For the Doubters

[The_caged_bird]

I just wanted to happily report that yes, I could see my drone just now, at 2700ft away. Took a pic with my phone, not sure if my phone could see it, but out here, in cotton country, on this overcast day, I could see it....

I also shot a video of me controlling it with my GoPro on my cap, and once I get a chance, I'll be uploading it to YouTube. So, to the doubters, I simply retort, "Balderdash!"

 

[Satdiver]

I thought I found it but it just turned out to be a speck of dust on my monitor ...

 

[Scijohn23]

Same thing happened to me, even zoomed in some. Found the speck of dust.

 

[The_caged_bird]

I honestly don't think my phone even captured it, I left my DSLR at home but it's there, just to the left of the lease road just below the lowest wire.

 

[Scijohn23]

I think I see it, you’re talking about the wires in the far distance?

 

[The_caged_bird]

No, the wires at the middle of the photo. If I remember correctly it was about 1/4 of the way between the bottom wire and the horizon.

 

[Scijohn23]

Put Waldo on it next time, maybe we can find it then. I’m sure it’s there somewhere

 

[h-elsner]

One suspect pixel:


br HE

 

[DCH]

I'm not sure what I'm looking for. What kind of aircraft is this supposed to be? And someone will have to tell me where to look, I just sneezed and now I see a hundred of them!

 

[TyphoonPete]

It's a B2 bomber at 50ft coming straight atcha.
And I thought I had bad eyesight
Oh, wait, I do
What was the question?
At least if you lose the bird you don't have to climb any hills or look in any trees to find it......

 

[The_caged_bird]

As promised, a short, rather crappy video, just to show. I'm in the red t-shirt looking like the kool aid man.

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[lldill777]

There are two definitions of 'line of sight.' I believe it means the second. line of sight noun phrase
Definition of line of sight
1: a line from an observer's eye to a distant point
2: the line between two points
specifically : the straight path between a transmitting antenna (as for radio or television signals) and a receiving antenna when unobstructed by the horizon
Otherwise a person with nearsightedness could only fly a few yards and so on. It makes more sense that the FAA refers to electronic CONTROL transmission.

 

[Phaedrus]

And then there is what the FAA thinks of VLOS, and they are pretty much the only ones whose opinion matters:

• Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) only; the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS. Alternatively, the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the visual observer

At all times the small unmanned aircraft must remain close enough to the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS for those people to be capable of seeing the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses.


have to be able to see the small unmanned aircraft throughout the entire flight in order to: (1) know the unmanned aircraft’s location; (2) determine the unmanned aircraft’s attitude, altitude, and direction; (3) observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards; and (4) determine that the unmanned aircraft does not endanger the life or property of another.

So basically being able to see a single pixel size dot does not fulfill what the FAA views as VLOS.

 

[lldill777]

And then there is what the FAA thinks of VLOS, and they are pretty much the only ones whose opinion matters:



So basically being able to see a single pixel size dot does not fulfill what the FAA views as VLOS.

You are right. And what does that do to dji range of 4.3 miles, etc?

 

[Phaedrus]

You are right. And what does that do to dji range of 4.3 miles, etc?

Doesn't do anything. Just because your aircraft can fly that far does not mean it is legal to do so. Just like having a car capable of 150 mph doesn't mean you can drive that fast.

But that does raise the question. Given DJI's aggressive use of geofencing it is amazing that they offer aircraft capable of flying well BVLOS.

 

[Rubik]

And then there is what the FAA thinks of VLOS, and they are pretty much the only ones whose opinion matters:



So basically being able to see a single pixel size dot does not fulfill what the FAA views as VLOS.

Well, there is the technique of determining the attitude of the pixel size aircraft and, therefore, be in control. If by moving the right stick to the right, the pixel moves to the right, than the aircraft is pointed away from you (and vise versa).
Problem is, when I look away, to the screen for instance, the pixel disappears.

 

[Phaedrus]

Fair enough, except close reading of the FAA comments on the remarks received from the NPRM indicate they want you to be able to determine those things visually.

 

[wlkjr]

What kind of drone is it and how high is the video? It does seem to be extremely smooth footage. Several times I thought my screen had frozen.

 

[PatR]

You are right. And what does that do to dji range of 4.3 miles, etc?

It makes anyone operating at that distance, or any other where they cannot see the aircraft well enough to effectively control it, in violation of the law.

The FAA did not place limitations on aircraft RF power levels, they placed them on those operating them. Because people have the means to do something does not mean they should do some things. For example, you can take selfies with your back facing a cliff from some safe distance or you can stand on the edge. As history clearly shows, many have fallen off the cliff. They did it because they could and died as a result. Careless and reckless is not limited to flying drones.

Put a piece of tape over that camera, removing FPV from your skill set and then tell everyone how effective you were at directional control of an H at 2700’. Better yet, remove the RTH switch from the equation as well and have a few witnesses film your efforts and share the results with us.

 

[PatR]

But that does raise the question. Given DJI's aggressive use of geofencing it is amazing that they offer aircraft capable of flying well BVLOS.

When DJI first started marketing their long range aircraft they didn’t have the ability to create or enforce NFZ’s or GEO. Long range systems were made available as a marketing ploy to increase market share. Their cameras we no better, and where gimbals are concerned, much worse than some other products on the market at the time so people were not buying them for their outstanding image quality. Their gimbals really weren’t any good until the P4. So people bought in order to fly long range.

The ploy worked so well they brag about the extended range in all their advertising. They didn’t have their own camera yet, everyone was using small action cams at the time. There was no need to restrict that range with the introduction of GEO as the law makes such operation illegal for the operator, not the manufacturer.

Without long range capability DJI would not be what they are today. It provided the means to outsell the competition and fund further developments. Why change what worked to get them to where they are today, and is still effective against their competition?

In effect, from my perspective DJI depended on people willing to break the law in flying BVLOS to purchase systems providing longer range. As the number of people operating BVLOS increased DJI’s exposure to product liability increased as well, reaching a point where a means to limit operations was necessary to minimize manufacturer liability in the event of an injury or property damage incident. Any jury award damages against a manufacturer that encouraged extended range flight via their advertising. Forced NFZ’s were the result. Determining that lobbying governments to adopt DJI’s GEO software in order to capture software licensing fees may have actually been the initial impetus behind the NFZ concept, but before either could be promoted and incorporated there first needed to be map reference software for them to function. Enter DJI’s financial support of AirMap, a new company that had until then done little to get off the ground.