Drone News: Bad drones.FAA discusses Remote ID.UAS Certification. Smart Controller with Mavic Air 2

[@adamreynolds2555]

Thank you for taking the time each week to make the Drone News. Great Info.

[@zflightpro]

My Part 107 is paying off Greg! I made almost $1500 last week! Pilot Institute for the win

[@PilotInstitute]

That's pretty good ROI! Congrats!

[@ravenrealestateservices9519]

We all understand your frustration. As you stated "Giving them ammo".

[@sarahjames3361]

Greg does so much for the drone community.

[@TheHumanNerd]

Thank you for all you do for us, Sir!

[@bluegrassdroneguy3495]

That mini deal was intentional to cause controversy So obvious

[@jimnorth9902]

Great explanation of Type Certification as it applies to UAS. You should consider teaching this stuff. ;-)

[@PilotInstitute]

Haha, never thought of it!

[@ScottGeorgeson]

Thanks Greg, informative as always..

[@waynejohn8]

Many thanks. Excellent as usual!!

[@FLYANDI]

Since 2010 when we started the effort to find a balance between freedom and meaningful regulation there where two sides: The ones with common sense and the ones that just gave middle fingers to everything that would "entrench" on their flight "rights". The problem is that the latter group keeps growing and the first group have to pay the price.

[@bigdrb6900]

its all about money, the rich dont like the poor having any fun, they steal all our hobbies, bass boats, hot rods, motorcycles

[@coachrondragotrainingsyste2699]

The smart controller is a must-have as far as I'm concerned for the AIR2....

[@JRod-dg8ftw]

4:03..."Please, don't be that person, or if you do, don't tell them you know me..." ....Greg, you crack me up sometimes. That's totally something I would say too! 🤣😂🤣😂

[@PilotInstitute]

haha, I tell my ground school students: "If you get in trouble with the FAA, don't tell them you did my ground school". :D

[@JRod-dg8ftw]

@@PilotInstitute 😂

[@rsdandy]

I will stay in the hobby up until the last day before the remote ID requirement, then I will abandon it all together. It makes me sad to do so because I will be forfeiting a lot of money already spent, but I don't plan on letting someone with a smart phone trace me to my location, who knows for what reason. Thanks for your work and videos...

[@michaelwblade]

Awesome video 👏 thanks for all the info and sharing it

[@coachrondragotrainingsyste2699]

Super Informative.... 💪💪💪💪

[@nicholasburchett9408]

I have 2 questions: can I have a Part 107 Commercially registered drone and fly it for recreational purposes. Can I have a drone registered for both recreational and commercial use.

[@gregreverdiau246]

Yes and yes :)

[@nicholasburchett9408]

Thanks. Just just wanted to know before I left to go fly my drone over a baseball game. Thanks!!! ;)

[@planetshrug-galacticmultim3770]

Looking forward to the new Mavic Air 23 Deep Dive video!

[@PilotInstitute]

Right here: pilotinstitute.com/course/mavic-air-2-deep-dive/

[@Scott-Johnson-2]

Great content, thank you!!

[@robertpawlusiak]

Hello I'm looking to study for the 107 test what do I do I want the License ?

[@julioayalapuertoricodroner]

Hi, Any idea what was the finally happened to the Philadelphia drone pilot that was fine $182K?

[@PilotInstitute]

Haven’t heard anything new. Hopefully the fine was adjusted to something more appropriate.

[@andrewtarango9663]

Thank You!🤟🏽

[@Vashtstamped]

I dont agree with anyone with a cell phone part.

[@vincedavis7426]

@John Nealey, I concur, this will inevitably lead to some form of altercation and no one will come out the victor :(

[@inspectorvoid]

Extremely invasive and concerning

[@focusonchrist6752]

Thank you so much for this video and breakdown. I am new to this space of droning. I registered as a hobbyist, but aiming for my 107 before the end of next month. I wanted to ask tho, how soon are projections for this remote id for uavs? I feel gov't/agencies have been trying to finangle perceptive ways to exploit tracking of all citizens and activities. I borderline understand the view of safety. But we know the age old expression about the exchange of liberty for security.

