Seriously?

[Str8 Up]

Here is a company claiming to have the first FAA certified multirotor flying through a tunnel on a active roadway that obviously wasn't locked down. How was this any less careless or reckless than Trappy's VT flight?
Section 333 specifically prohibits flying from moving vehicles and at night.

 

[Old Man]

The terms ethics and business are not quite mutually exclusive but are getting closer to achieving that status with each passing day. The FAA had not certified ANY multirotors. When they do I can assure you it will belong to one of several aerospace companies having them in testing long before they consider one from people like us.

 

[dark_star]

Wow, pretty bad promotional video.

Old man, several of the companies with the 333 exemptions have multi rotors registered. My understanding is that they are classified as experimental, but they are registered complete with N numbers.

The bigger issue here is people lying about having a COA under a 333 exemption. In this case, neither Rotor FX LLC or Oleksiy "Alex" Zayika are shown to hold any exemptions. It seems that Alex is a full size pilot, but that alone, of course, does not in any way grant any status to fly multi rotors commercially. Having his full size license is just one of the steps to getting 333 exemption status.

I've noticed several people listing that they are "FAA approved pilots" within the context of flying multi rotors. It's BS. As of now they are either part of a 333 exempted company or they are not.

 

[Str8 Up]

I went to their website after seeing the interview below at the LA Drone Expo. They sounded really professional so I figured I would check out their website and videos and discovered the exact opposite. You are both spot on.

http://www.internationaldroneday.com/tdsd-meet-rotorfx-flight-school/

 

[Old Man]

Wow, pretty bad promotional video.

Old man, several of the companies with the 333 exemptions have multi rotors registered. My understanding is that they are classified as experimental, but they are registered complete with N numbers.

The bigger issue here is people lying about having a COA under a 333 exemption. In this case, neither Rotor FX LLC or Oleksiy "Alex" Zayika are shown to hold any exemptions. It seems that Alex is a full size pilot, but that alone, of course, does not in any way grant any status to fly multi rotors commercially. Having his full size license is just one of the steps to getting 333 exemption status.

I've noticed several people listing that they are "FAA approved pilots" within the context of flying multi rotors. It's BS. As of now they are either part of a 333 exempted company or they are not.

Under the 333 waivers an "approved" pilot is a licensed and current Private Pilot or better. I could lay claim to being an "approved multirotor pilot" if my intent was to lie to generate business. I've got a commercial ticket so I must be "approved" right? Since I do have a commercial multi instrument ticket I must be even more approved than someone with a basic, run of the mill Private ticket Hey, will a multirotor operator be required to have a multi engine rating? What a concept.... People are playing on words to obtain a competitive business advantage. Those not educated of the federal regulations and legal terminology have a tendency to look at advertising and think that a company or person making such a statement is stating a fact when the truth is they may well be distorting one.

The aircraft flying in Alaska do indeed have experimental classification and tail numbers. I know this because I've handled one of them for specific purposes. It was placed under my care for quite some time. I'd be interested in seeing any currently "approved" multirotor named in a 333 waiver to see if those numbers were actually applied or not. Even the aircraft I handled did not have tail numbers of a size that meets current legal specifications. Just more government games perhaps.

 

[Ronan]

Sigh...

 

[Bartman]

As it stands, MARKETING is our greatest enemy. A good pitch is better than an accurate pitch. It's carpetbaggers and snake oil salesmen all over again! Clear, simple regulations that could be easily communicated to others and which could be easily verified by the uninitiated would be a huge help at the moment!

 

[Str8 Up]

Very true. There is a midwest video producer that bought the US's first Aerigon drone. For the last 10 years he has hired a couple of experienced drone companies to shoot aerials for him. One stopped flying for him because he was always asking them to do something stupid and risky. They even had to sue him to make him pay their last invoice. Now he is on the news every chance he can get saying he has 10 years experience flying drones and safety is #1.