Drones threatening commercial a/c?
As an airline pilot and drone hobbyist I would like to share my thoughts.
1. A lot of drone flyers are irresponsible and go looking for trouble.
2. Drones pose much less threat to air safety than the public thinks; the vast majority are smaller and lighter than many RC planes that have been around for decades. I have seen RC twin jets weighing over 200 lbs travelling over 250 mph topping out of a loop at 1500' NEXT to a busy airport and NOBODY thought that was a safety risk. Then out came my little DJI phantom and everyone panicked!!!!
3. The story about the airliner in the US last week pulling up to avoid a drone is probably bogus.
4. The fear authorities have about drones is not safety so much as security. And it’s not a fear of drones being used to drop bombs or smash into Government offices; it’s a fear that they will be used to spy on law enforcement and the Government when they are doing illegal or immoral acts. The last thing the Government wants during marshal law, civilian crackdown, rioting or general civil unrest is the wider community seeing hi def first hand aerial shots of police beatings as happened in Turkey recently.
5. Drones are here to stay and the applications for which they can be used are endless.
1. A lot of drone flyers are irresponsible and go looking for trouble.
2. Drones pose much less threat to air safety than the public thinks; the vast majority are smaller and lighter than many RC planes that have been around for decades. I have seen RC twin jets weighing over 200 lbs travelling over 250 mph topping out of a loop at 1500' NEXT to a busy airport and NOBODY thought that was a safety risk. Then out came my little DJI phantom and everyone panicked!!!!
3. The story about the airliner in the US last week pulling up to avoid a drone is probably bogus.
4. The fear authorities have about drones is not safety so much as security. And it’s not a fear of drones being used to drop bombs or smash into Government offices; it’s a fear that they will be used to spy on law enforcement and the Government when they are doing illegal or immoral acts. The last thing the Government wants during marshal law, civilian crackdown, rioting or general civil unrest is the wider community seeing hi def first hand aerial shots of police beatings as happened in Turkey recently.
5. Drones are here to stay and the applications for which they can be used are endless.
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ATC system for drones?
It's a start, anyway.
Nasa and Verizon plan to monitor US drone network from phone towers | Technology | The Guardian
Verizon, the US’s largest wireless telecom company, is developing technology with Nasa to direct and monitor America’s growing fleet of civilian and commercial drones from its network of phone towers.
According to documents obtained by the Guardian, Verizon signed an agreement last year with Nasa “to jointly explore whether cell towers … could support communications and surveillance of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at low altitudes”.
According to documents obtained by the Guardian, Verizon signed an agreement last year with Nasa “to jointly explore whether cell towers … could support communications and surveillance of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at low altitudes”.
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Drone flies within "a few hundred feet" of descending Southwest flight
Non-event at Dallas Love Field, but still...
Drone flies within "a few hundred feet" of descending Southwest flight
Drone flies within "a few hundred feet" of descending Southwest flight
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EASA Con Ops for Drones
European Aviation Safety Agency have published "Concept of Operations for Drones - a risk based approach to regulation of unmanned aircraft"
Concept of Operations for Drones | EASA
Concept of Operations for Drones | EASA
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Here's the story behind the fake drone clip.
No a drone didn't strike a plane leaving New York, it's a hoax
No a drone didn't strike a plane leaving New York, it's a hoax
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Lake fire grew after private drone flights disrupted air drops
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Fire bomber stopped by one drone?
Would a flock of geese stop all operations too? Who makes decisions like this when lives and property are at stake?
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As both a pilot and a model aircraft pilot, I can honestly say the people who interfere with full scale operations are idiots. I fly my RC planes at the local airport (with permission) but I carry my handheld radio with me so if somone is comming in I'll land immediately. So real planes and models can coexist in the same environment. The proposed rules the FAA has in mind are pretty limiting,ie the speed and altitude limitations. I have an RC jet that will fly well above the 100mph speed limit and in a loop will bust the 500 foot ceiling they want to put on us. I think training is the answer have an required but easy to get small UAS pilot permit based off a cheap online course. That way these idiots will have to know some basic airspace rules.