[@PilotInstitute]

Final ruling will be announced at the end of the year so we will know more about what the changes are going to be.

[@focusonchrist6752]

@@PilotInstitute Indeed. With immediate expectance of change, or do you perceive a transitional period? I have a hubsan zino pro and a mavic air 2, and wondered how that would play out being their both "from china". Thanks a million for your return

[@PilotInstitute]

@@focusonchrist6752 The NPRM mentioned a 3-year period to comply so that would take us to December 2023 if it remains the same.

[@focusonchrist6752]

@@PilotInstitute Indeed. I value the return. I've only been flying for a couple months, so I've been crash coursing on information as i learn this endeavor. Thanks a million

[@HeyTeslaFreak]

is it even worth getting a new drone this year if its just going to get banned for not having remote id?

[@PilotInstitute]

I wouldn't let it stop you. Still 3 years from the time it's released to the time it is implemented and hopefully newer drones can be retrofitted.

[@Vashtstamped]

not yet, bet you have to reg all drones soon

[@kevinwells4986]

Thank you for chastising our 'community'... although these people that committed these stupid acts are not really part of any community. I agree with taking down the aircraft by the way in any dangerous situation. It's also reasonable that we can be followed up on (meaning ID, registration info, etc.) - but I don't like unwarranted searches, or fishing expeditions because I fly a drone, and I live in any particular locale. This is all so new, and we must adjust to our own community needs. I may be wrong here, I have not read enough, but it seems that Canada is even more restrictive right now than the USA. Anyway, thanks for your informative posts, and I hope we can all continue flying drones, privately, or commercially, because it is such a great technology. I do see some corporate identities trying to take over this space though, and that is not necessarily a good thing.

[@ramdogproductions]

Thnx for video.. I hope public cant find drone pilots because the pilots can get robbed. Amazon and other corporations are continuing to push for drone deliveries.. Curious your thoughts on that..

[@PilotInstitute]

We made this exact comment to the FAA during our response to the NPRM.

[@edruttledge342]

Yes, well the FAA type-certified the 737 MAX to fly. But, as we are learning, this decision was likely the corrupt product of bureaucratic buddyism and a compelling desire to provide a domestic business a competitive edge over a foreign competitor. It was not driven by a concern for "safety" as the FAA always claims/whines. RID requiring ubiquitous cell phone connectivity will kill recreational/photographic UAS flights in much of the US West. Many of the areas are too remote to have reliable cell phone signal or the signal may be disrupted by the topography. Estimated number of deaths caused by guns in 2019 = 15,292 Estimated number of deaths caused by drones in 2019 = 0 Yet - our focus is on adding more regulation to recreational drone and RC flight.

[@souocara38able]

The FAA is way out of line with identifying rpic's and their locations. About forest fires and staying out of the area, what is the area? 5 mi, 50 mi, 150 mi, what's the definition? In most of these stories it's very rare for the article to include whether or not a TFR had been issued. If they don't issue a TFR they shouldn't really expect people to read their minds about how far away to stay. Based on the videos that I've seen I can't tell where that mavic mini failed to yield to the helicopter. also not sure that it interfered with the operations of the airport / helipad. Now flying around that low so the guy could grab it out of the air was pretty dumb and if he failed to yield or interfered with them, of course those are violations but I haven't seen any definitive proof of that so far. I'm not recommending that anybody should fly around a helicopter on a hellipad, especially not that close but depending on the circumstances it's not necessarily a violation.

[@PilotInstitute]

There was a TFR for all of those. If there's a fire and it's been established for a few hours and has aircraft activity, it's almost 100% sure there is a TFR. The Mini definitely failed to yield because it said the helicopter had to stop while landing. As soon as they got off the helo, they went to catch the thing so it was definitely in the way. Just plain dumb.

[@rickduree3786]

SO will Type certification be used against us smaller guys by basically making the equipment needed to fly too expensive for us but not Amazon, Wal-mart etc..... I've started a business and i'm sure plenty of people have one now that really need to be concerned about the big guys and how they can throw money to have regualtions created that will keep us out of the air.

