[quote]Drones can begin flying low over the American skyscape by 2017 under rules proposed Sunday by the Obama administration that will finally allow their legal use for business purposes.
“We want to maintain today’s outstanding level of aviation safety without placing an undue regulatory burden on an emerging industry.” On a conference call with reporters, Huerta bragged the FAA had created “the most flexible regime for unmanned aircraft 55 pounds or less that exists anywhere in the world.”
In another win for the industry, small drones won’t need airworthiness certificates required of planes. The certificates can take three to five years to earn, a timeline the FAA admits couldn’t keep up with the pace of innovation in the industry. But drones will be required to have an identifying number displayed prominently on the body. On planes, this “N number” helps the public quickly identify the plane’s owner and will aid with accountability for drones.
Also Sunday, the White House issued a presidential memorandum on drone privacy. The memo requires federal agencies to harmonize their policies and procedures to be consistent with the memo’s limits on data collection and use, retention and dissemination of information collected by drones. It would ensure that agencies prohibit data from being used “in any manner that would violate the First Amendment or in any manner that would discriminate against persons based upon their ethnicity, race, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, in violation of law.”[/quote]
[url]http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/faa-small-drone-rules-115207.html?hp=lc2_4[/url]
Had a small feeling coming into this thread that they'd create rules completely against them.
I was pleasantly surprised...
[del]Good. This will drastically decrease shipping time for certain types of items, and will allow the person who's purchasing items to figure out where their item is via GPS tracking and camera view(which is gonna be fucking awesome).
I mean seriously guys, imagine being able to watch any package you have from FedEx, UPS, or USPS have a camera view in which you can watch it coming to your household for drop off. It'd be so much fun to watch/view. Not to mention you could also record the video, and that'll be amazing in terms of providing details for insurance issues and the like.
The future of mail and package shipping lies with drones, and mailboxes that act as landing pads for drones carrying pneumatic tube cylinders. The idea I have in my head for such a system is basically that a mail drone will land on your mailbox, and act like a honey bee. Your mailbox will have two cylinder holders. One cylinder holder will be for mail delivery, the other for holding the empty cylinder that you took mail from the other day. As the mail drones come over to your mailbox, they'll drop the first cylinder into the empty holder, and then will use their now empty cylinder holder area to pick up your empty cylinder.
As the mail drone leaves your mail box, your mailbox will automatically seal itself(radio transmitter with drone ect), and protect your mail against the element, alongside the closed mail cylinder.
The best part about this is that the mail cylinders can be done with recycled plastics and the like, therefore making them waterproof and protecting your mail.
Another method for this system is to get rid of the mailbox entirely, and have pneumatic pump systems built directly into a house in which each town is divided into neighborhoods/subdivisions which have main offices where the drones meet up to deliver mail like a giant drone hive/pigeon coop. Once the mail is delivered, and the drones move back to their main stations to pick up more mail or charge, the pneumatic tube system comes into play. Every house will have a pipe system directly linked via pneumatic tube, and the mail for each house will directly deliver to the household. This will ensure that all mail is prevented from wear and tear. Once someone empties their cylinder for their mail, they simply put in the now empty cylinder, and send it back off to the main mail hub.
Oh my god the future of mail is gonna be so awesome.[/del]
Just started reading more into this, and realized that they are making it so drones have to remain in operator sites and all. Sorta meaning that drones like Amazons cannot fly anymore. So much for hopes of better package delivery.
[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;47152929]Good. This will drastically decrease shipping time for certain types of items, and will allow the person who's purchasing items to figure out where their item is via GPS tracking and camera view(which is gonna be fucking awesome).
I mean seriously guys, imagine being able to watch any package you have from FedEx, UPS, or USPS have a camera view in which you can watch it coming to your household for drop off. It'd be so much fun to watch/view. Not to mention you could also record the video, and that'll be amazing in terms of providing details for insurance issues and the like.
The future of mail and package shipping lies with drones, and mailboxes that act as landing pads for drones carrying pneumatic tube cylinders. The idea I have in my head for such a system is basically that a mail drone will land on your mailbox, and act like a honey bee. Your mailbox will have two cylinder holders. One cylinder holder will be for mail delivery, the other for holding the empty cylinder that you took mail from the other day. As the mail drones come over to your mailbox, they'll drop the first cylinder into the empty holder, and then will use their now empty cylinder holder area to pick up your empty cylinder.
As the mail drone leaves your mail box, your mailbox will automatically seal itself(radio transmitter with drone ect), and protect your mail against the element, alongside the closed mail cylinder.
The best part about this is that the mail cylinders can be done with recycled plastics and the like, therefore making them waterproof and protecting your mail.
Another method for this system is to get rid of the mailbox entirely, and have pneumatic pump systems built directly into a house in which each town is divided into neighborhoods/subdivisions which have main offices where the drones meet up to deliver mail like a giant drone hive/pigeon coop. Once the mail is delivered, and the drones move back to their main stations to pick up more mail or charge, the pneumatic tube system comes into play. Every house will have a pipe system directly linked via pneumatic tube, and the mail for each house will directly deliver to the household. This will ensure that all mail is prevented from wear and tear. Once someone empties their cylinder for their mail, they simply put in the now empty cylinder, and send it back off to the main mail hub.
Oh my god the future of mail is gonna be so awesome.[/QUOTE]
not really
current proposal requires VLOS, and not allowed to carry external weight (i.e. freight)
[QUOTE=LordCrypto;47152948]not really
current proposal requires VLOS, [B]and not allowed to carry external weight (i.e. freight)[/B][/QUOTE]
Welp their goes my hopes and dreams.
