I don't have an UAV nor do I know what frequencies your drone may be using, BUT?ÿ I can assure you the FCC takes harsh action against those operating on frequencies they shouldn't be. As a matter of course, NO commercial operation can use amateur frequencies in a for profit business anyway and if using in the amateur frequencies for hobby uses you would still need to have the appropriate license privileges. Know what frequency you are using and know if you have the correct FCC license if needed.
http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-drone-transmitters-complaint-spurs-proposed-2-8-million-fcc-penalty
making radios another "controlled substance" and HobbyKing has some $ to grab. What happened to consumer responsibility?
Radio transmitter have always been a controlled substance, there is a finite radio spectrum and splattering all over someplace where you don't belong is against the rules, there has to be rules for everyone to get along.
Consumer responsibility is part of it, BUT so is manufacturer responsibility, why did they even sell a drone with a transmitter that was illegal? A consumer would probably assume if it is for sale at a hobby store that it is legal to use.
Notice that the FCC also said "operators must comply with FCC rules". How many surveyors over the years have operated a 35W UHF transmitter without proper FCC license? Expecting someone who bought a toy drone from Hobby King to follow FCC licensing rules may be a bit more than we should expect!
SHG?ÿ
Products made in other countries do not have to be made to USA standards.
Why illegal devices are allowed to enter the USA is beyond me.
Every time I travel overseas, I must comply with customs and not take some of our modern tech to the Far East and Vietnam.
Most every basic walkie talkie radio has channels that require license to operate. I bet it is hard to track someone that comes on the air for a few seconds at at time saying "your other left" or "right 2.4ft and come 6.5ft or "7ft at 1 o'clock".
Several years ago I was considering getting a FM transmitter similar to what the DriveIn picture shows had except more powerful that would transmit across a campground and lake and upstream for fishing tournaments. It was possible to obtain up to 15 watt broadcasters for around $100 that anyone could pick up the signal on their FM radio and headphones from miles away to keep up with what was going on with hourly weighin reports. Problem was that without a license broadcasting distance is limited to 200ft and that is somewhere less than half a watt power. Get caught transmitting too far and they hit you with a $75k fine.
Never got one, settled for a two user bluetooth that works up to 60?ñft.
Spectrum usage isn't decided in a USA vs the rest of the world vacuum, there is an international organization that coordinates this worldwide:
https://www.itu.int/en/Pages/default.aspx
This is why what is acceptable in USA may not be in England and vice versa.
It is not as hard as you think to track interference with radio direction finding equipment. A few years back I had stopped by the local Motorola dealer to get something and they told me they had just shut down a surveyor using a 35w radio broadcasting onto a commercial repeater system they sold time on, big screw up and it didn't take long to find the surveyor. If you step on somebody's licensed spectrum and they file a complaint, there will be action.
SHG