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Actually a flock of birds is orders of magnitude more dangerous for an aircraft than a drone .It's orders of magnitude bigger so it's harder to avoid /easier to hit and can do what no drone can - shut down multiple engines .
As for hysteria - look here :
Unusual Aviation Pictures
But there was no evidence for a birdstrike - the pilots were extra jumpy about birds because there was a fatal birdstrike accident on the same type just a couple of months before .
As for hysteria - look here :
Unusual Aviation Pictures
But there was no evidence for a birdstrike - the pilots were extra jumpy about birds because there was a fatal birdstrike accident on the same type just a couple of months before .
Last edited by Ahernar; 28th Jun 2015 at 08:45. Reason: spelling
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More on the drone incidents (2) over SoCal forest fire.
Drone flying over forest fire diverts planes, costs US Forest Service $10K
Drone flying over forest fire diverts planes, costs US Forest Service $10K
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I recently got a phantom 3 drone from DJI and they are very clear on the 400 ft altitude restriction and with the on board GPS will not fly into any restricted areas for drone operation. It will not even take off if it is in unauthorized airspace.
Almost all drone operators are responsible flyers and respect the privacy of their neighbors. No recreational drone to my knowledge has ever hit an aircraft in flight. Model RC aircraft much larger have been flying for decades with no problem. There should not be any concern for these much more sophisticated drones with GPS flying with existing restrictions.
Almost all drone operators are responsible flyers and respect the privacy of their neighbors. No recreational drone to my knowledge has ever hit an aircraft in flight. Model RC aircraft much larger have been flying for decades with no problem. There should not be any concern for these much more sophisticated drones with GPS flying with existing restrictions.
http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/5...ml#post8837062
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DJI Hires Drone Lawyer
DJI, the world’s largest drone company, has hired lawyer Brendan Schulman as its vice president of policy and legal affairs.
DJI brings on leading drone lawyer Brendan Schulman - The Washington Post
DJI brings on leading drone lawyer Brendan Schulman - The Washington Post
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Thanks for the post, Mark. We need a rational approach to drones and not let Dianne and the politicians with absolutely no agenda other than making more unnecessary laws to hinder a growing and necessary field with so many beneficial possibilities.
These drones operate on batteries with a 25 minute endurance so are quiet. They weigh less than 3 lbs with 4 plastic rotors so are much smaller than a lot of RC models with gas engines. With GPS they are easy to fly and will stop and hold altitude whenever the controls are released so the out of control crashes of RC's sometimes have should not happen. If you lose sight of it you simply press a button and it returns and lands itself within 3 ft of where you took off.
These drones operate on batteries with a 25 minute endurance so are quiet. They weigh less than 3 lbs with 4 plastic rotors so are much smaller than a lot of RC models with gas engines. With GPS they are easy to fly and will stop and hold altitude whenever the controls are released so the out of control crashes of RC's sometimes have should not happen. If you lose sight of it you simply press a button and it returns and lands itself within 3 ft of where you took off.
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Some folks posting here have not had to fly around any modern larger drones in the US. They are capable of FL 180 plus and need good arms to be lifted off the ground.
Although some have effective strobes and transponders, their owners often do not have insurance and the pilots don't even seem to know about CAS.
I'm in the ban them all camp, unless the Police or Fire dept folks need them. The toy ones should be fully certified and incapable of flying above 100ft etc.
Camera crews should use a certified tethered balloon or a real chopper.
I'm confident nothing will happen until one brings a big aircraft down in a permanent manner!
Although some have effective strobes and transponders, their owners often do not have insurance and the pilots don't even seem to know about CAS.
I'm in the ban them all camp, unless the Police or Fire dept folks need them. The toy ones should be fully certified and incapable of flying above 100ft etc.
Camera crews should use a certified tethered balloon or a real chopper.
I'm confident nothing will happen until one brings a big aircraft down in a permanent manner!
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Some of you need to check Google, as there have been several collisions with both drones and RC aircraft.
Even a Goodyear blimp got hit and forced down some years ago by a suicidal US citizen.
The new GPS locks and altitude inhibit programs can be deleted by any half wit!
Even a Goodyear blimp got hit and forced down some years ago by a suicidal US citizen.
The new GPS locks and altitude inhibit programs can be deleted by any half wit!