Sharing Airspace with UASs

[diesel]

Do you think the universe is trying to tell him something? Perhaps "stop riding your motorbike through herds of cows"...Back to topic though... surely it can't be too hard to limit these things to say 250" AGL which is plenty for anything remotely controlled (civilian that is...) and 2 - mandate a strobe light on top to add to safety. Or is that unnecessary red tape?

That sounds easy Marty but these guys dont even know how that really is. Have a look at some youtube vids. Even in the farming scene over rolling country. Thats around 2.5 nz pine trees high. Chas

 

 

[SDQDI]

I think that's unnecessary Marty.

 

I think the current regs are good enough just not enforced enough. (How do you find the controller, even if you have his drone?)

 

I was of the understanding that they are already limited to below 400ft and not with x miles of an aerodrome and not out of sight of the operator. Why bring in more rules when the rules that are already there should be sufficient? Why not just police the existing rules?

 

 

[SDQDI]

I think that's unnecessary Marty.

 

I think the current regs are good enough just not enforced enough. (How do you find the controller, even if you have his drone?)

 

I was of the understanding that they are already limited to below 400ft and not with x miles of an aerodrome and not out of sight of the operator. Why bring in more rules when the rules that are already there should be sufficient? Why not just police the existing rules?

 

 

[pylon500]

Why not just police the existing rules?

Not as easy as it sounds and the tendency is to do shotgun policing (no, not shooting the damn things), as in everyone gets hassled and/or regulated, often missing the culprit in the end anyway.

Yep, big high energy strobes sounds like a good idea, by the time you see one of these things, it will be as the bits start raining on your windscreen.

 

 

[pylon500]

Why not just police the existing rules?

Not as easy as it sounds and the tendency is to do shotgun policing (no, not shooting the damn things), as in everyone gets hassled and/or regulated, often missing the culprit in the end anyway.

Yep, big high energy strobes sounds like a good idea, by the time you see one of these things, it will be as the bits start raining on your windscreen.

 

 

[Marty_d]

I think that's unnecessary Marty.I think the current regs are good enough just not enforced enough. (How do you find the controller, even if you have his drone?)

 

I was of the understanding that they are already limited to below 400ft and not with x miles of an aerodrome and not out of sight of the operator. Why bring in more rules when the rules that are already there should be sufficient? Why not just police the existing rules?

That's the problem, bloody hard to police these things. R/C aircraft are generally at a club, the operators are registered, and you need a relatively large flat open space in any case if it's a plane as opposed to a chopper. Drones are available on Ebay and can be flown pretty much anywhere. I don't know what the answers are in terms of making things safer for light aircraft, maybe the technology itself will provide some solutions in the future (built in hard ceiling etc.) One thing's for sure, with low price and low skills required (ie instant gratification) - there's only going to be more of them buzzing around.

 

 

[Marty_d]

I think that's unnecessary Marty.I think the current regs are good enough just not enforced enough. (How do you find the controller, even if you have his drone?)

 

I was of the understanding that they are already limited to below 400ft and not with x miles of an aerodrome and not out of sight of the operator. Why bring in more rules when the rules that are already there should be sufficient? Why not just police the existing rules?

That's the problem, bloody hard to police these things. R/C aircraft are generally at a club, the operators are registered, and you need a relatively large flat open space in any case if it's a plane as opposed to a chopper. Drones are available on Ebay and can be flown pretty much anywhere. I don't know what the answers are in terms of making things safer for light aircraft, maybe the technology itself will provide some solutions in the future (built in hard ceiling etc.) One thing's for sure, with low price and low skills required (ie instant gratification) - there's only going to be more of them buzzing around.

 

 

[OZJohn]

As an active aerial firefighter this is causing considerable concern. Most of you realize the effect of out of balance in either a fixed wing or rotary aircraft. The amateur drone flyer would not give it a thought. The usual response is we fly so low we won't worry you. Many times I have been in a four ton aircraft taken up at 1000 feet per minute over a fire, a drone could finish up anywhere.

 

Once aircraft are involved in fire fight the area becomes a restricted area with a F-CTAF and no aircraft can enter without authority. Crew safety is paramount. If a drone is in a fire area all aerial fire fighting will stop.

 

You may have seen the phrase used in USA " If you fly we don't " aimed at drones in fire areas. I am sure most drone operators do not want to cause any harm. I think drones are amazing and would like to play with one. John.

 

 

[OZJohn]

As an active aerial firefighter this is causing considerable concern. Most of you realize the effect of out of balance in either a fixed wing or rotary aircraft. The amateur drone flyer would not give it a thought. The usual response is we fly so low we won't worry you. Many times I have been in a four ton aircraft taken up at 1000 feet per minute over a fire, a drone could finish up anywhere.

 

Once aircraft are involved in fire fight the area becomes a restricted area with a F-CTAF and no aircraft can enter without authority. Crew safety is paramount. If a drone is in a fire area all aerial fire fighting will stop.

 

You may have seen the phrase used in USA " If you fly we don't " aimed at drones in fire areas. I am sure most drone operators do not want to cause any harm. I think drones are amazing and would like to play with one. John.

 

 

[SDQDI]

Just found this in my wet weather YouTube surfing time

 

 

 

[Birdseye]

Lots more than that on YouTube, not just quads, but FPV fixed wing, ballooons etc. etc. Most postings seeme to be from the USA, but that may just be down to the numbers over there.

 

DJI as one of the major 'mainstream' quad producers has implemented restrictions that prevent or restrict flight in designated areas, mainly in North America and Europe. Unfortuntely this has apprently been over restrictive in some cases, such as preventing somebody operating in their backyard due to a limited use helipad some kms away. However, that is just one manufacturer.

 

A licenced RPAS operator is probably going to stick to the rules and would be foolish not to do things like required risk assessments.

 

Going by some of the comments in this thread we don't need media hysteria.