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FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

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Re: FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

#41

Post by bri3d »

baddox wrote: post #38
bri3d wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In this case the appeal stays the decision: http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId... Definitely agree with your second point - according to most observers, the FAA's authority to regulate small (model-sized) UAVs is tenuous at best. They're generally not expected to win their appeal.

That's interesting. Is it well-accepted that an appeal stays the decisions? If not, then this might just be another case of the FAA claiming its desires. And even if the appeal is stayed, what is the default state?

In the case of the NTSB court, yes, a "timely" appeal stays the decision by default. 49 CFR § 821.43

Re: FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

#42

Post by bri3d »

hershel wrote: post #36
bri3d wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In this case the appeal stays the decision: http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId... Definitely agree with your second point - according to most observers, the FAA's authority to regulate small (model-sized) UAVs is tenuous at best. They're generally not expected to win their appeal.

Even if they lose, won't the laws change to give them these powers ? I don't see something as potentially risky as drones running around unregulated.

The laws already changed to give them these powers - the 2012 FAA Modernization Act authorizes the FAA to make rules about UAS.

However, the FAA's rulemaking abilities are limited by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and they haven't made any yet.

So, even if the FAA's appeal fails, there will be a very short window (probably a year or less) before drones are explicitly regulated on less shaky footing.

Re: FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

#43

Post by byoung2 »

hippich wrote: post #14

From reading all these legal nuances I feel like next step would be to rent away for free drones to customers which they will use in turn to pickup their packages at amazon warehouses :)

That was my first thought: a Prime membership could include fractional ownership in a drone, so any delivery would be my personal fraction of a drone delivering my package for recreational purposes!

Re: FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

#46

Post by derwiki »

sp332 wrote: post #35
purringmeow wrote: post #23

I really can't see the need for premature bans. Has there been a significant amount of accidents involving the use of delivery drones? I don't think so, so why potentially limit your competitiveness? :(

418 U.S. military drones have crashed so far. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2014/06/22/cr... Do you think commercial drones will be better-maintained or have more experienced pilots? I don't.

Military drones are very different than $400 quadcopters.

Re: FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

#47

Post by Houshalter »

sp332 wrote: post #35
purringmeow wrote: post #23

I really can't see the need for premature bans. Has there been a significant amount of accidents involving the use of delivery drones? I don't think so, so why potentially limit your competitiveness? :(

418 U.S. military drones have crashed so far. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2014/06/22/cr... Do you think commercial drones will be better-maintained or have more experienced pilots? I don't.

These are very very different types of aircraft. Sort of like saying a few submarines have sunk therefore we are outlawing all boats.

Re: FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

#49

Post by donatj »

> > If an individual offers free shipping in association with a purchase or other offer, FAA would construe the shipping to be in furtherance of a business purpose, and thus, the operation would not fall within the statutory requirement of recreation or hobby purpose.

> Surprising? No, but it is almost fun to see the government be so particular in its language

Well couldn't amazon get around this by using negative shipping, whereas they pay you to ship items to you? Like pay you a penny. To me being "so particular in [..] language" just leads to loop holes.

Re: FAA bans the use of drones to deliver packages

#50

Post by newaccountfool »

bri3d wrote: post #17
bmelton wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The FAA has never been asked about it before, and the law of the land is "That which is not forbidden is legal." If there's no law against it, it's allowed. In this regard, it makes the statement that they are now banning it more true than they are still banning it, because they have never expressly disallowed it in the past (to my knowledge -- if incorrect, probably renders my point moot). Class E Airspace, that whi…

Nope! http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/media/model_aircraf... UASes fall under the guise of "model aircraft" when operated as a hobby, but as soon as they're operated commercially, they're in their own, specifically defined class of aircraft, as clarified in 2007 (and linked in this comment's sibling). That's why quadcopter video operators often employ humorous (and probably not legally workable) workarounds…

Regulating a commercial RCPlane or Multicopter, is it not just a way to extract more cash? No matter what training you have to go through if the aircraft is coming out of the sky its coming out of the sky. Now I know you can try to mitigate it with teaching but the hundreds of things that can go wrong with these aircraft is spectacular.

In the uk when doing commercial flying tests your meant to bring the aircraft you aim to fly along with you, what happens if you have loads of aircraft and are a seasoned hobbyist wanting to make money from your passion? You can get around it, do something for someone and just tell them to keep it hush and make a donation to you in some way.

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