using phantom+ for business faa sucks!!!!

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Any thoughts on this im working for my local paper and faa has grounded me and say i need a air worthiness certificate?? Geezzz ok ill do it.....
 
Re: using Sandton for business faa sucks!!!!

ftimster said:
Any thoughts on this im working for my local paper and faa has grounded me and say i need a air worthiness certificate?? Geezzz ok ill do it.....
What is Sandton?
 
Re: using Sandton for business faa sucks!!!!

Curious. What method did they use to "ground" you? Did you get a letter/email/call from the FAA Office of Chief Counsel ordering you to stop? Or were you contacted by someone else at the FAA and "asked" to stop?
 
Re: using phantom + for business faa sucks!!!!

we where doing a story and I was flying around well away from people taking video then we ran the story next day FAA called the paper and said your grounded needed permits and an air worthiness certificate a once over by the FAA to ensure its air worthiness and if I get payed i could be prosecuted!!!!!! :roll:
 
the editor at the paper called me and said faa called him and said we are grounded... on top of that the editor said that the person from the faa said i could offer my video to the paper but not get payed!!! hummm now my editor thinks that our First Amendment rights might bebe getting trampled on what do you guys think done quite a bit of research I do see a lot of articles from the FAA referring to the fact that you are not allowed to be paid for drone footage unless you go through a quite extensive process through the FAA I wonder what to make of all this there has even been talk of possibly having to get a basic pilot's license in order to operate The Phantom to make money seems rather extreme to me as my impressions were there's hardly any regulations regarding this type of UAV thoughts would be appreciated thanks guys.
 
Those are the rules in the USA and many other countries including Australia where I am. However here in OZ CASA are in the process of changing the rules relevant to weight limits are working closely with other countries such as the USA and the UK. The chairman of CASA was quoted as saying that there are over 100 multi rotor's coming into the country each week and with the amount being used commercially already it is impossible to police it as they don't have the man power. Hopefully it's all sorted out by years end.
 
so don't charge for the drone footage.. did you do any video editing and processing? if so, I would charge for that... there is nothing illegal about charging for work done on the video processing side of the house..
 
srandall25 said:
so don't charge for the drone footage.. did you do any video editing and processing? if so, I would charge for that... there is nothing illegal about charging for work done on the video processing side of the house..

Interesting way to twist things but I don't think it would last very long in court... Maybe if "someone else" was doing the edit...
 
Where are you located that they are on top of things that quick?

When I received my p2v from dji the box included a paper saying that you are not allowed to use the copter for any commercial use. Meaning, do not use it to make any money whats so ever. It also said something to the fact of operate it on a honor type to system and not fly above 400ft.

I got my vPlus a week ago and I never saw such paper in the box this time. Btw, I was going to use my copter to capture anything I saw news related and share it with our local tv station which is something I have done in the past but only using a camera. But I decided against it for no real reason. Our tv station has a app that you can use that includes a section where you can send them your video or pic's along with a description for details. They call it something like Report it now.
 
Double-D said:
Those are the rules in the USA and many other countries including Australia where I am. However here in OZ CASA are in the process of changing the rules relevant to weight limits are working closely with other countries such as the USA and the UK. The chairman of CASA was quoted as saying that there are over 100 multi rotor's coming into the country each week and with the amount being used commercially already it is impossible to police it as they don't have the man power. Hopefully it's all sorted out by years end.

It's sorted out in the UK - if you have a camera attached to your <7kg sua it is impossible to get within any meaningful distance of people or property to film and you still need a licence to get paid. They are already prosecuting people with these rules with hefty fines (but it's the court costs that are the killer), these rules were updated in April 2014 so I hope the FAA and CASA aren't working too closely with the UK or I suspect you will be disappointed.
 
In Denmark it is easy as well. All rules to anybody. 150 meter distance from built-up areas with at least 200 inhabitants and major roads.. 5k distance from airports, 8 km for military airports. Max altitude 100 meters.
No difference between commercial and non-commercial.

As a company, you can, but don't need to, apply for special rules (you need to pay for Ministry of Traffic processing the application), which is basically good for equipment up to 1.5 kg = Phantom 2 with camera, which requires you to keep a logbook for all equipment, have procedures in place telling staff how to handle emergencies, and I think your internal training procedures. In that case, your safety radius is twice the altitude, minimum 15 meters, max 50 meters. Inside built-up areas as well. 150 meters distance from military installation, royal family buildings, and 200 meters from emergency sites (more than the standard rules). You can cross major roads if procedures are described.
 
povlhp said:
In Denmark it is easy as well. All rules to anybody. 150 meter distance from built-up areas with at least 200 inhabitants and major roads.. 5k distance from airports, 8 km for military airports. Max altitude 100 meters.
No difference between commercial and non-commercial.

As a company, you can, but don't need to, apply for special rules (you need to pay for Ministry of Traffic processing the application), which is basically good for equipment up to 1.5 kg = Phantom 2 with camera, which requires you to keep a logbook for all equipment, have procedures in place telling staff how to handle emergencies, and I think your internal training procedures. In that case, your safety radius is twice the altitude, minimum 15 meters, max 50 meters. Inside built-up areas as well. 150 meters distance from military installation, royal family buildings, and 200 meters from emergency sites (more than the standard rules). You can cross major roads if procedures are described.

