22-Nov-2023, 09:14 PM (This post was last modified: 06-Dec-2023, 10:33 AM by SnowLeopardFPV. Edit Reason: [Moderator Edit] Amended the title. )
.. the local airport won’t push this out until after tomorrow.. (officially)… and according to my source it will be streamed.. I will post updates as soon as they get to me..
05-Dec-2023, 12:19 PM (This post was last modified: 05-Dec-2023, 12:20 PM by SnowLeopardFPV. Edit Reason: Typo corrections. )
You might want to change the title of the thread to indicate what it's actually about, because a random generic thread title gives no indication what the thread is about unless you click into it and then go one step further by also opening and inspecting the attached image which is just too cryptic for some people. Until now I had no idea what this was about because I hadn't looked closely enough at the attached image.
Thread title now updated. I've also added an "Announcement" label to make it more prominent, and I've embedded the image into the first post so it immediately appears full size without someone having to click on a tiny thumbnail to see it.
07-Dec-2023, 03:24 AM (This post was last modified: 07-Dec-2023, 03:28 AM by Rob Axel.)
Attended.. a LOT of information for someone just looking at buying a drone and wanting to have fun.. actually, I could easily see people say “eff it” and fly.. Mostly directed to “camera drones”.. speakers were a military rep and a gentleman that has a “drone business” with contacts to the FAA. I brought up FPV and yes, typical got the “look”..and the information was the same that I got pre covid ..”regulations” ect.. I brought up RID, the module, weight, cost, and surprised the speaker… needless to say FPV was totally not even on the table untill I brought up a “whoop” weighing 40grams fell into the same category as a big camera drone if it is used for any “gains”… I then brought up my wife’s situation with trying to get the school as a FRIA, and Bardwell getting shut down.. I didn’t harp on FPV, but exposed multiple “issues” with the FAA, regulations, and how they are hindering the Hobby and educational progression. Several times it was stated.”we don’t make the rules.. just trying to educate” . I know these guys weren’t expecting my input.. but only half a dozen people showed up.. Who knows .. maybe I shined light on the “educational” aspect.. We as FPV PILOTS are the “outliers”… the “pro pilot” thought the fastest fpv quad was 87mph.. I chuckled..
07-Dec-2023, 10:14 AM (This post was last modified: 07-Dec-2023, 10:20 AM by SnowLeopardFPV. Edit Reason: Additional info added. )
It has become evidently clear that the authorities are completely clueless when it comes to FPV quads, which is quite ironic because the UK CAA previously and publicly labelled all drone pilots as being careless, clueless, and criminal. It's almost like FPV doesn't even exist to them. Any small bits of information they do know probably just came from the toxic main stream media. The drone regulation consultation currently going on in the UK has virtually nothing in it that caters for or is really workable for FPV quads. This is why FPV pilots have decided to just stick their middle finger up and the authorities and carry on what why were doing within the confines of their own definition of safe and responsible flying. Any respect that some FPV pilots might have previously had for the FAA and other aviation authorities across the world has now well and truly gone, and those authorities only have themselves to blame for that. The fact that only 6 people bothered to show up to that meeting is evidence that the FAA are rapidly losing support from drone pilots.
07-Dec-2023, 03:52 PM (This post was last modified: 07-Dec-2023, 03:58 PM by Rob Axel.)
.. it’s also the fact the FAA has implemented regulations (on paper)..ask for further explanation and you hear crickets…I did point out this seminar release was “last minute” and the turnout could have been better. I got the typical canned response.. and I constantly heard the phrase “aircraft safety”…then I pointed out all of the “infractions” were 99% DJI drones..and that was another major issue.. like u stated.. they are not FPV pilots.. I expressed concern about the “over regulation”, and they asked “where”.. I simply explained.. “if I want to fly a quad in my backyard under the tree canopy, with any quad/drone (no matter the weight) and post the video I would be required to have a 107, RID, registered quad, and possibly even a waiver. I got blank stares.. and when I discussed the RID modules, cost, weight, availability, transmission .. i got stares like I had a eye growing out of my forehead.. I explained DJI mad it TO EASY for any moron can walk into a Best Buy, purchase a MAVIC MINI, hit a few buttons, THINK he is in compliance.. and go fly.. I said most FPV pilots are the safest because it takes HOURS of stick time to learn to fly them.. I offers a challenge to both “pro pilots”… in that I would bet they couldn’t fly a fpv quad (in acro)LOS or fpv for ONE battery without crashing.. then asked if they crashed their quads.. I asked about schools, drone programs, stem competitions and how FAA regs are killing the educational / experimental part of the hobby .. again, blank stares and canned responses..Some positive may have surfaced with assistance with getting my wife’s school as a fria .. then I explained the conditions “residential “ i got the yeah.. that’s why.. I responded “show me a school that is NOT in a residential area.. So until the Feds offer a solution, my wife’s class is forced to fly indoors only (officially) I heard “we don’t have all the answers.. we are just trying to “educate” people on what’s required..”. I had to bite my tongue! I wasn’t rude, but in my head I was SCREAMING. “You guys have direct contact with the FAA… and don’t have SOME knowledge” Then it clicked…I;forgot… they are not FPV pilots!!!
It's a shame there weren't more FPV pilots on the call to give them a grilling and help to make them look even more ignorant and incompetent than they clearly already are. I'm guessing the call wasn't recorded. If it was they will probably just delete it so as not to embarrass themselves even more than they already did to the small handful of meeting participants.
Was the event recorded and posted? If so, do you have a link?
One the one hand, it does not surprise me that the FAA representatives do not fully know nor understand the laws and regulations much less the rationale. I watch Kevin Morris whenever I see a video interviewing him. He seems to be the most knowledgeable and most capable of explaining the FAA regulations.
What I find curious is that each of the little "sub-categories" of drones wants their own little exemption or special set of rules. You know, the RC model airplane (drones) group wants to be excluded totally, then the FPV folks want FPV quads to be classed different than "camera drones" (but are they, really?), plus you have all of the various "copters" such as helicopters, tri-copters, quadcopters, etc. etc., and now I have even seen RC rockets, and who knows what type of "special" configuration in the future (anti-gravity propulsion systems?)? Does it really make sense to have a bunch of special sub-categories? Hmmm.
I didn't even think about that. Where does model rocketry fall in all of this? Seems kinda' ridiculous if they're restricting 20g quads from flying around the backyard but still letting you randomly launch unguided rockets.
I thought maybe because your not “controlling / flying” the rocket… then I thought.. don’t some rockets have controls .. and just use the motors to propel it upward and “glide” to the ground?? There is a thought .. a FPV ROCKET..