plane is gone, drones are coming!

[Dustbuster]

this is interesting news, I like the quads, fun to fly and easy to maintain,the ruling is interesting as well read on:

 

 

By KEVIN ROBILLARD | 3/6/14 7:20 PM EST Updated: 3/6/14 8:30 PM EST

A federal judge slapped down the FAA’s fine for a drone operator, saying there was no law banning the commercial use of small drones.

The judge’s decision could open up the skies below 400 feet to farmers, photographers and entrepreneurs who have been battling the FAA over the use of the unmanned aerial vehicles.

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The ruling, for now, appears to make it legal for drones to fly at the low altitude as part of a business — whether that’s delivering beer, photographing a baseball game or spraying crops.NTSB Administrative Law Judge Patrick Geraghty ruled Thursday that the policy notices the FAA issued as a basis for the ban weren’t enforceable because they hadn’t been written as part of a formal rulemaking process.

The case, Pirker v. Huerta, concerned Raphael Pirker, a Swiss drone operator who was fined $10,000 by the FAA for operating a drone recklessly while filming a commercial for the University of Virginia’s medical school. Pirker is the only person the FAA has fined for violating the rule, but the agency has sent letters and made informal calls to other drone operators. The judge’s ruling dismisses the FAA’s fine.

The FAA didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Any appeal of the ruling would go to U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The FAA could also attempt to issue an emergency rule banning small drone use.

The ban was based on a FAA policy advisory given to agency employees who had asked questions about how to handle problems with model aircraft. Since 2007, the agency has insisted its rules applied to drones, as well. Pirker’s lawyer, Brendan Schulman, argued the advisory wasn’t enforceable, and Judge Geraghty agreed.

The agency had struggled to enforce the ban as more and more uses for the small drones popped up. Photographers and videographers were using drones to film everything from “The Wolf of Wall Street” to the Washington Nationals’ spring training. A video showing a Minnesota beer company delivering beverages to thirsty ice fishers went viral, forcing the FAA to shoot down the proposal.

The FAA has said it intends to propose a rule on small drone use by the end of the year. The ruling doesn’t affect larger drones that tend to share airspace with helicopters and planes.

A judge has struck down the FAA’s ban on the commercial use of small drones, potentially freeing up the skies below 400 feet for farmers, photographers and entrepreneurs.

NTSB Administrative Law Judge Patrick Geraghty ruled that the policy notices the FAA used as a basis for the ban weren’t enforceable since they hadn’t been written as part of a formal rulemaking process.

The case, Pirker vs. Huerta, concerned Raphael Pirker, a Swiss drone operator who was fined $10,000 by the FAA for operating a drone recklessly while filming at the University of Virginia. The judge’s ruling dismisses the FAA’s fine.

Filmmakers and others have increasingly flouted the FAA’s rule in recent months. The agency has pledged to propose a formal rule for small drones by the end of the year.

The FAA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. If appealed, the case would go the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/faa-small-drones-ban-104393.html#ixzz2wXV9FCif

[Raoul]

Great. I have a nice o/u drone tool.

[tercel89]

I'm a R/C hobbyist . I run a remote control truck , but my son runs a remote controlled helicopter . This is all fun for us but I can understand the $hit storm that can happen when the goverment gets involved . We keep our helicopter out of the neighbors area/ sky and stay to ourselves . But i can see how a pervert or such can use this as a tool. Especially goverment . 

[Dennis1209]

Great. I have a nice o/u drone tool.

 

 

No, no, no no! We're not talking duck or geese here, we're talking drones!

 

A serious drone hunter will use a semi-auto or high capacity pump gun with #4 or #6 shot shells. Looking forward to intercepting my neighbors next drone beer delivery and hope it's not "light " beer because of drone weight restrictions?

[DaveTN]

What happens at 400 feet, does some other law kick in?

[Garufa]

What happens at 400 feet, does some other law kick in?

 

Probably not.  Just some regulation.

[Guest semiautots]

Wait until some fool tries to fly into a NFL stadium on game day.

 

Things will happen then!

[Raoul]

No, no, no no! We're not talking duck or geese here, we're talking drones!

 

A serious drone hunter will use a semi-auto or high capacity pump gun with #4 or #6 shot shells. Looking forward to intercepting my neighbors next drone beer delivery and hope it's not "light " beer because of drone weight restrictions?

No sport in that. Might as well make it challenging.

[tercel89]

Wait until some fool tries to fly into a NFL stadium on game day.

 

Things will happen then!

That will be funny ! Fly in over a ball game with a drone plane trialing a big banner behind it saying how his girlfriend sucked in bed or "gets around" :rofl:  But you are correct , it will take something like that for things to happen . Even then the joker or prankster will get charged with something yet the goverment will still do whatever they want with their own drones . 

[peejman]

I felt sure the FAA's restriction on commercial operation of drones would be challenged in court.  The lines between a "drone" and a "toy" are quite blurry.  The only distinction appears to be commercial use. 

 

 

 

 

What happens at 400 feet, does some other law kick in? 

 

 

The 400 ft ceiling is intended to keep drones/toys away from other aircraft which typically shouldn't be below 500 ft. 

Edited March 21, 2014 by peejman

[TMF]

I'm a R/C hobbyist . I run a remote control truck , but my son runs a remote controlled helicopter . This is all fun for us but I can understand the $hit storm that can happen when the goverment gets involved . We keep our helicopter out of the neighbors area/ sky and stay to ourselves . But i can see how a pervert or such can use this as a tool. Especially goverment . 

 

Yeah, but luckily that kinda stuff is pretty obvious.  I have a strong opinion of the use of those things over private property in invasive manners, but I recall several years ago a neighborhood boy crashed one into the trees in my backyard and had to come to my door to let me know.  It didn't bother me one bit that it was on or over my property; kids just enjoying their toys is fine.  But when people are using it for nefarious purposes they deserve to have their crap knocked out of the sky.