[@PilotInstitute]

I actually don't think so. Type certs have been discussed for a long time, and if you understand how the manned aircraft world is set up, it was only a matter of time until they came to UAS. They will be required for more complex ops, which actually makes sense. People often ask why airplanes can fly over people but drones can't, my answer was always that there was no type certification process and no set maintenance schedule for drones. If you continue to do your routine VLOS flight, I don't think much will change other than whatever remote ID rules that are coming.

[@rickduree3786]

@@PilotInstitute I hope so, thanks for the feedback.

[@retrodudefpv]

The damnable thing is, all of this legislation will not affect the idiocy of these errant pilots who probably won't register or otherwise

[@jetmartin9501]

There are those in the FAA who have and continue to advocate that drones under 249g should NOT be excluded from Remote ID....Could the FAA themselves be behind this stunt as a way to justify their position and widen the Remote ID's coverage and corresponding reg fee intake and the FAA's control of all UAV's? Or could it be one of the vendors (UAS Service Suppliers) who would stands to benefit from increased "monthly Remote ID flight fees" by expanding the pool of drones regulated via Remote ID? At this point I wouldn't put anything past the FAA and/or the commercial companies that stand to benefit from the Remote ID. The Remote ID proposal has proven to me (sadly) that the FAA is not to be trusted and only has the interests of Commercial operators in mind. To quote Maya Angelou: "When someone shows you who they are believe them; the first time.” And the FAA has clearly shown us with the Remote ID proposal (soon to be regulation) that they only represent the interests of the large scale commercial drone operations and our needs and interests DON'T MATTER. The FAA as an organization has lost sight of their fundamental mission and apparently view their mission to only cater to the interests of the large scale commercial drone operators at the exclusion of everyone else. Big money talks and big money controls and we lose just a few more of our rights and protections everyday. When you register your DJI drone doesn't that registration connect the ID (serial #) of the aircraft to the person who's registered/owns it? If they don't identify the person who owns this drone then I'll be even more suspicious about who is actually behind this incident. I presume the FAA will open up an investigation on this type incident. Is there a way for the public to track these FAA investigations? Please continue to track this story..it will be interesting to see where the crumbs lead.

[@PilotInstitute]

It is my understanding from the NPRM that Law enforcement and the FAA will be able to match the Remote ID ## with the owner's name, but not the public. Similar to what LE does now with license plates. I have not seen any plans to make the registration information available to the public and doubt it will come to that.

[@jetmartin9501]

@@PilotInstitute In my question I wasn't referring to the RemoteID NPRM I was referring to the DJI registration process. Doesn't DJI force you to register your drone before you can fly it...and if so doesn't that registration connect the pilot's information to the drone's id (serial number)? I can't recall because it's been a while since I owned a DJI drone (MA1).

[@PilotInstitute]

@@jetmartin9501 I see what you're saying. I'm not sure actually. I just know from an accident study from a few years ago when the Phantom hit the Black Hawk helicopter over the Hudson, DJI mentioned that the only way they had to identify the person was because they had purchased via DJI and they knew which part number belonged to a specific drone. In that case, that's all that they could recover from the crash (I think it was a motor). In this case, since they have the entire drone, it might be a different story. With that said, I'm sure you could provide a fake name to DJI, there is no verification of your true identity.

[@jetmartin9501]

@@PilotInstitute Fake name...that's true. Is there a way for the public to track these reported incidents via the FAA website? I want to see what further investigation is done by the FAA and whether they ID a person.

[@PilotInstitute]

@@jetmartin9501 No, this information is only available via Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) request. I had this discussion with several FAA employees and asked them why enforcement actions were not made public, to show that they are indeed enforcing. I felt that they were as frustrated as we are, because actions happen often, but the legal team won't let them share the details, because they are not allowed to share information that would trace it back to the actual person.

[@davidm9545]

I have to admit, with all the FAA regulations I'm getting discouraged about still flying r/c aircraft at all. Which is probably just what they want...

