NickRehm
Member
Hi All,
Just thinking out loud about the upcoming demise of our hobby as a result of over-regulation due to the rise in self-flying 'drones.'
What if a distinction could be made in any of the legislation between RC aircraft and these self-flying drones that anyone can get at walmart? There is a clear distinction in the technology that sets hobbyists aside from the irresponsible who are flying and crashing their drones where they shouldn't be. Any remote controlled aircraft with outer-loop velocity/position/altitude control: push forward with required legislation. Any aircraft directly flown by the pilot with minimal outer-loop control (aside from inner-loop rate or attitude stabilization): mostly exempt from upcoming restrictions. It is not the RC airplanes with a flight controller helping to stabilize in light wind that are popping up at airports and giving close calls with manned aircraft. It is the gps-enabled drones that fly away on their own out of the control of the operator (note I say operator and not pilot. The outer loop control strategies allow ANYONE to fly) that are causing the real problems. The unfortunate bit of this is the hobbyists stuck in the middle who enjoy experimenting with autonomy on their platforms. In my opinion, a competency test should be required to fly/operate those types of aircraft to sift out the "I got a drone for christmas" crowd from the real, responsible hobbyists.
Like I mentioned, there is a clear distinction in the technology that I believe would be easy to differentiate between when it comes to rules/regulation. If I am out flying my RC plane /racing drone and hear a helicopter approaching, it is as simple as dropping the throttle stick to zero and it will effectively fall out of the sky. I I am out flying a DJI or the like, its seems its not that simple due to all of the outer-loop control they've integrated that would fight the pilot in that instance.
What are your thoughts on this in terms of logistics? Educating people to understand this fundamental difference? Possible/impossible? Let's talk
Just thinking out loud about the upcoming demise of our hobby as a result of over-regulation due to the rise in self-flying 'drones.'
What if a distinction could be made in any of the legislation between RC aircraft and these self-flying drones that anyone can get at walmart? There is a clear distinction in the technology that sets hobbyists aside from the irresponsible who are flying and crashing their drones where they shouldn't be. Any remote controlled aircraft with outer-loop velocity/position/altitude control: push forward with required legislation. Any aircraft directly flown by the pilot with minimal outer-loop control (aside from inner-loop rate or attitude stabilization): mostly exempt from upcoming restrictions. It is not the RC airplanes with a flight controller helping to stabilize in light wind that are popping up at airports and giving close calls with manned aircraft. It is the gps-enabled drones that fly away on their own out of the control of the operator (note I say operator and not pilot. The outer loop control strategies allow ANYONE to fly) that are causing the real problems. The unfortunate bit of this is the hobbyists stuck in the middle who enjoy experimenting with autonomy on their platforms. In my opinion, a competency test should be required to fly/operate those types of aircraft to sift out the "I got a drone for christmas" crowd from the real, responsible hobbyists.
Like I mentioned, there is a clear distinction in the technology that I believe would be easy to differentiate between when it comes to rules/regulation. If I am out flying my RC plane /racing drone and hear a helicopter approaching, it is as simple as dropping the throttle stick to zero and it will effectively fall out of the sky. I I am out flying a DJI or the like, its seems its not that simple due to all of the outer-loop control they've integrated that would fight the pilot in that instance.
What are your thoughts on this in terms of logistics? Educating people to understand this fundamental difference? Possible/impossible? Let's talk