FAA Press Release: https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=18295 (https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=18295)
LA Times summary: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-proposed-drone-rules-20150216-story.html (http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-proposed-drone-rules-20150216-story.html)
(http://www.trbimg.com/img-54e23e20/turbine/la-faa-drone-regulation-amazon-20150216/750/750x422)
http://techcrunch.com/2015/02/15/proposed-faa-rules-will-open-the-sky-for-some-commercial-drones-but-delivery-drones-remain-grounded/ (http://techcrunch.com/2015/02/15/proposed-faa-rules-will-open-the-sky-for-some-commercial-drones-but-delivery-drones-remain-grounded/)
I have photography friends that are using one for video and stills of Route 66 relics. The output is incredible. Of course they use the $1000 stabilized units. I got an eye on an $80 unit to see how stable it is.
"Must be directly visible by operator" would curtail most SAR usage unfortunately.
Could be used to see what's beyond an upcoming obstacle, but not much further.
Quote from: S/M Thompson on February 16, 2015, 09:51:14 PM
"Must be directly visible by operator" would curtail most SAR usage unfortunately.
Could be used to see what's beyond an upcoming obstacle, but not much further.
Could allow radio transmission over hills. ;)
At 500 ft altitude, no obstructions, and proper coloring/markings against background (International orange? streamers?) you could probably see it for a mile or so, further than the probable range of you radio controller... When I was a kid I put a kite on a deep sea fishing rod with 70 lb test line and had it out well over 2 miles and still visible.
Quote from: Capt Hatkevich on February 16, 2015, 09:58:17 PM
Quote from: S/M Thompson on February 16, 2015, 09:51:14 PM
"Must be directly visible by operator" would curtail most SAR usage unfortunately.
Could be used to see what's beyond an upcoming obstacle, but not much further.
Could allow radio transmission over hills. ;)
Would a small drone support the weight of a repeater and battery, and for how long I wonder?
I would like to see them open this up a lot more for SAR organizations. There have been too many mishaps lately for them to go any longer without tightening restrictions, but an FAA training program for SAR operators to give a license for extended capabilities would be nice.
Quote from: Al Sayre on February 16, 2015, 11:58:54 PMWhen I was a kid I put a kite on a deep sea fishing rod with 70 lb test line and had it out well over 2 miles and still visible.
Hah! I'm not alone! On really windy days in the Cutler Ridge (Bay) Fl, area, I used to do that. One time the kite crashed -somewhere- and I'm sure people were wondering what that long line was .. that I remember kicking butt on a bicycle to hurry up and get to Dixie Highway and cut the line. Ended up tangled across two 8 story apartment towers, and a small strip mall across US 1 at 200th. st. and well into the neighborhood.
Nothing in that area looks the same anymore, after 1992 took care of it. If I can ever find the aerial and ground neighborhood photos from back then, and went back with a drone, or rent a plane .. it would be fun to compare the 1970s to now.