Good to see a country doing it right though it would count out any real estate work in built up areas.
 
ftimster said:
the editor at the paper called me and said faa called him and said we are grounded... on top of that the editor said that the person from the faa said i could offer my video to the paper but not get payed!!! hummm now my editor thinks that our First Amendment rights might bebe getting trampled on what do you guys think

I think a lot of Americans are confused as to what the First Amendment really says.

The founders hated that they were not allowed to speak against the crown, and their intent was to protect speech against the government. Your speech is not protected in any other area. You are not free to say whatever you like here on this or many other forums. You can't do it at work, school, church, and the list just goes on. With all of these examples censorship would be lawful.

We've become increasingly liberal with the interpretation of free speech as it now applies to corporations, and in a recent case the Supreme Court upheld a mans right to warn oncoming traffic about a police speed trap. The court ruled the man flashing his lights was in effect speech against the government, so it was protected.

Try painting "The FAA Sucks" on the side of your Phantom, and you'll have a much better case.
 
ftimster said:
the editor at the paper called me and said faa called him and said we are grounded... on top of that the editor said that the person from the faa said i could offer my video to the paper but not get payed!!! hummm now my editor thinks that our First Amendment rights might bebe getting trampled on what do you guys think done quite a bit of research I do see a lot of articles from the FAA referring to the fact that you are not allowed to be paid for drone footage unless you go through a quite extensive process through the FAA I wonder what to make of all this there has even been talk of possibly having to get a basic pilot's license in order to operate The Phantom to make money seems rather extreme to me as my impressions were there's hardly any regulations regarding this type of UAV thoughts would be appreciated thanks guys.
Do you know who at the FAA called the paper? It's important because it makes a big difference. If it was not from the FAA's Office of Chief Counsel, and an "Order" not to fly was issued, that's a violation of Part 13 of the FARs. Only the FAA's Office of Chief Counsel can issue such "Orders."
 
My understanding is that the FAA really doesn't have any power in this regard. Refer to the Pirker case, where they got their *** handed to them. Ever since they've been acting like whiny little children whose parent won't buy them a candy bar at the grocery store, crowing about how they have the right to fine and ground people when they actually don't. There are plenty of people out there who are already making money with aerial photography using these drones.

I'd also argue that the FAA's restriction on commercial use while permitting the exact same operation for hobbyist use is a violation of the First Amendment. In this age, taking photos and video is a means of expressing one's self. It does not matter if this is done for business or pleasure - it is still a means of expression. I believe the courts have tended to agree with this interpretation of the First Amendment fairly consistently through the years. (Please correct me if I'm wrong here.)

Now, there are limits that the government may impose to freedom of expression - but they generally have to meet some threshold of compelling public interest (such as safety). The age-old example of yelling "Fire!" in a crowded movie theater comes to mind as a pertinent example. There is no such compelling public interest in strictly banning commercial use of drones. There approved use for hobbyists and active use in various government operations at home and abroad adequately demonstrates their safety and should (IMHO) be enough to allow those making First Amendment complaints against the FAA to win their case.

The FAA is an antiquated, outdated, and (mostly) irrelevant organization when it comes to UAV flight. They've had years to develop a framework with the RC industry based upon mutual respect and logic, yet they haven't. And now - only after they've been tasked with developing rules by Congress - do the lazy desk-jockey minions start to work on it. The organization and its ineffectual cries and whines about commercial use deserve to be ignored; instead most of us can work better and safer just by employing simple common sense rules, logic, and care for our equipment.
 
thanks guys many good things said here I really wish the paper would have done their homework as well as myself before going out public the way this all went down really sucks I don't want to screw this hobby up for anybody else either meeting with the FAA tomorrow I'll keep everyone posted hopefully there's a simple procedure for air worthiness and some sort of test, class, paper work, permits whatever that I'll have to do I'll keep everyone posted preciate all your thoughts on the subject
 
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Sorry everyone. :!:

It sounds like a lot of bull. :roll:

A phone call from the FAA? Really? :?

And a newspaper editor that would say "Ahhh okay. We won't do this anymore." :lol:

You'd think that someone at the paper would tell the FAA to do the cease & desist properly. Send a Registered Letter that specifically spells out what rules/laws were broken and the consequences of continuing to break those rules/laws. :eek:

How many aerial photography websites are there in the US? Many. :!:
How many are using drones? Many. :!:

My 2 cents. :lol:

Jimmy
 
That's great business! Every time I see a copter used for commercial purpose I am going to call them and say I am from the FAA and that they are grounded. Then I will call back and offer my aerial services and say that I am certified to fly. I'll make milllllions!!!

Seriously though, a "call" from the FAA, I would have said "send it in writing please".
 
kgarrison said:
Seriously though, a "call" from the FAA, I would have said "send it in writing please".

Of which there are numerous examples of them doing just that. Most people get a certified letter. One person reported getting a knock on the door, along with the county sheriff. But the certified letter seems to be the main path the FAA uses.
 

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