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FAA issuing new rules to allow drones to fly over people and at night

reuters.com

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Re: FAA issuing new rules to allow drones to fly over people and at night

#3
The final rule looks to be a big win for everyone who was protesting the original proposed rule:

"The final Remote ID rule eliminates the requirement that drones be connected to the internet to transmit location data; the final rule requires drones to broadcasts remote ID messages via radio frequency broadcast."

This is great because RF broadcast-based Remote ID is much simpler and cost-effective to integrate into existing hobby or consumer drones. It could be built into RC receivers, or as a separate transponder.

Re: FAA issuing new rules to allow drones to fly over people and at night

#5

This will revolutionize the delivery industry. I imagine trucks will become mobile drone carriers with drones landing and taking off with packages as they travel through the city.

I have a lot of doubts on the cost/efficiency of this. Keeping things airborne will always cost a lot more energy than rolling things around. Ground-based delivery robots make some sense, air-based ones likely don't.

Re: FAA issuing new rules to allow drones to fly over people and at night

#6
What about changing the rules around commercial use of drone photography / videography?

I don't understand why it's fine to use drones to take photos and videos for personal use, and why it's perfectly fine to use the smartphone in your hand for commercially-usable photos and videos, but combine the two and you suddenly have to get an FAA license?

That requirement feels very arbitrary, and it feels like a requirement that will eventually go away.

Re: FAA issuing new rules to allow drones to fly over people and at night

#7

The final rule looks to be a big win for everyone who was protesting the original proposed rule: "The final Remote ID rule eliminates the requirement that drones be connected to the internet to transmit location data; the final rule requires drones to broadcasts remote ID messages via radio frequency broadcast." This is great because RF broadcast-based Remote ID is much simpler and cost-effective to integrate into ex…

RF can still be expensive depending on how it needs to be implemented. As a casual drone pilot I’m still concerned about how this is going to effect cost, existing equipment in the field and hobby/home-built uSAS’s.

I’ll still take it over the internet mandate, however - so it’s a step in the right direction.

Re: FAA issuing new rules to allow drones to fly over people and at night

#9
post #6

What about changing the rules around commercial use of drone photography / videography? I don't understand why it's fine to use drones to take photos and videos for personal use, and why it's perfectly fine to use the smartphone in your hand for commercially-usable photos and videos, but combine the two and you suddenly have to get an FAA license? That requirement feels very arbitrary, and it feels like a requirement…

> That requirement feels very arbitrary, and it feels like a requirement that will eventually go away.

Because it's the only way they found to regulate the behavior. They would prefer to regulate all of the drone flying, but they have limitations in power in a variety of ways, and they don't want to bother Congress about it.

Re: FAA issuing new rules to allow drones to fly over people and at night

#10
post #6

What about changing the rules around commercial use of drone photography / videography? I don't understand why it's fine to use drones to take photos and videos for personal use, and why it's perfectly fine to use the smartphone in your hand for commercially-usable photos and videos, but combine the two and you suddenly have to get an FAA license? That requirement feels very arbitrary, and it feels like a requirement…

You may feel it's arbitrary, but it's consistent with other FAA certificates: i.e. you need a commercial pilot certificate to be paid to fly.
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