[@douglasstewart6596]

David, I assume that hobby RC aircraft will be treated similar to homebuilt full-size aircraft, with specified standard assembly practices, approved materials, and periodic inspections. Who will do all that remains to be seen. I was a club safety officer in two different RC clubs, and I largely had the authority to examine and approve/disapprove any model aircraft for flight based upon my experience and qualifications. Most model pilots accepted my appraisals and corrected any deficiencies before first flight. But, even when I was presented with an obvious "flying wreck", I would sometimes get into a very heated argument, even when I showed the aircraft's owner the deficiencies. Very stressful for all involved, and I would never wish to perform that function ever again. However, even an outside or independent inspector could be the recipient of harsh words (and actions) if he should call someone's baby ugly.

[@davidm9545]

Douglas Stewart I get safety. But I also believe if we give up all of our freedom in the name of safety and security, in the end we have nothing.

[@jetmartin9501]

The FAA has waived a 'carrot' that Remote ID will one day "open up/streamline" the process to get authorization for complex flight operations BVLOS, Night Flights, Flight over people, etc. But cleverly the FAA hasn't said who will reap these supposed benefits and at what cost. I'm betting that NONE of these benefits will come to non-Commercial pilots...instead we (the non-commerical/ non-large scale operations) will be burdened with all of the regulations and risks associated with Remote ID and get none of the "benefits".

[@PilotInstitute]

The rules for hobbyists have been set with the Reauthorization act of 2018 and the final two steps to put in place by the FAA will be to approve CBOs (and then you will have to follow a CBO's guideline to fly) and the hobbyist knowledge exam. Every other regulation will remain the same for the time being. There is no regulation for night flying nor is there a waiver process to fly over people, or BVLOS for hobbyist, so yes, you are correct, none of the upcoming changes will affect/apply to hobbyists, at least not until a next round of Congress-mandated changes.

[@jetmartin9501]

@@PilotInstitute So I think you are confirming my core assumptions...i.e., the hobbyist will be saddled with ALL the burdens that come with the FAA's Remote ID (including complete loss of privacy and potential endangerment of our own personal safety , monthly or annual subscription fees just to fly our drones (assuming USS connections aren't free), increased registration fees (now you have to register EVERY drone you own and pay a fee for each one), additional testing requirements and additional paperwork, and generally just more bureaucracy, etc. ) BUT not qualify for any of these "carrots/benefits" that the FAA dangles out there as future justification/or benefits that we will get down the line. I would bet that even the Part 107 pilots won't qualify for many of these "carrot" (e.g., BVLOS) either as the FAA will likely make the regulations required to get these benefits so onerous and/or so expensive that no one but the large commercial drone operators will be able to qualify for them. And with all of that I said why would I or any sane hobbyist signup to subject themselves to such nonsense. Of course that's a rhetorical question.

[@PilotInstitute]

@@jetmartin9501 Sadly, yes, I think you are right. With the advent of the type certificate for complex operations, it will require drone manufacturers to have to comply with more stringent fabrication methods, equipment on board (UTM talks about detect and avoid, communication, and navigation equipment requirements for BVLOS ops), maintenance schedule, likely the requirement for a Pilot Operating Handbook or Aircraft Information Manual (the current terms being used in the manned aircraft world), probably weight and balance limitations, performance charts, etc...The result will be expensive drones to perform these operations, not to mention the need for strict operating manuals on the side of the operators, the requirement to follow scheduled maintenance, likely provided only by trained people. We will start to see the UAS world become like the GA world: a very expensive endeavor. A Cessna 172 used to cost $100k 20 years ago. It is now over $300k partly because of things like what I mentioned. Not to mention the cost of parts being absolutely ridiculous because they are "aviation" grade. The hobbyist world is most definitely about to get rocked, and I foresee compliance rate going down with a very difficult enforcement.

[@jetmartin9501]

@@PilotInstitute Thanks for the thorough replies. I get the sense that many of the hobbyist are unaware of the true implications of the RemoteID and that they will not be able to just ignore it because they will be FORCED to comply with it unless they are willing to limit flying to pre-remote ID drones. The "Drone KZbin channels" at large are taking the "Ostrich" approach when it comes to Remote ID ramification...stick their head in the sand until it hits. I feel they should be sounding the alarm NOW REPEATEDLY (weekly) and helping to organize the Drone pilots so that we can fight this thing together and create a strategy/plan for how we can do that. So frustrating. Some channels like 51Drones are just willing to roll over ("what can we do...it's inevitable") without any fight whatsoever...even more frustrating. Argh! I'm glad you are continuing to keep us apprised on the progress of the RemoteID. Cheers.

