Help! Make money with the hobby

[FlyerInStyle]

I am a teenager, that is lacking money to get kickstarted with lots of electronics, like everyone who has been in the hobby has.

Airplanes are my thing, can anyone reccommend me a way to earn money thoough airplanes i a not really airplane loving comunitty, so I can get myself the electronics needed?

 

[Phin G]

I am a teenager, that is lacking money to get kickstarted with lots of electronics, like everyone who has been in the hobby has.

Airplanes are my thing, can anyone reccommend me a way to earn money thoough airplanes i a not really airplane loving comunitty, so I can get myself the electronics needed?

Hey i am probably younger than you and i have the same problem. I have made some work helping out neighbours with garden work/ 'yard work' or i would suggest selling some old stuff if you want to let go on something like ebay. If you want to fly and earn some money then you could maybe teach younglings how to build ir make plane frames and sell them for eletronics. If your plan has a cam on then you could do something like looking at building to see if they are good or do something like Ariel surveillance of some sorts. Hope this helps and gives you an idea on how to gain money.

Laters
Me

 

[JasonK]

here is the pragmatic answer - if your trying to use it to make money, it is no longer a hobby, but a job/career.

The first steps would be trying to figure out the cross section between what you can provide (possible produces/services), what you will enjoy doing (at least if you want to enjoy what your doing), and what you can build a business out of (IE what you can market and make money out of).

If your in the US and flying stuff with the intention or side effect of making money, the FAA says you need to have a part 107 as you can't fly stuff under the hobby permissions.

 

[Phin G]

Listen to jasonK he is more clever than me and words it better

 

[FlyerInStyle]

but that is only if the stuff is over 250 grams, @JasonK , but I get that it is no longer a hobby, all I want is to get money to continue with the hobby. thanks @Phin G , I might look into teaching some elementary school kids to build something like the ft EZ glider, and what I plan on doing now is first starting to do it for free, and then myabe charging a small fee. also I have a like 2 month old plane that I do not want, phin G how can I sell it not on ebay?

 

[JasonK]

but that is only if the stuff is over 250 grams, @JasonK , but I get that it is no longer a hobby, all I want is to get money to continue with the hobby. thanks @Phin G , I might look into teaching some elementary school kids to build something like the ft EZ glider, and what I plan on doing now is first starting to do it for free, and then myabe charging a small fee. also I have a like 2 month old plane that I do not want, phin G how can I sell it not on ebay?

your incorrect, _anything_ flown to make money requires a part 107 (non-powered, non-controlled stuff doesn't get covered by this - IE paper airplanes or footballs, but that comes down to the definitions of a UAV, not commercial or not). The 250g limit only impacts the requirement for hobby registration. It doesn't impact part 107 requirements, flying restrictions or anything like that.

 

[FlyerInStyle]

oh ok. so if I teach a kid to build and fly a chuck glider I need to register that chuck glider?

 

[JasonK]

a chuck glider is neither powered nor under any type of flight control, so it doesn't fall under the UAV rules. So, no you don't need a part 107 nor do you need to register it.

 

[FlyerInStyle]

ok. so then that is a way to earn money. I might try that out if i will want to build more planes, though I am a 7th grader, and so do not know how parents will trust me with their children during this pandemic.

 

[JasonK]

A simple test ->
- does it have anything that can produce thrust on board?
- does it have any control surfaces that can be changed while in flight to control the flight path?

if the answer to either of those is yes, then:
- you need a part 107 if your doing it to make money or the furtherance of a business
- you have to follow all flight rules/limitations/etc
- if your flying for self entertainment only and it is over 250g, you have to have a hobby registration and have the number on the craft.

 

[FlyerInStyle]

ok. so I cannot build some kind of crazy giant rc plane, and without a part 107 launch the chuck gliders that tthe kids make, off of it for money, right? just thinking abstractly6 about unusual situations.

 

[JasonK]

ok. so I cannot build some kind of crazy giant rc plane, and without a part 107 launch the chuck gliders that tthe kids make, off of it for money, right? just thinking abstractly6 about unusual situations.

So lets go down the simple test:
it has both thrust and control surfaces -> so all rules apply
your flying it to make money -> part 107 required

 

[FlyerInStyle]

ok. thanks, so if nothing rc, then I can actually make money without a license??

 

[JasonK]

ok. thanks, so if nothing rc, then I can actually make money without a license??

I would suggest talking over that simple set of questions with your parents.


Note this is not official, and is only my understanding of the rules as of this post, talk to the FAA and/or a lawyer if you have any questions or conserns or are unsure if this is correct.

as a flow chart:

A: Does it have any motors or thrust generation ability?
- yes: go to D
- no: go to B

B: Does it have any control surfaces that can move during flight (IE anything with a servo connected, but could also be other stuff)?
- yes: go to D
- no: go to C

C: Your craft does not appear to be covered by the FAA UAV rules, you can probably do what you want.
- done

D: Your craft has to follow all FAA UAV rules for where you can legally fly. (IE LOS, flight restrictions on location and altitude)
- Go to E

E: Are you making any money or furthering a business (helping someone else make money)? (or anything else that doesn't quality for personal enjoyment only)
- yes: go to F
- no: go to G

F: This requires a part 107 and an individual registration per drone.
- done

G: does it weight more then 250g? (not sure if it is more then or more then or equal to..., so 250g exactly might be a go to H)
- yes: go to H
- no: go I

H: Your require a hobbyist FAA registration and your registration number is required to be labeled on the craft
- done

I: Your craft does not require to be registered with the FAA
- done

 

[FlyerInStyle]

thanks

 

[LitterBug]

ok. thanks, so if nothing rc, then I can actually make money without a license??

You can get a job at a local Hobby shop. This will get you several things. 1) You will have income to buy hobby stuff. 2) You most likely will be able to get a discount buying stuff from that store. 3) You will have more exposure to the hobby and all the various options that are out there.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[FlyerInStyle]

my closest hobby shop is for rc cars, only one worker, and not too close, the other ones are over an hour of drive away!

 

[LitterBug]

my closest hobby shop is for rc cars, only one worker, and not too close, the other ones are over an hour of drive away!

"ANY" hobby store is a good start, for the same three reasons. Doesn't matter what they sell, it is still an IN to the industry...

 

[FlyerInStyle]

but they are nto hiring! they have a rare customers, etc. any online hobby stores that would accept middle schoolers?

 

[JasonK]

but they are nto hiring! they have a rare customers, etc. any online hobby stores that would accept middle schoolers?

everywhere I have lived in the US - most jobs have a minimum age of 14 to basically do anything... and 16 to do anything that isn't considered 'negligible risk'. If your still in middle school, I suspect you will have trouble getting a job most places because of child labor laws.