RC Drone Crashes onto White House backyard

[PHall]

In some states, a bicycle is legally a vehicle and is subject to the same laws

California is one and IIRC about 20 or so other states define them as vehicles too.

[LSThiker]

In some states, a bicycle is legally a vehicle and is subject to the same laws

California is one and IIRC about 20 or so other states define them as vehicles too.

Correct.  All of the states that I have lived in legally define bicycles as vehicles.  Unfortunately, I wish that those states would actually enforce those laws as I have nearly hit enough cyclists at night that blow stop signs without any lights or reflectors. 

[Luis R. Ramos]

New York City is another place where bicycles are listed as vehicles. They are subject to stopping at red lights, but they seldom do. They are supposed to ride with the traffic, most of the time they do but not all.

Those riding against traffic say "I may hit a careless driver opening their door." They do not see that if they go against traffic they may hit the door as it opens and be flung against the incoming traffic.

And most of the time they zoom like guided missiles regardless of pedestrians!

[Майор Хаткевич]

Lots of silly rules...bicycle aren't those. IIRC, anything that you don't throw by hand, is considered a "firearm" in my town, whether that's a BB gun, Airsoft toy, pipe with a rubber finger, or a slingshot...

[Spam]

One of the key features now being implemented in many current UAS designs are flexible on-air vehicle algorithms to determine vehicle actions on degraded control, which can encompass recognition that the uplink/downlink signal is degraded or weakening with distance, intentional jamming or unintentional interference, or is being spoofed.  A smart vehicle will recognize a degraded link and will perform preprogrammed actions such as climb/boost signal/fly a signal reacquisition pattern (think of our ELT SAR work), etc.

Additional on-aircraft algorithms could recognize inattentive or absent human pilots, and would take required actions (i.e., auto GCAS compares ownship location/speed/alt to DTED terrain data and first advises, then warns, then assumes control and recovers aircraft, just like in a Viper). For one effort, I've proposed a family of algorithms to encompass AV assumption of control in response to similar threats ranging from weather cell avoidance (off board reported or on board) up to IADS SAM, fighter and DE threat avoidance, all based on UAS system level recognition of an unavailable executive decision maker (live pilot) based on inattention, high workload, loss of link, etc.  I anticipate that the FAA and industry are headed in this direction as the war-related impetus of urgently fielding half-tested UASs dies and we start addressing the root causes of the high UAV loss rate.

So, where is this going for the hobby UAV operator.  Who can say what the FAA will do in regards to imposing classification rules and operator restrictions on small UAVs that, while small and lightweight, could still cause safety issues within a congested airspace. I do know that even with todays cheaper quadcopters, simple options exist to return the GPS equipped UAV to a predefined position on loss of signal (cheap is a relative term to one who forks over 1K on a hobby).  "Rulings" regardless, the real answer from a security standpoint is the same as with gun control laws and border control... point defense trumps unenforceable laws that law breakers will cheerfully ignore and break regularly.

V/R,
Spam

[Spam]

"Secret Service testing drones, how to disrupt their flying"

http://wtop.com/business/2015/03/secret-service-testing-drones-how-to-disrupt-their-flying/

"... Among the tests is the use of signal-jamming technology to thwart control of a remotely piloted aircraft, the official said.

Researchers at the Homeland Security Department, which oversees the Secret Service, have been testing methods to combat drones at remote sites. But testing in a real-world environment around the White House will help understanding of how radio waves are affected by buildings, monuments and even tall trees.

The challenge for the Secret Service is how to quickly detect a rogue drone flying near the White House or another location where the president is, then within moments either hacking its guidance mechanism to seize control, or jamming its signal to send it off course or make it crash."


V/R,
Spam

[Al Sayre]

SNIP ... "or jamming its signal to send it off course or make it crash."

into a crowd of civilian onlookers.  Yeah, that'll be good for the headlines...