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Thread: Will hobby ownership of Drones be banned?

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    Default Will hobby ownership of Drones be banned?

    Watching part of the US ABC News this Sunday morning again had reports of Drones encroaching the Air space not only around but inside major airports (New York) and claims that several drones have missed contact with the aircraft by only a few metres.
    One huge scare was when a drone was flown and landed on the dais directly in front of the German Chancellor (Merckel?) at a public meeting.
    This incident of course has the security division for VIP's worried as how easy it would be to use one by anybody with harmful intent.
    It will only need the killing of one Head of State or the attributable crash of a commercial aircraft caused by a drone and more than shit will hit the fan.
    I know RC aircraft have existed for decades but these new versions appear not to require as much skill to fly as fixed wing aircraft do plus their small size and maneuverability makes them ideal for someone to use whose bent on doing harm to others.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!



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    LSemmens
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    The problem with RC craft of old was the effort the owner had to put in to building and maintaining his craft. There is no way in a pink fit that they would do anything to jeopardise their pride and joy. Now, sadly they have become such a cheap commodity that any kid with 2 bob can purchase one ready to fly. Heck they no longer even need fuel, just a few batteries. Of course it is the idiots who do stupid things that are going to stuff it up for the rest of us. There are many advantages to owning and using drones but, will they outweigh the yobbos, sadly, I think that their days are numbered unless ownership and operation is like that of, say guns, in that you must have a licence to own and operate. Problem is, that does not stop the yobbos owning guns and using them either.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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    As with many things, a few irresponsible idiots ruin it for everyone else.

    Incidents like this don't help (man shoots down $1800 drone hovering over his 16 year old sunbathing daughter):


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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    I know RC aircraft have existed for decades but these new versions appear not to require as much skill to fly as fixed wing aircraft do plus their small size and maneuverability makes them ideal for someone to use whose bent on doing harm to others.
    They actually take quite a lot of skill to fly accurately! Anyone can take off & crash, however piloting these things accurately even with GPS assistance is not as easy as one would think.
    Small toys flown indoors can be fairly easy, however in the outside world with air movement you can lose a small drone real quick in the wind.
    Heavier drones become subject to prop wash (VRS) problems in flight & ground effects can make them bouncy to land or hover close to the ground.

    With GPS assistance you can automate takeoff, altitude, flight path/waypoint mission, return to home & land. programming to do this is open source & freely available.
    You still have to have some brain cells & experience in piloting, computers & basic topography to set this up correctly though.

    Who knows what will happen with regulations at the moment, It's already necessary to be licensed for any commercial activity such as aerial video & photography.
    Drones over 2kg are considered commercial.
    Under 2kg is an RC Toy until you monetise your video or photo's then it's commercial.

    Policing all these rules will become difficult.

    Getting a commercial drone operators (UAV) licence is expensive.




    Last edited by Tiny; 03-08-15 at 12:32 PM. Reason: Fixed link
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    As everyone has quite clearly remarked that by paraphrasing Churchill's famous quote, 'It only takes a few to stuff it up for many.'

    I was unaware of the licensing requirements which now explains when any drone video/photography is done, its always announced the operator is licensed but I wonder how many retailers make the buyer aware of need when they sell them.

    While I wasnt suggesting it doesnt require a modicum of care and expertise to operate one, I was thinking more along the lines that before it was a case of 'Construct your Craft before you Fly' but now these things depending on what you pay for it, come ready and able to do wonders straight out of the box.

    I wonder if this will boost the interest and sales in Clay Pigeon shooting and Shotguns to blast them pesky drones out of the sky as reported in another post.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    I see your point about them being more readily available as an out of the box flying machine.(RTF)

    The technical expertise, back in the 70's, to setup servo travel, throttle tuning etc, to balance the flight characteristics was much more difficult than the possibilities now.

