and fly” out of the equation and watch how quickly the problems go away. When an activity is made so simple any monkey can do it many monkeys will. Until then only the more intelligent, higher lessoning level monkeys participate. The less intelligent, more impulsive monkeys watch for a moment or two and walk away.
 

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