[@mikedelima1219]

Oh dammed! Every time I see someone doing stupid things when flying a drone I want to sell mine. 😔 Having a drone it's no fun anymore.

[@Okabae]

now imagine you have a drone based business... These idiots are a risk to our business and due to that we have stricter and stricter regulations to comply with. I am a UAS Pilot in Austria with my own company, and the things we have had to endure is just too much. With 2021 we will have a european standard in UAV regulations, which may or may not be better, but at least some things we had in Austria will now go away, like redundant flight controllers on Cat C and D UAVs (we had to put 2 DJI flight controllers in our DJI M600)

[@ModernDayTemplar606]

👍

[@kitsynthpunk]

I don't do "bad things" when I fly, so I have nothing to hide from. But if Remote ID becomes a requirement, I might abandon the hobby. I lift off from my enclosed, private back yard to maintain my anonymity. If someone, anyone (even LE or the FAA) has the means for remotely determining who owns the drone they see flying around, and can trace that drone back to my location, that will ground me. I'll sell my drone and never go up again. The fun will be gone. I don't do things that aren't fun. End of.

[@Joe_Blo]

You've obviously never heard of Next Door. Cranky unhappy cat ladies who go online and complain about something going in their neighborhood on that bothers them, however normal and legal it may be. Thet post their complaint online, then they'll network and stand on their porches to observe and triangulate and hunt down the offender block by block, house by house, door by door. Once they identify their possible victim and their address, they'll call the police and demand that they go harass them, then DOX them to their community. Completing such petty facist missions makes their life worth living for just 1 more day.

[@Insolation1]

' FAA with ammo for more drastic regulation. ' Yet we have people marching about the streets with automatic weapons. Hilarious how many deaths by drones do we each year in comparison to firearms? None of these regulations are about safety, how many motor accidents do we have per year? Are the government going to put governors and tracking devices on vehicles to follow you. It's true that they do already with phones and that info is all stored by big business and can be accessed by government because your movements and phones details don't belong to you.

[@fpvpilot7713]

Dont they know how to fly high and use zoom? I really dont believe flyers will put a tracking device on anything because of all the crazy drone haters. The media gave quadcopters the drone name. I flew quads for years and never heard one called a drone.

[@arizonalifestyle79]

Welcome to America the land of the free🤔

[@chrisa7817]

I actually had respect for you until you advocated letting the ball players target a drone!! Many people currently don't know it is illegal, that would only stand to further that misconception.. Educate, Educate, Educate...

[@gadget_Bob]

Would you be ok with firefighters taking out a drone over a wildfire? As Greg said, there should be exceptions. These examples make sense to me.

[@chrisa7817]

@@gadget_Bob Completely different scenarios. Have fire fighters damaged vehicles blocking hydrants? Yes.. Life and death situation. If kids, or adults for that matter, see ball players targeting a drone it would be "well, my "hero" (sic) did it. It must be ok." Yes there can be exceptions. But sporting events should definitely not be included.

[@PilotInstitute]

Sorry, Chris, I was half joking on this one, I should been more clear. I'm just annoyed at the blatant disregard for rules. I have covered many times shooting at aircraft and how it is illegal. I debated leaving this segment in the video so it doesn't send the wrong signal.

[@randyanderson6110]

No respect now? Must be one.of those idiots who fly where you're not supposed to be.

[@chrisa7817]

@@randyanderson6110 Actually Randy I am a Part 107 certificated remote pilot and follow the rules. I do respect Greg, just not his choice to voice, even in jest (as he explained in his reply to this thread), support of an illegal act. He, as well as many of us in the UAS community, is frustrated with those uninformed or reckless individuals who make the rest of us look bad, but we cannot let our frustration lead to other questionable acts.