Basic safety guidelines for recreational flyers. Daytona Drone Club Introduction to drone operator responsibilities

The FAA assumes owners and operators of unmanned aircraft are generally concerned about safety
and willing to exercise good judgment when flying their aircraft. However, for the flying drone basic aeronautical knowledge
and awareness of responsibilities in shared airspace are not common knowledge. (full disclosure I do not work for the FAA)

Drones and especially flying drones are becoming more and more common every day and you having an opportunity to be involved with them the same.

As a tech person Drones and their potential uses have exploded and the reality that you might want one or even need to learn the technology is becoming evident. 
The drone arsenal includes flying, surface, and underwater, all of these sharing similar technologies to operate. Using a drone for pleasure might not interest many people and even seem an annoyance, but the real mission is using these as tools to become safer and even more efficient on the job.

A Tool. Yes, my friend. This is the real benefit. Using this technology will have great benefits to the professional working class. 

Tools as I said. 

A lot of times technical advances come from people exploring hobbies and developing toys that turn into tools. The modern home workshop is now a precision manufacturing base. Computer controlled mills and laths have become so affordable and their capability allows for building close tolerance stuff in the everyday home garage. 

Using The Drone as a Tool. So, picture this, drive to a potential client, get out your ladder, setup, climb atop the roof and look for the issue, or open your drone crate, launch your precision gps guided drone with hi rez camera and shoot some pictures and video. Even with the ladder method you will need pictures and video. Is this possible using a small drone, yes and it's affordable. 

And you’re looking to purchase a boat, an underwater drone is now well within reach for the average guy to own, not kidding, I have one, and it does high rez video and pictures.

So how does this affect you.

If your thinking about this drone as a tool concept you need to do your research. If you purchase a flying drone you now have to deal with the BIG MAN FAA. This is where all the air is sucked out of this exciting new technology. Yes,  you have to follow the rules and regulations, and it also requires an operating license, and a second person on location as an observer. 

Now the point of this writing is not to build up your hopes of becoming an arm chair aviator but to Get you the facts about using drones in industry. 

It’s about remote control , the development ,manufacture methods, and materials, Many many components that need to be identified and learned.

Reality Check!  As A Drone operater the FAA is the Boss.

No, you’re not going to buy a fancy drone for a grand and start doing roof inspections, you need to take an introduction lesson to spell out the regulations and define the rules. And Thank God for this. This has always been my appreciation for getting a pilot’s license to fly private planes. There is a sort of filter that removes the people that should not be flying, either by fear or by ignorance, the skies are safe because the average teenager can’t get behind the wheel or drinking and driving is not prevalent as in a car. Actually, when you consider it the Big Bad FAA is actually your best safety net. In fact, the FAA is more of an instructional institution than a police authority. Gathering information after an incident and doing analysis to define the cause is great information. As a pilot I read the articles and posted incident reports to learn what kind of mistakes are made, this is the same with drone operations.

Having the FAA gather information on reports of abuse or incidents will and does give the general population information on what is going right and wrong. 

The First step for you the industry professional is to get the basics before you buy the equipment. 

And Yes, drone flying can be a great hobby and lots of fun but there are rules for that also!

Part 2.   Safety,Safety,Safety

Yes this Tool can hurt you. And it can hurt others also. Just because you can purchase something doesn’t mean it can’t do harm to innocent people. Just like a gun, it’s harmless until it gets into the wrong hands. 

First you need to understand the definition and what’s expected from the drone operator under the recreational exception of the drone flying rule.

Not to get too deep into the Big Ticket (part107) we want to keep you legal operating under the exception

RECREATIONAL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS.

Rules in Long Format. (open in new window)

https://daytonadrone.com/ac-91-57b/

An introduction to drone flying is a great start. 

Part 107 does not apply to the following:

Model aircraft that are operated in accordance with Part 101 Subpart E, Model Aircraft), which applies to model aircraft meeting all of the following criteria: 

• The aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use; 

• The aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization; 

• The aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered by a community-based organization; 

• The aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; 

• When flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control (ATC) tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation; 

• The aircraft is capable of sustained flight in the atmosphere; and 

• The aircraft is flown within Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) of the person operating the aircraft.

Our intention is to be involved in the Drone industry as a commercial operation and as a Drone Club.