I was really hoping that something like this would come to fruition so that packages could have better insurance and all. It sorta blows having packages arrive fucked up and all.
Its best to keep in mind that these are the [I]first[/I] rules being drafted regarding drones. Things like commercial use are sure to come with time.
Its weird that they chose 500AGL as the max altitude. I was expecting lower. Class G airspace might get a bit crowded in some areas
[QUOTE=Code3Response;47153057]Its best to keep in mind that these are the [I]first[/I] rules being drafted regarding drones. Things like commercial use are sure to come with time.
Its weird that they chose 500AGL as the max altitude. I was expecting lower. Class G airspace might get a bit crowded in some areas[/QUOTE]
I think the idea is to keep them the fuck away from Class E. E in special cases starts at 700' AGL [U]minimum[/U], so the 500' AGL restriction seems totally within norm to me. Anyways, they're totally feeling it out at this point.
These rules are pretty much a copy of the AMA rules for model aircraft operators that have been around for years (decades?).
As lenient as they may sound, it pretty much cripples some of the more valuable and interesting uses for small drones. Requiring visual (unassisted human sight) LOS on the aircraft at all times is a terrible concession.
At least they're not cracking down on them to the point RC aviation dies out. The hobby's already just hobbling along as-is, last thing it needs is another stab in the chest from the FAA.
I think they just wanted to take it easy. I know Amazon has been required to perform its drone testing indoors. I think with these initial drafts, they can finally get into basic flight testing outdoors since they simply need to have VLOS. Hopefully give it another year they will allow for payload.
[QUOTE=ChristopherB;47155765]These rules are pretty much a copy of the AMA rules for model aircraft operators that have been around for years (decades?).
As lenient as they may sound, it pretty much cripples some of the more valuable and interesting uses for small drones. Requiring visual (unassisted human sight) LOS on the aircraft at all times is a terrible concession.[/QUOTE]
I'd argue that as long as video feed from the drone is available it should be a reasonable replacement for direct visual contact.
[QUOTE=TestECull;47156267]At least they're not cracking down on them to the point RC aviation dies out. The hobby's already just hobbling along as-is, last thing it needs is another stab in the chest from the FAA.[/QUOTE]
If you don't mind me asking, why is it bad for the RC hobby right now?
I always wanted to get into RC flying in the future when my extra income could support it
[QUOTE=Fueger;47154445]I think the idea is to keep them the fuck away from Class E. E in special cases starts at 700' AGL [U]minimum[/U], so the 500' AGL restriction seems totally within norm to me. Anyways, they're totally feeling it out at this point.[/QUOTE]
I'm surprised its that high. I was expecting a lower max
[QUOTE=Kill001;47160683]If you don't mind me asking, why is it bad for the RC hobby right now?
I always wanted to get into RC flying in the future when my extra income could support it[/QUOTE]
Within the past few years two hobby stores for R/C that were near me are both gone now. But that could just be my area.
While it is good that they are finally passing rules for drone flight. This is terrible at the same time as it bans FPV flight and autonomous flying. While I understand that as aircraft that any form of RC aircraft carrying significant weight can be dangerous to those on the ground, it is extremely cool to have an aircraft fly and observe the world from above, something that is impossible to control well when the operator is stuck observing the aircraft from the ground.
[QUOTE=Kill001;47160683]If you don't mind me asking, why is it bad for the RC hobby right now?
I always wanted to get into RC flying in the future when my extra income could support it[/QUOTE]
From my experience with model railroads and RC planes, 99.999% of the younger generation doesn't care about things that take time and skill to learn or build. Then you have all the young guys who want to get into this, but simply don't have the money.
Pretty much a dying industry, most model train companies that used to exist, no longer do. Its just not a massively profitable venture for companies any more. Its really all about tablets and other means of fun that let you sit on a couch.
EDIT: And online sales murdered any actual hobby shops.
[QUOTE=Call Me Kiwi;47162054]Within the past few years two hobby stores for R/C that were near me are both gone now. But that could just be my area.[/QUOTE]
This is mainly due to online stores undercutting actual stores, and cheap Chinese garbage that for some reason attracts a HUGE portion of the flying hobbyists.
So it's still limited to visual range only?
Fine by me. I'm certainly not excited about the prospect of these things buzzing left and right over my house all day.
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;47162439]So it's still limited to visual range only?
Fine by me. I'm certainly not excited about the prospect of these things buzzing left and right over my house all day.[/QUOTE]
you are part of the problem. The general hobbyist gives zero shits about what you're doing and what you have. It's no different than someone flying a plane, heli, or driving an rc car near your house since all of those can carry cameras.
So now if I want to do several shots I have to be trailing behind in a fucking car. So much for autopilot.
I'm sure some workarounds will be developed. Drones had the potential to be amazing alternative to helicopter mounted cameras in cinematics
FPV is still technically possible, you just need to use a buddy box so one co-pilot can take over with their own remote, downside being they're not cheap and you're still limited to the co-pilot's sight
[QUOTE=pentium;47162582]
I'm sure some workarounds will be developed. Drones had the potential to be amazing alternative to helicopter mounted cameras in cinematics[/QUOTE]
If it's anything like Australia's regulations, these rules will be for personal use and there'll be a Commercial license with less restrictions, but requires training and certification
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