Insurance

glider · Oct 17, 2017

CraigCam said:
Thanks for the info. I’m not ranting or outraged. If I drop my drone on my roof that’s my problem obviously. I was just trying to point out how private sector as usual is ahead of government clarification. I know of events here done 100% legally only to have the local PD shut them down because they weren’t in the loop. There seems to be a lot of energy being put into prohibiting not helping and the whole confusion created by Hobby class aircraft being used commercially is still murky. Why would anyone bother to jump through all the hoops when the agencies still aren’t in unison? If I fly my 480 within established FAA guidelines with permission on private property for fun and personal use, then I’m still supposed to get a 107? If that’s the case then no camera drone should be sold without an FAA number and all the transfers of ownership and registration needed. As it stands now, my FAA number is joke due to the lawsuit that clarified we are not aircraft. So which is it? And I’m not ranting. My purpose is to openly discuss the murky side. I’m seriously considering a 520 and setting up as a commercial service as the city of Tucson is accepting drones as a viable tool. Of course I’m going to do it right. I’m not stealing work from any legit companies as it’s still a learning curve for me. I don’t charge anyone. All my flying this summer in the very restrictive state of CA was edited into a music video for my artist. Again, it’s for my enjoyment but I gave hours of footage to a good editor and now I’ve got a kick *** video that I contributed to. Did I break the law by doing this?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10159513663480381

Oh I'm sure the bureaucrats and Big Drone have our (the average Joe 6 pack) best interest at heart.........NOT!

If the events were done 100% legally, then the municipality should be sued.

GrampaPeter · Oct 18, 2017

ALLSTATE classified my use of a drone as "aircraft" and denied a related claim. Just this week.

PatR · Oct 18, 2017

Lesson here is to read your policy exclusions folks.

Santa · Oct 18, 2017

At this point in time, I have only flown my H for sport hobby and the enjoyment of it - no commercial plans. After reading this thread, I wondered if my own homeowners policy would cover public liability if I had a crash resulting in property damage or injury to another so I called my insurance agent at State Farm (Southern Nevada). I described very carefully that I had a good quality multi-rotor copter with a camera installed and that I also fly RC fixed wing aircraft. His first question was is it a "drone" to which I responded it is a multi-rotor copter with a camera and now they call them drones just like with cars, a car with more than a front & back seat (like a station wagon of the 60's) is now referred to as a "gas guzzling SUV" for which the car company marketers have changed the name to "crossover" to avoid the stigma attached to a SUV - but I digress...
My agent said he would check into it and call me back - which he did. His reply was that my homeowners policy would cover me in the event of a crash that resulted in property damage (broken window, denting a car, etc.) or injury (hits a kid or a kid sticks their fingers into the turning prop) to the extent of my policy limits. He stated that unless I was using my "drone" commercially, I would be covered but not if used for pay or barter. I also mentioned that the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) provides insurance but only "in excess" to any other such coverage which is why I called my agent to see what coverage I have. I hope that I never have to file a claim but it is good to know that there is at least for now some form of insurance protection.

Feel free to comment on this if you like.