Railfan Technology > 650 close calls so far this year...

FAA stepping up action on illegal drone use: 

http://nyti.ms/1OS6I5f

I'm a retired pilot.  The FAA needs to license drone pilots.  If you think not, then let Speeders and Hand Cars operate where they want when they want!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/15 22:16 by milepost180.

The article a week ago should be viewed if you missed it.  http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?9,3846155

Seems like the FAA could issue some temporary rules to govern these things until they can produce some comprehensive rules.  I haven't watched this indepth but it's hard to ignore what's going on.  There seems to be rules for commercial drones but almost nothing for hobbiest.  A realtor needs a license to fly one to take an aerial photo of your home but if you want to take the picture, you're OK to do it (provided you're not vilolating other rules.)

In Kentucky, where I live, the owner of a drone flew over his neighbors property.  The neighbor thought it was fair game and shot it.  He has been refered to at "The Drone Slayer."

John

I didn't figure it would be too long that they would become a pain in the ass.  Seems like stupidity always wins in the end.  Just because you have one doesn't mean you can do everything you want with it.
Maybe they are what is causing Climate Change.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I didn't figure it would be too long that they
> would become a pain in the ass.  Seems like
> stupidity always wins in the end.  Just because
> you have one doesn't mean you can do everything
> you want with it.
> Maybe they are what is causing Climate Change.

Naw... Just hot air is adding to climate change.

;-)

John.

http://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2015/09/20/ama-faas-report-drones-unfair/72519270/

Also - http://www.modelaircraft.org/gov/docs/AMAAnalysis-Closer-Look-at-FAA-Drone-Data_091415.pdf 

More or less, it isn't drones being the issue. False reporting and military have been the biggest issue to date. 

There are always a bunch of dimwits who will ruin it for everyone, along with politicians aways looking for a headline...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

I dont agree that the operators need licenced.  Do I need to go to NASA if I want to launch one of my rockets?  Some of the walmart rockets can go over 1000ft. 

However perhaps every drone sold should be regestered into a database and perhaps it should have some type of RFID tag that can be read at a distace by Law enforcment if a drone goes somewhere it shouldnt then look up the owner of that ID number and levy fines if needed. 

Remember ultralights?  Lots of folks with NO FLYING EXPERIENCE were flying them all over the place.  It took a while, but you don't see many around anymore.  Just takes the government  a lot  longer to do ANYTHING anymore, but they are finally under control.  Once they are fully regulated, there wil be far fewer folks buying or flying them for hobby purposes.  There won't be any room for them anyway, once Amazon starts flying their thousands of delivery drones.

Ed

CNN news reported that possobly 1,000,000 drones may be sold for the Christmas season!!! Wonder if they got the figure right.  Doug

howeld Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I dont agree that the operators need licenced. 
> Do I need to go to NASA if I want to launch one of
> my rockets?  Some of the walmart rockets can go
> over 1000ft. 

Actually, in some states you DO have to be licensed, to fly model rockets.

If you don't think people should be licensed for drones, then I'll kindly send you the video from a "more money than brains" guy who bought a drone in my town, then proceeded to fly it above 400 feet, over high-density suburban residences, AND directly in line with a small airport runway less than 3/4 of a mile away!  That was when he wasn't flying the thing only a few feet in the air, directly down alley ways and shooting across public streets with no regard for oncoming traffic!  His wife was dumb enough to post the videos to Facebook, where the town and FAA got ahold of him and told him to knock it off.

I never fly mine above about 200 feet and don't intend to.
Already crashed it twice and thank the Lord it didn't hit anything or anyone.
Someone will do some serious damage with a drone soon and that will be that. We'll have to fly clandestine to get railroad aerials.

Danny Harmon
Tampa