Will there ever be a time when drone flying is totally illegal?

Joined
Sep 13, 2015
Messages
392
Reaction score
98
Location
Northern Hemisphere
Reading the news here in the UK today, yet another drone was caught flying over a prison. Seems the UK press at least are having a field day with all these drones, piloted by a few irresponsible and criminal people.

Before I get my P3, do forum members think (maybe also in the US, Canada etc, around the world) that recreational UAV flying will be totally illegal in a few years? Or will it be compulsory to have a basic license (like a gun license) so they are registered?

Personally I don't see a problem with a basic license, as long as it does not cost too much.

I'm just worried that this great hobby will be outlawed because of a few reckless individuals.

Views?
 
do forum members think that recreational UAV flying will be totally illegal in a few years?
Or will it be compulsory to have a basic license (like a gun license) so they are registered?

I'm just worried that this great hobby will be outlawed because of a few reckless individuals.
.
Of course it won't be made illegal. The genie is out of the bottle.
There are millions of these things out there already.
And they can be home made too.
Because a tiny number of individuals misuse some new technology is no reason to make it illegal.
Can you imaging applying that philosophy to mobile phones or cars?
As for licensing .. what would that achieve anyway?
 
  • Like
Reactions: nickyb
Here in my country (Indonesia) there's law for flying a drone and we as the pilot should have a licence for flying it. I think in every contry has their regulation. We as a pilot should responsible for flying it and tell some body who new in this hobby about regulation. So our hobby is save.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigAl07 and Tendo
.
Of course it won't be made illegal. The genie is out of the bottle.
There are millions of these things out there already.
And they can be home made too.
Because a tiny number of individuals misuse some new technology is no reason to make it illegal.
Can you imaging applying that philosophy to mobile phones or cars?
As for licensing .. what would that achieve anyway?
Good answer...I just need reassurance before I spend my hard earnt' money. Maybe a national association of UAV modellers would help to represent us?
 
Here in my country (Indonesia) there's law for flying a drone and we as the pilot should have a licence for flying it. I think in every contry has their regulation. We as a pilot should responsible for flying it and tell some body who new in this hobby about regulation. So our hobby is save.
I hope it does survive.. and am sure it will for sure.

I have no issue with 'basic licensing' maybe the pilot's name/address and serial/model of the UAV purchased. I think DJI are doing a lot to help improve standards by NFZs, max heights etc, maybe more I guess than the regular RC models anyway.
 
Nickyb,

I'm in London UK, I was thinking the same as you but then thought hey as long as I'm flying safe and out of harms way it don't matter what the news portray.

They won't ban it, just might regulate it more but then again model flying has been around for years so we are safe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nickyb
We are getting a voice with the AMA. They are taking steps to see that the FCC , senate and congress understand the hobby and the ignorance of a few is not the case of the majority. Articles have been posted about their disproving a lot of the so called drone close calls.AMA is the academy of model aeronautics association. Good association, with membership you get an insurance policy also.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jhoke
Nickyb,

I'm in London UK, I was thinking the same as you but then thought hey as long as I'm flying safe and out of harms way it don't matter what the news portray.

They won't ban it, just might regulate it more but then again model flying has been around for years so we are safe.
Good to know..just keep away fro Heathrow and Northwood NATO airspace LOL
 
We are getting a voice with the AMA. They are taking steps to see that the FCC , senate and congress understand the hobby and the ignorance of a few is not the case of the majority. Articles have been posted about their disproving a lot of the so called drone close calls.AMA is the academy of model aeronautics association. Good association, with membership you get an insurance policy also.
Good to hear. Good luck sir.
 
It won't be illegal but it will be highly restricted I predict. You'll be able to fly them on your property as high as 10fr and no where else eventually
 
There was talk of trying to register all drones and their owners....
 
Me too I've no problem with this either .....
 
I have seen it happen with jet skis, where mindless operators gave them a bad name and then the government regulated them. The same will happen to drones if they are not operated properly and safely. It would only take one to be sucked through a passenger jet engine and the repercussions would be immediate and stringent. It's a shame that the minority always screw it up for the majority.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nickyb
.
Of course it won't be made illegal. The genie is out of the bottle.
There are millions of these things out there already.
And they can be home made too.
Because a tiny number of individuals misuse some new technology is no reason to make it illegal.
Can you imaging applying that philosophy to mobile phones or cars?
As for licensing .. what would that achieve anyway?
Licensing-- more dollars for the regulatory agencies-- and if you get caught without one-- even more dollars --- they are liking this--- licensing already a reality if you want to use your drone to make a few bucks.:D:D
 
I don't think they will be illegal completely, but I do think that they will be restricted so much that they become effectively illegal for the hobbyist. I expect licensing to be mandatory, plus also severe limitations on location and altitude with defined and enforced fines for non compliance. In other words, just too much trouble to bother with anymore other than perhaps low altitude drone racing. Basically I think we are in the enjoy it while we can phase of the technology.
 
Last edited:
And for a brief period, when camera phones first came out, certain powers tried to mandate that manufacturers disable the ability to turn off shutter sounds because of a few complaints that these newfangled contraptions were being used to take naughty photos w/o the subject knowing it. It was soon forgotten once the next newfangled contraption was invented.
 
And for a brief period, when camera phones first came out, certain powers tried to mandate that manufacturers disable the ability to turn off shutter sounds because of a few complaints that these newfangled contraptions were being used to take naughty photos w/o the subject knowing it. It was soon forgotten once the next newfangled contraption was invented.
I hope you are right.
 

Recent Posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,357
Members
104,935
Latest member
Pauos31