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What do you, or the FAA, consider VLOS?

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Another flyer and I were talking about what we each consider to be VLOS. I tend to be a little more loose on interpretation and methinks he is pretty close to what it really means.

Here's the set up:

A pilot is flying a very familiar remote location. At 3500' out in a lake is a rock pile where birds tend to congregate.
In flying to the location for filming the pilot cannot actually see the sUAV after 2500' but is completely aware of it's location in the sky and has full view of the surrounding sky for miles around..
I fly this route regularly. When a larger aircraft enters the area (which does occasionally happen) I simply stick down to 50' and assess the situation before continuing the flight.

I figure my interpretation isn't the letter of the law. What do you guys do?
 
Good question. Direction of travel, distance covered, AGL, and FPV confirmation (I can see the rock pile) add up to known location. Again, I'm more than reasonably certain this is NOT the correct interpretation of the regulation.
 
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Able to visually see it, not guess where it might be in reference to another obstacle/object.
I'm in the rule of actually seeing it visually with your eyes, not guessing where maybe, ahhh I think it's about over there somewhere, not sure but....?
 
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What would you do if you lost GPS, or your monitor gave out?
 
Able to visually see it, not guess where it might be in reference to another obstacle/object.

Quite sure this is the intent of the statute. But I also drive 75mph in 70mph zones. Guess the real question is, when do you push the envelop? Do you push the envelop? Are there times it is not specifically legal but acceptable in general practice.

As an example, speeding in congested city traffic is a bad idea. Going 5mph over the limit in central Montana on an empty highway is considered normal.

What would you do if you lost GPS, or your monitor gave out?

Drop the aircraft in the lake. Every flight I'm totally comfortable sacrificing the sUAV if need be.
 
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We can go back and forth about VOLS.
As a certified private pilot since 3/21/1975 it's this type of mentality that scares and worries me!

I understand your frustration with me. My apologies.

As for private pilots. Many many push the envelop of regulations. Anecdotally, my farm buildings are subject to low passes from local pilots on a regular basis since it's near a small airfield used for recreational flying. Do I care? Nope.
 
I have flown BLOS, but rare if I don’t have an exit, an area to dump
the sUAS if anything happens, and a reason to fly BLOS, which I don’t have.

I’ve diverted a flight plan once with the H Plus, and I did not have to wait for the FAA to ask me for a report, I filed a report just in case, and took the H Plus out of circulation in doing distance progressive missions. VLOS does not have to a max distance thing, structural inspectors, the roofers [emoji23] loose sight of their drones all the time that is why we have VO, and your VO can be stationed in critical areas that enables the operator to achieve max altitude.

Here’s a flight that I will not dare to repeat with the H Plus, and a mission that I beat the FAA in asking me for a report. [emoji23]



Bottom line fly VLOS
 
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Of you’re working in construction, you will here n’ there have to fly BLOS, but your have your VO to guide you.

And do not be shy in asking the site safety foreman to lend you a few guys to help out. (And bring your own radio to communicate)


 
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I understand your frustration with me. My apologies.

As for private pilots. Many many push the envelop of regulations. Anecdotally, my farm buildings are subject to low passes from local pilots on a regular basis since it's near a small airfield used for recreational flying. Do I care? Nope.
No frustration, I think if you were a certified pilot you may come to understand it better from a safety perspective.
Most if not all of us pilots want to you folks to be aware of the complexity of air space, and how quickly aircrafts can approach another.

Rule of Thumb, when two aircrafts are merging one another head on, you are taught/ required to bank left.

It's not like we spent $150.00 dollars to obtain our license and a few hours of studying.

There are many drone pilots who respect rules and abide by FAA drone rules.
It's the ones that try to read between the rules to get a thrill.

Many many pilots push the envelop of regulations? in what way?
They push the envelope of not understanding the circumstances and limitations of the aircraft they are flying.
VFR vs IFR, night flying vs day flying, mountain flying vs hilly terrain, and NOE.

Be safe and observant when you're out there, I know this your goal.:)
Melancholy Man, I'm just a singer. Moody Blues. great songs I'm listening to.
 
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In a younger life I was a private pilot. Several close friends still are. And yes, my goal is not to risk human life or property damage that is not my own. I would never consider such a flight around people or buildings, or, where there wasn't a "bail out" available.

Your points are well taken and heard. That's why I asked for input.

On an aside...you ever been to Osh Kosh and the EAA fly in? Years ago some of the craft that would show up I wouldn't let my dog fly aboard. They were all pilots with a cool little "Experimental" sticker pushing that envelop.
 
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In a younger life I was a private pilot. Several close friends still are. And yes, my goal is not to risk human life or property damage that is not my own. I would never consider such a flight around people or buildings, or, where there wasn't a "bail out" available.

Your points are well taken and heard. That's why asked for input.

On an aside...you ever been to Osh Kosh and the EAA fly in? Years ago some of the craft that would show up I wouldn't let my dog fly aboard. They were all pilots with a cool little "Experimental" sticker pushing that envelop.
Never been there, would have loved to gone.I've been to Aspen Colorado, VFR, whewwwww! moutain flying can get very confusing.
 
To understand VLOS one needs only know that the other type of flying is call BVLOS - (Beyond Visual Line Of Sight). ?We are either doing one or the other and there is no grey area according to the FAA and Community Based Guidelines that hobbyists fly under.
 
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