Shooting down UAVs

On Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 8:24:03 PM UTC-6, S9 wrote:
https://www.faa.gov/uas/ - information on drone regulations. stay under 400' unless operating under waiver.

On Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 1:19:43 PM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Interesting, while I am not well versed in drone rules, I thought most cases were they were to be below 500'AGL, especially within a few miles of an airport.
Sorta seems like, if there is a local airport of any kind, legally ALL drones (10 year old with a present, having fun) could get the drone shot down in that area.

Curious what the FAA says, since they sorta have "sovereign rights of US airspace". They, as a US federal branch, sorta gets ****ed at state and local government trying to take control, let alone citizens.

Unfortunately RC Sailplanes are now considered drones and this will end RC Soaring in the United States if the AMA can not get waivers for community based self regulation.

Mike

R/C aviation has been the start for countless pilots who have gone on to do great things in aviation. I myself came from R/C soaring into this beautiful sport. We should be on the side of the AMA and R/C pilots. They are a big feed into our hobby.

Companies like DJI that have created consumer ready, autopilot drones have created this issue. Now you need no pilot skills to do something stupid (inevitable outcome when it comes to humans).

For every one idiot that "could" do something stupid, there are 1,000's of responsible pilots. You can legislate away every risk out there.

Which is honestly more dangerous? Some yocal' cop with a handgun taking down the DJI drone at a football game or model hobbyist flying a sailplane line-of-sight 401' above an AMA sanctioned field?

This is 100% about money. We should learn from this because the SSA, like the AMA, has no money to fight the government. If they come for us, we'll suffer the same fate....

On Friday, October 5, 2018 at 4:19:17 AM UTC-7, Pete wrote:
R/C aviation has been the start for countless pilots who have gone on to do great things in aviation. I myself came from R/C soaring into this beautiful sport. We should be on the side of the AMA and R/C pilots. They are a big feed into our hobby.

Companies like DJI that have created consumer ready, autopilot drones have created this issue. Now you need no pilot skills to do something stupid (inevitable outcome when it comes to humans).

For every one idiot that "could" do something stupid, there are 1,000's of responsible pilots. You can legislate away every risk out there.

Which is honestly more dangerous? Some yocal' cop with a handgun taking down the DJI drone at a football game or model hobbyist flying a sailplane line-of-sight 401' above an AMA sanctioned field?

This is 100% about money. We should learn from this because the SSA, like the AMA, has no money to fight the government. If they come for us, we'll suffer the same fate....

People are buying and operating these UAVs who have no concept of airspace rules and regulations. Here is one example of totally reckless behavior that I found some time ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfxdeRx2fLA
Here is just one comment by scofflaws:

"Its regardless not irregardless and **** the government saying you have to abide by these rules **** that. Earth or sky doesnt belong to the government."

What totally surprised me, however, was that Bruno Vassal, a well-known glider pilot and promoter of glider contests, posted a comment (later deleted) that said this guy was operating completely legally!

Tom

When they sell inexpensive drones at the shopping mall like toys, what do we expect? These kids/people who buy them are in "play with my toy" mode.....not "responsible FAA licensed pilot" mode.

As a former r/c glider pilot (LSF level 4), I've had many high altitude flights and unintentionally gotten sucked up into clouds and lost the sailplane (20+lbs 180 inch wingspans) Yikes! Never really considered the dangers in that at the time. Google the cross country competitions like the Great Race held near Joliet Illinois. Fortunately we were a relatively small in numbers and expensive hobby compared to the numerous and cheap drones of today, and we flew them out away from populated areas (mostly).

To this day it amazes me that r/c sailplanes often get flown at our full-sized sailplane contests right over millions of dollars worth of assembled gliders. But it's an airport environment, right? Never mind battery failure, radio control interference...etc.

Sometimes even FAA pilots don't use their heads while flying their remote control toys. What should we expect from a 15 y.o. boy then?

What a dilemma.

On Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 7:36:18 AM UTC-5, Bojack J4 wrote:
When they sell inexpensive drones at the shopping mall like toys, what do we expect? These kids/people who buy them are in "play with my toy" mode.....not "responsible FAA licensed pilot" mode.

As a former r/c glider pilot (LSF level 4), I've had many high altitude flights and unintentionally gotten sucked up into clouds and lost the sailplane (20+lbs 180 inch wingspans) Yikes! Never really considered the dangers in that at the time. Google the cross country competitions like the Great Race held near Joliet Illinois. Fortunately we were a relatively small in numbers and expensive hobby compared to the numerous and cheap drones of today, and we flew them out away from populated areas (mostly).

To this day it amazes me that r/c sailplanes often get flown at our full-sized sailplane contests right over millions of dollars worth of assembled gliders. But it's an airport environment, right? Never mind battery failure, radio control interference...etc.

Sometimes even FAA pilots don't use their heads while flying their remote control toys. What should we expect from a 15 y.o. boy then?

What a dilemma.

In the late 90's I arranged to land my-24 at an RC Glider field near Fayetteville NC during one of their contests (had spoken with their CD prior). Couldn't find the field at first but then spotted the rather big models in the air. I joined their thermal from above and we circled for a while. I then set up a circuit from behind the modelers and landed within their well maintained 500' runway. They were thrilled to have me, never been photographed so much. They came up with silly ideas like putting their rc tow planes in front of my glider: "hey, I wonder if we could tow you back up". When my son came with the trailer they were all over that thing: "I'm going to build me one of these in miniature". I'm still an honorary club member, have the T-shirt to prove it.
Had a great time, no dilemmas.
Herb, J7

On Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 7:45:24 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 7:36:18 AM UTC-5, Bojack J4 wrote:
When they sell inexpensive drones at the shopping mall like toys, what do we expect? These kids/people who buy them are in "play with my toy" mode....not "responsible FAA licensed pilot" mode.

As a former r/c glider pilot (LSF level 4), I've had many high altitude flights and unintentionally gotten sucked up into clouds and lost the sailplane (20+lbs 180 inch wingspans) Yikes! Never really considered the dangers in that at the time. Google the cross country competitions like the Great Race held near Joliet Illinois. Fortunately we were a relatively small in numbers and expensive hobby compared to the numerous and cheap drones of today, and we flew them out away from populated areas (mostly).

To this day it amazes me that r/c sailplanes often get flown at our full-sized sailplane contests right over millions of dollars worth of assembled gliders. But it's an airport environment, right? Never mind battery failure, radio control interference...etc.

Sometimes even FAA pilots don't use their heads while flying their remote control toys. What should we expect from a 15 y.o. boy then?

What a dilemma.

In the late 90's I arranged to land my-24 at an RC Glider field near Fayetteville NC during one of their contests (had spoken with their CD prior). Couldn't find the field at first but then spotted the rather big models in the air. I joined their thermal from above and we circled for a while. I then set up a circuit from behind the modelers and landed within their well maintained 500' runway. They were thrilled to have me, never been photographed so much. They came up with silly ideas like putting their rc tow planes in front of my glider: "hey, I wonder if we could tow you back up". When my son came with the trailer they were all over that thing: "I'm going to build me one of these in miniature". I'm still an honorary club member, have the T-shirt to prove it.
Had a great time, no dilemmas.
Herb, J7

Funny, I landed a helicopter on a RC field once when I had a chip light and some vibrations, no one went out of their way to make me feel welcomed