Feds to require drone registration after close calls
I have mixed thoughts on this. Until a few weeks ago I would've been dead set against this. Then I signed up for a ground school and started working toward my private pilot's license. The ground school gave me an appreciation of the complexity of the airspace system and made me understand that anyone operating a UAV capable of getting higher than the tree tops needs some education. At a minimum I think you need to have at least a basic understanding of the airspace system and the know how to read the sectional charts that show the locations of all the airports, heliports, etc.
Flying in a small plane made me realize just how hard it is to spot another small plane and how huge the potential blind spots are. Ideally, UAVs would all be equipped with ADS-B-Out to broadcast their position and all manned aircraft would have ADS-B-Out and ADS-B-In so that they could "see" the UAVs virtually if not literally. The FAA has mandated the use of ADS-B-Out for most aircraft by 2020 but to my knowledge there's no mandate for ADS-B-In yet.
Good post Stephen - the complexities involved in allowing UAV's is mind-numbing.
Question: What exactly is a drone?
A quadcopter?
A quadcopter with camera?
A quad copter with camera and fpv?
The rules that governed fixed wing remotely controlled planes already applies to the so called drone.
Maybe we just need enforcement.
That's why registration is going to be required...
Here's the type of stuff that the average person flying model aircraft or UAVs has no clue that they're in violation of. The blue text below was copied from a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) sent out to let everyone know about the TFR (temporary flight restriction) accompanying President Obama's visit to Charleston, WV tomorrow. Pay special attention to the red text in section C. He visited the Knoxville area a few months ago and I was very aware of the impacts to both ground and air traffic. However, I had no idea that going home and zipping around the yard with my quad-copter or 12" bi-plane would be a violation.
These TFR's get issued all the time for national security reasons, sporting events, etc. Here's an article that goes into detail on the TFR's.
The gist of the below notice is that anyone flying anything within 30 nautical miles of Charleston, WV between 1pm and 5pm tomorrow without very specific permission will be in violation of FAA regulations.
CHARLESTON, WV ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015
A NOTAM (FDC 5/8561) has been published that will affect flight in the area during President Obama's planned visit.
30 NM RADIUS TFR
Location
On the CHARLESTON VORTAC (HVQ) 084 degree radial at 8.5 nautical miles.
>From the surface up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL.
Times
1:00 PM local until 5:00 PM local Wednesday, October 21, 2015
11 NM RADIUS NO-FLY ZONE
Location
On the CHARLESTON VORTAC (HVQ) 084 degree radial at 8.5 nautical miles.
>From the surface up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL.
Times
1:00 PM local until 5:00 PM local Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Affected Public Use Airports
KCRW Yeager
55I Slate Run
12V Ona Airpark
KUSW Boggs Field
Additional Notes:
No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described).
Except as specified below and/or unless authorized by ATC in consultation with the air traffic security coordinator via the domestic events network (DEN):
A. All aircraft operations within the 11 NMR area(s) listed above, known as the inner core(s), are prohibited except for: Approved law enforcement, military aircraft directly supporting the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the office of the President of the United States, approved air ambulance flights, and regularly scheduled commercial passenger and all-cargo carriers operating under one of the following TSA-Approved standard security programs/procedures: aircraft operator standard security program (AOSSP), full all-cargo aircraft operator standard security program (FACAOSSP), model security program (MSP), twelve five standard security program (TFSSP) all cargo, or all-cargo international security procedure (ACISP) and are arriving into and/or departing from 14 cfr part 139 airports. All emergency/life saving flight (medical/law enforcement/firefighting) operations must coordinate with ATC prior to their departure at 304-347-5389 to avoid potential delays.
B. For operations within the airspace between the 11 nmr and 30 nmr area(s) listed above, known as the outer ring(s): All aircraft operating within the outer ring(s) listed above are limited to aircraft arriving or departing local airfields, and workload permitting, ATC may authorize transit operations. Aircraft may not loiter. All aircraft must be on an active IFR or VFR flight plan with a discrete code assigned by an air traffic control (ATC) facility. Aircraft must be squawking the discrete code prior to departure and at all times while in the TFR and must remain in two-way radio communications with ATC.
C. The following operations are not authorized within this TFR: flight training, practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider operations, seaplane operations, parachute operations, ultralight, hang gliding, balloon operations, agriculture/crop dusting, animal population control flight operations, banner towing operations, sightseeing operations, maintenance test flights, model aircraft operations, model rocketry, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and utility and pipeline survey operations.
D. FAA recommends that all aircraft operators check notams frequently for possible changes to this TFR prior to operations within this region
Stephen Ward, post: 341044, member: 1206 wrote: Feds to require drone registration after close calls
I have mixed thoughts on this. Until a few weeks ago I would've been dead set against this. Then I signed up for a ground school and started working toward my private pilot's license. The ground school gave me an appreciation of the complexity of the airspace system and made me understand that anyone operating a UAV capable of getting higher than the tree tops needs some education. At a minimum I think you need to have at least a basic understanding of the airspace system and the know how to read the sectional charts that show the locations of all the airports, heliports, etc.
Flying in a small plane made me realize just how hard it is to spot another small plane and how huge the potential blind spots are. Ideally, UAVs would all be equipped with ADS-B-Out to broadcast their position and all manned aircraft would have ADS-B-Out and ADS-B-In so that they could "see" the UAVs virtually if not literally. The FAA has mandated the use of ADS-B-Out for most aircraft by 2020 but to my knowledge there's no mandate for ADS-B-In yet.
No hobby quadcopters withing 30 nm of the president's plane? Someone is both optimistic and tyrannical. (Not a political comment, I am sure it is the same no matter the flavor of the president's party.)
As a hobbyist and commercial UAV user myself I 100% agree with you Stephen but i don't think a registration will help with close call issues. The UAV would have to be identified and brought down for any information to be useful in pursuing legal action. I like that the USDOT and FAA are at least trying to come up with a solution but this is not the answer with today's technology you think we could come up with a lightweight cheap transmitter or even a RFID tag that could broadcast a unique user ID.
Then you would have to worry about the guys that build and also what happens when a UAV changes ownership. Not that i want my hobby to be regulated like gun control but i believe stricter regulations need to happen on the hobby side and not the commercial. Just my .02
