Recent content by SDODD

Aside from our common cultural background the low population of Austrailia seems to allow things we used to take for granted in the USA. Like laws designed to support the citizens trying to do something wonderful. We gotta like this.

The problem is I doubt any drone pilot is that skilled on a daily basis. Over the Grand Canyon to name an extream you could take off at 3 feet and fly out a hundred yards and be at 5,000 feet. I think the FAA is regulating to make prosecution and insurance settlements as easy as possible...

Lets demand the FAA raise the floor for airplanes to 2,000 feet and require they only fly in areas where drones are not allowed. Then we publish maps with their routes throught those areas to other like areas.

Obvious to aircraft pilots who believe that their wealth and investment ought to free the skies of others. How about we eliminate small craft which obviously are unnecessary and which every farmer knows fall out of the sky without permission. If we required all pilots to eplain wh they ought...

It is not an attitude issue in my opinion. Do everything perfectly in cooperating and you will get a great job as a bartender. I know plenty of people who do ridiculous things in aircraft like fly through the Boeing hanger. Yet any actual pilot of live aircraft MUST be aware of the need to...

Yes that is true as well. Pilots know that clouds are often not fog but ice and sleet. Temperatures generally fall as we go up. In some cooler weather, even small additional cooling could be big trouble.

It is not all about being challenged in one's rights. Many people have nothing to loose. All very well until there is an incident. As with anything a wrongful death charge could get you a quick five years besides the civil suit. Lots of people learn that the hard way in a car. For instance...

I'll add on those occasions where I have flown high in the wilderness or over rough territory to perhaps 1,200 feet, such a flight is an extremely risky thing for the phantom alone. I think long and hard about where I want to be every foot up and down. If you loose sight at that altitude you...

This is also good input. Pilots learn things others don't. The FAA not only divides up the sky in miles but altitude layers. As young pilots people are often amazed that there are so many airplanes in the air and they can speak with them or Control on the radio and they pass by at different...

I would also point out to everyone that in spite lof the tendancy to debate between the drones crowd and regular aircraft crowd they both have the same issues in hilly or difficult terrain of rapidly chainging hights of things. No regular aircraft could safely fly down to 500 feet among 3,000...

Good post. We have circular flights of the Coast Guard over our small costal town all day. They must train for rescue even if there is no specific mission. You don't just sit around for six months and then take on a difficult assignment. You train every day. Anyone foolish enough to place a...

I fly as well. I often note aircraft pilots can be guilty of pushing the rules or breaking them too. Like flying up the beach at 100 feet for twenty miles. One has to use his head.

I am a Ham operator as well as a drone hobbyist. People need to know that electromagnetic transmissions depend upon many variables. There could (and probably are) also be other transmissions in the area. The specifications under which these units are sold are under optimal conditions. The...

I often have flown over my very rough forest country. I have owned my property there 47 years and know all the trails. But it is very helpful to see from above how they connect. I have used Google Earth for this. But it is better with the drone. I might point out that bears go pretty much...

I live on ten acres at the end of the road with thousans of acres around me. We have at least five bear in the area and several mountain lions. Fish and Game tell us there are 6000 lions in southern Oregon. Each one takes a deer a week. I have thirty deer wthin a half mile most of the time...