FAA at it again


SoCal Blur

Member
Unfortunately, this guy had it coming for his idiotic behavior - which plays right into the hands of the FAA.
 

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
This bit is quite interesting...

Of course, the FAA isn’t going to go after people who are operating safely a couple feet in the air. But they think they have the authority to. It’s interesting then, that in November 2001, the FAA sent a letter to air traffic controllers suggesting that “model aircraft do not require compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations. Model aircraft do not require a type certificate, airworthiness certificate, or registration. Federal Aviation Regulations do not apply to them … model aircraft may operate in controlled airspace without air traffic control authorization, transponders, or altitude reporting equipment.”
 
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jes1111

Active Member
I'm amazed! It's a simple, basic "survive and thrive" strategy NOT to repeat unsuccessful strategies :)
 

jbrumberg

Member
Regulation of the RC multi-rotor industry/hobby by the FAA and/or State or Local regulatory agencies is in the earliest stages. Irresponsible owner/operators have not, do not, and will not help the industry or responsible hobbyists by their collective actions. It is sadly apparent these irresponsible O/O's cannot self-regulate themselves and we the hobbyists and the industry (so far) have been unable/unwilling to do our own or effectively do our own "policing" of irresponsible O/O's. Regulation will happen despite all our protests because of that small percentage of irresponsible O/O's.

That guy had it coming. I feel no sympathy towards him. Or anyone else who flies their RC multi-rotor irresponsibly and gets "caught".
 

kloner

Aerial DP
agreed.... it's really weird how different rc people and guys that get a new multirotor are, act, think is cool. facebook is full of it.... none of them want to join ama cause theres nothing to film there, none the less in most cases are very green and need to be learning instead of filming stuff from the types of people that have structure and don't charge anything like ama provides..... something very drastic is already done in the form of local codes and complete bans that just don't let ya fly there.....

FAA is all about safety, i'm still trying to figure out how there gonna ever let anybody in the planet film people from less than 1000 feet away with an aircraft. rules are rules and if in fact these things are going to be regulated by them then boy are people gonna be in for an eye opener.....

Did you guys know that right now today you can apply and receive US aircraft registration on a multirotor? november numbers and everything. the civillian uav testing is already underway at those faa approved sites
 


Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
Did you guys know that right now today you can apply and receive US aircraft registration on a multirotor? november numbers and everything. the civillian uav testing is already underway at those faa approved sites

What do you mean by this Kloner? Have more info???

it's really weird how different rc people and guys that get a new multirotor are, act, think is cool.

I get your point, but I'm not sure this is all that weird, just more a case of different personalities acting differently. And of course people take responsibility VERY differently. The kind of stupid sh*t we are seeing right now in this hobby/industry is not very different than the way those same people/personalities would handle their first muscle car. Some people would be responsible, and would only let loose where/when appropriate. Others (like our friend mentioned in the OP who decided to fly in MANHATTAN!!!!!) would have the GTO wrapped around a tree (or worse, hurt someone else) in no time....

Around here we have a bunch of (predominantly) like-minded, mature people who have gathered here on this forum to share ideas and help one another - all who pretty much understand/accept the responsibility involved in the hobby.

So it's like preaching to the converted around here. Elsewhere, like every other facet of life, there are bound to be some d*ckheads you just can't talk reason to...
 

jbrumberg

Member
You can't self police someone who wants to take their new phantom for a test ride off their balcony.

You are right. It is impossible to stop this kind of individual behavior and Kloner is correct about how some new owners act and feel about their new multi-rotor ownership and their "right" to use it unfettered by structure of any kind. This is what will bring on the regulations probably on multiple levels of governmental jurisdiction that everyone does not want. It will happen piecemeal and haphazardly, but it will happen.

I have seen and been involved in a few situations at RCG about poor O/O judgement more related to wildlife recently. It does seem that the frequency of video posts exhibiting irresponsible O/O behavior has decreased at RCG somewhat. Or maybe my brain is preventing me from seeing it for self-preservation reasons. I am not sure. I do not go on Facebook very often, rarely. Those who do should confront those irresponsible O/O arseh*les directly. Probably will not stop the behavior, but it might curtail the video frequencies.

I would say that education is the key, but some O/O's do not care to be educated for a multitude of wrong reasons and/or justifications. I spent +30 years in the mental health field. I could write more than one book on these O/O's "reasons" or reasoning "powers". Unfortunately our constitution allows one the right to be self centered, entitled, as well as stupid.; even though these "rights" were not specifically specified.

I did not belong to AMA until recently although I followed its guidelines as I flew on my own private property/airfield. Now that I am flying due to personal circumstances over public property I do belong to AMA. I did purchase a 3 month membership. Now that I think about it I will get a full membership for a lot of reasons.

I need to rest. I have exceeded my rant factor…. My BP is way to high.
 
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jes1111

Active Member
Y'all seem to be missing the point - the FAA is not going to win this one - for the same reasons they lost the Trappy case (the same lawyer has taken up this new case, by the look of it). So another embarrassing defeat for the FAA to look forward to :)
 

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
Y'all seem to be missing the point - the FAA is not going to win this one - for the same reasons they lost the Trappy case (the same lawyer has taken up this new case, by the look of it). So another embarrassing defeat for the FAA to look forward to :)

I don't know that we missed the point, more that we are focused on the fact that as stated earlier, despite losing the Trappy case, they are not ceasing to "enforce" what they are not legislated to enforce.

Regardless of whether you win the case or not, fighting it is an expensive hassle. So in my opinion, regardless of outcome, the end-user loses.

Not sure it will be as clear-cut as Trappy. This case has the restricted air space added in (which may be tossed), but the endangering part: the fact that this kid WAS negligent in his actions can't help his case.

Any judge would have no problem nailing this kid had he tossed a baseball bat down from a balcony toward a busy street. Not sure why this would be any different.
 

econfly

Member
We are past the point of "more government" doing anything useful. The FAA is doing all they can to demonstrate that fact.
 

Motopreserve

Drone Enthusiast
Sadly, although I don't trust the FAA to be "reasonable," at this point I'm almost hoping for legislation that requires a test or certification etc. That way the people who are willing to put the time in and be responsible have something to differentiate themselves from these yahoos that are blackening the collective eye of the multirotor community.

Of course, that would require the FAA to show a very different type of logic and fairness than they've exhibited thus far...
 



jbrumberg

Member
The FAA's recent and increasingly active attempts at exercising its authority by attempting to enforce its own ambiguous laws and regulations of its own making are bound to fail due to the ambiguity of their own laws and regulations. The FAA has consistently delayed the publication of any UAV rules and regulations for some time now if I understand things correctly. The lawsuits will be ultimately dropped due to lack of legal clarity, etc., but the offending O/O will be out of some serious money due to legal costs and fines and not flying due to the O/O's time spent in court and involvement with legal activities. So in a way, the O/O will no longer present a threat to the hobby, industry, and the community, and will have some financial penalties as well for the O/O's irresponsible behaviors- so there is some payback.

What is unfortunate is the negative impacts, the restrictions on the appropriate use of "UAV's" currently and in the near future due to the current ambiguous and/or nonexistent laws and regulations that could be legitimate and beneficial commercial, agricultural, and scientific UAV use.

The regulations, probably bad ones, ill conceived, driven by media inspired hysteria (and votes) will come. Drone shoot anyone?
 
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