It is not the FAA that you need to worry about

[transmetaman]

When I noticed Google announced drone delivery starting in 2017 and the fact that Walmart has applied for testing licenses it occurred to me that our biggest challenge will not be the FAA but the corporate "Air Grab" that is about to happen and those that will "control" the FAA.

My feeling is that soon we will be told we can't fly above 200' because the corporate delivery airspace will be restricted to those who have paid the big bucks to fly in those zones.

Soon we will be paying to fly our drones in small little drone parks that are sanctioned and "legal". Once again the little guy will have to standby and watch the money grabbers eat up another public resource.

It was fun while it lasted.

 

[phantomlova]

i agree....sad truth unfortunately

 

[Dronebow]

I don't see how the corporate drones is ever going to get a foothold honestly. Maybe in some areas but in my area for instance, too many trees. No way a drone could fly in, drop off a package and fly out. Also, what about personal liability? Kids playing in the yard for example. A dog or other pet... Just doesn't seem to feasible to me.

 

[bbfpv]

I don't see how the corporate drones is ever going to get a foothold honestly. Maybe in some areas but in my area for instance, too many trees. No way a drone could fly in, drop off a package and fly out. Also, what about personal liability? Kids playing in the yard for example. A dog or other pet... Just doesn't seem to feasible to me.

Computer vision is a powerful thing.

 

[JKDSensei]

Massive amounts of cash overcomes obstacles.

 

[Dronebow]

Computer vision is a powerful thing.

Apparently so....

 

[transmetaman]

I don't see how the corporate drones is ever going to get a foothold honestly. Maybe in some areas but in my area for instance, too many trees. No way a drone could fly in, drop off a package and fly out. Also, what about personal liability? Kids playing in the yard for example. A dog or other pet... Just doesn't seem to feasible to me.

It didn't to me either however it seems to be developing before our eyes. Maybe they are using the Uber model and have decided to move forward without waiting for the laws (and sometimes logic) to catch up. I certainly understand the push to develop new ideas and I am not necessarily against this so it will be an interesting scenario to watch as it plays out. My biggest point is that no matter what happens even if they don't actually deploy the little guy will get locked out of the space just watch it happen in about 7 - 10 months.

 

[SouthernPhantom]

I think it will be a mix of all the opinions expressed here. But ultimately, we'll be able to fly, possibly after registering the bird and having to get a "drivers" license, just like with cars.

The sheer numbers that will be sold during the next two years will dictate inevitable changes.

And regardless of how much fun they are and how creative the photography can be, they're still solid objects flying over people and property. Even if the pilot doesn't do something wrong, what happens if a kid throws a rock at it, and it falls and hurts someone?

So, we'll see ...

 

[Dronebow]

I think it will be a mix of all the opinions expressed here. But ultimately, we'll be able to fly, possibly after registering the bird and having to get a "drivers" license, just like with cars.

The sheer numbers that will be sold during the next two years will dictate inevitable changes.

And regardless of how much fun they are and how creative the photography can be, they're still solid objects flying over people and property. Even if the pilot doesn't do something wrong, what happens if a kid throws a rock at it, and it falls and hurts someone?

So, we'll see ...

You mean the rock? There is no way to govern a kid throwing a rock and whether the rock will fall on someone or not..

 

[Buckaye]

We had a heated debate a few months back about whether drone delivery is feasible... let's just say that there were a LOT of strong opinions.... kind of wish this forum had the popcorn emoji

 

[stargater07]

Don't a growing number of US cities now have a no fly policy when it comes to drones? Ironically that's going to be the location where the majority of orders that big players like Amazon are going to receive fly to....

Will it be one rule for them, another for hobbyists?

 

[fin032]

They may not take the full 200' to 400' airspace. They could make like delivery zone flight paths in the sky. Companies like Dji would just have to program there public drones to avoid them. Say you come to a delivery flight path, the Dji App may just say you have to fly under it to get to the other side.

 

[fin032]

Don't a growing number of US cities now have a no fly policy when it comes to drones? Ironically that's going to be the location where the majority of orders that big players like Amazon are going to receive fly to....

Will it be one rule for them, another for hobbyists?

Yep they do for the public drones but a helicopter or plain can still fly over as they should have the proper safety standards and licenses. I think it will be the same idea for a Google or Anazon drone