    Although even when I started with fueled remote control fixed wing planes in the mid 1970's, it was certainly cheaper to build your own, however some hobby shops sold fully or partially constructed aircraft back then. Basically ready to fly (RTF) or almost ready to fly, just add a radio control unit & some accessories, now known as Bind N Fly (BNF)


    Even if they try to reduce the possibility of drones being used for criminal activities by heavier policing of sales, ownership & licensing, it will just drive the hobby into the black market & the criminals/terrorists will still get their hands on them to use for weapons, drug running etc..
    Cheers, Tiny
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    I was never overly interested in Model Planes of any sort partly as you say because then it involved much time and skill to make it let alone anything else and you needed both space and weather to fly it once done.
    Model aircraft were generally more expensive than other hobbies and really took effort to construct and use.
    I have seen a Hardly Normal advert selling a Drone (Parrot brand) on TV and like all ads, it implies its all ready to 'Up, Up and Away' and do wonders etc etc and of course being a 'helicopter' form of flying, you dont need the 'Wide Open Spaces' or good weather to use it.

    Lets hope the interest wanes just enough to stop the determinedly stupid brigade from wrecking a fun hobby for everyone else.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    Lets hope the interest wanes just enough to stop the determinedly stupid brigade from wrecking a fun hobby for everyone else.
    Unfortunately there are things about the stupid brigade that won't change.
    1; You cant fix or cure stupidity.
    2; never underestimate the power of stupid people to go beyond your expectations of their stupidity.
    Cheers, Tiny
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    here is one of the stupid brigade, being fined heavily!
    Some people just don't get what the warning signs of imminent law enforcement are.
    Man fined for flying drone at football matches and Buckingham Palace


    Last edited by Tiny; 16-09-15 at 11:09 AM.
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    So the USA seem to be heading in the direction of "Drone" registration.?

    Govt Will Require Drones to Be Registered...

    "The federal government will announce a new plan requiring anyone buying a drone to register the device with the U.S. Department of Transportation, NBC news has learned.

    The government has been concerned about the rise in close calls between unmanned drones and aircraft flying into and out of some of the nation's biggest airports. The plan is expected to be announced Monday.

    Under the plan, the government would work with the drone industry to set up a structure for registering the drones, and the regulations could be in place by Christmas.

    Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a $1.9 million fine against Chicago drone company SkyPan, which was alleged to have flown dozens of unauthorized flights over Chicago ""

    Cheers, Tiny
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    Not much different to laser pointers. Stupid people ####ing it up for everybody else.

    The laws for flying RC aircraft in Australia are already in place. They always have been.

    So what needs to be done is firstly put some effort into catching a couple of idiots.
    This isn't as hard as it sounds. There's some pretty good security and eyes on the ground around airports and important facilities.
    There are also NOTAM's in place on the air charts. (I'll remind people ignorance of the law is no excuse) It's your responsibility to find out they exist.
    So flying RC near Sydney airport, Garden Island, Lucas Heights etc, you're not only being a dickhead, you're doing something illegal.

    It will only take a couple of idiots to get caught and you've got the seeds to scare the #### out of the greater population of dickheads.
    CASA needs to make sure that the sentencing is very public and the sentence very harsh.
    First offence is no excuse. Hundreds of millions of dollars and hundreds of lives can be ruined because of sheer stupidity.
    It's clear that the only way to deter idiots is with draconian punishment for anybody caught to discourage others from doing the same.
    Something like a $30,000 fine and prohibited from piloting any aircraft for 2 years and a bit of tabloid TV harassment.
    When the idiot can't pay the fine, make sure the tabloid TV is there to show the sheriff taking his shit to pay the debt.

    It'll only take two or three dickheads and the rest will be scared shitless. Especially if they show a small quadcopter that everybody thinks is harmless.

    And they don't need to go overboard with some kid flying his kite in a park. Just pick the big important places that need to be protected like approaches to airports.
    Yes I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.

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    Transport Canada has gone crazy with model aircraft legislation. The new guidelines basically ground my helicopters.

    Do not fly your drone:

    higher than 90 m above the ground
    closer than 75 m from buildings, vehicles, vessels, animals, people/crowds
    closer than nine km from the centre of an aerodrome (any airport, heliport, seaplane base or anywhere that aircraft take-off and land)
    within controlled or restricted airspace
    within nine km of a forest fire
    where it could interfere with police or first responders
    at night or in clouds
    if you can’t keep it in sight at all times
    if you are not within 500 m of your drone
    if your name, address, and telephone number are not clearly marked on your drone.

    VE3SCP

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    Oh yes - anything over 250 grams falls under the New LEGISLATION.

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