An Aerial Photographer Asks: Could We Have Some Clarity in U.S. Drone Laws?

[LuvMyTJ]

Here is a short quote from the story.

"The trouble is, the FAA is a national agency, but every city has its own set of laws. In Los Angeles it’s prohibited to fly within 25 feet of a person, or in any L.A. County park. The FAA prohibits flying over people, but doesn’t say how high. Factor in California’s state laws and you end up with a bizarre and unenforceable stew of rules that makes it illegal to create virtually every image I’ve ever photographed. Almost every flight in Los Angeles violates a law in some way.

Never mind that the FAA’s drone laws may not themselves be legal, or that they seem an overreaction to what turns out to be very few actual incidents. My own feeling is that after reading the FAA’s rules, many hobbyists may opt not to register at all, and will operate under the radar.

It seems that whenever technology democratizes or disrupts a previously gated business (like music or taxi cabs) people who have had exclusive control of that domain get very annoyed. Airspace just happens to be the current example. Combine that with the fact that unlike technology, government is slow-moving by design. And when government acts quickly, as in this case, I’m worried that dialogue will suffer"

Read more here...
SOURCE: An Aerial Photographer Asks: Could We Have Some Clarity in U.S. Drone Laws? | Daily Planet | Air & Space Magazine

 

[Indy_Mike]

Good read.

 

[JTC]

Here is a short quote from the story.

"The trouble is, the FAA is a national agency, but every city has its own set of laws. In Los Angeles it’s prohibited to fly within 25 feet of a person, or in any L.A. County park. The FAA prohibits flying over people, but doesn’t say how high. Factor in California’s state laws and you end up with a bizarre and unenforceable stew of rules that makes it illegal to create virtually every image I’ve ever photographed. Almost every flight in Los Angeles violates a law in some way.

Never mind that the FAA’s drone laws may not themselves be legal, or that they seem an overreaction to what turns out to be very few actual incidents. My own feeling is that after reading the FAA’s rules, many hobbyists may opt not to register at all, and will operate under the radar.

It seems that whenever technology democratizes or disrupts a previously gated business (like music or taxi cabs) people who have had exclusive control of that domain get very annoyed. Airspace just happens to be the current example. Combine that with the fact that unlike technology, government is slow-moving by design. And when government acts quickly, as in this case, I’m worried that dialogue will suffer"

Read more here...
SOURCE: An Aerial Photographer Asks: Could We Have Some Clarity in U.S. Drone Laws? | Daily Planet | Air & Space Magazine

Great post! Also a little common sense and courtesy on the part of drone operators would go a long way to clam the "fears" of the politicians and the public.

 

[snowghost]

Here is a short quote from the story.

"The trouble is, the FAA is a national agency, but every city has its own set of laws. In Los Angeles it’s prohibited to fly within 25 feet of a person, or in any L.A. County park. The FAA prohibits flying over people, but doesn’t say how high. Factor in California’s state laws and you end up with a bizarre and unenforceable stew of rules that makes it illegal to create virtually every image I’ve ever photographed. Almost every flight in Los Angeles violates a law in some way.

Never mind that the FAA’s drone laws may not themselves be legal, or that they seem an overreaction to what turns out to be very few actual incidents. My own feeling is that after reading the FAA’s rules, many hobbyists may opt not to register at all, and will operate under the radar.

It seems that whenever technology democratizes or disrupts a previously gated business (like music or taxi cabs) people who have had exclusive control of that domain get very annoyed. Airspace just happens to be the current example. Combine that with the fact that unlike technology, government is slow-moving by design. And when government acts quickly, as in this case, I’m worried that dialogue will suffer"

Read more here...
SOURCE: An Aerial Photographer Asks: Could We Have Some Clarity in U.S. Drone Laws? | Daily Planet | Air & Space Magazine

Where are you reading no flying in parks. It's not in the LA City ordinance.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Where are you reading no flying in parks. It's not in the LA City ordinance.

I never personally said that but here is a site that has good info on flying in LA. - Where to Fly a Drone in Los Angeles, Legally