Just a quick observation, but helicopters seem to routinely fly in ways that are deemed dangerous for drones to replicate. Granted the helicopter pilot is licensed, but then he is operating a much more complicated and less stabile machine. Helicopters routinely fly at 500' near my residence and follow highways, flying over moving and congested vehicles, & fly over population centers.
If the FAA requires licensing of UAV pilots, will we also be granted the same rights as full sized aircraft, including helicopters?
The argument that personal UAVs are aircraft seems full of pitfalls to me.
Perhaps the solution is a separate government agency to regulate aircraft under 55 lbs. Especially since the FAA has proven its inability to come forward with reasonable guidelines and reasonable enforcement.