URGENT VIDEO MUST WATCH: FAA Reauthorization 2018 set to change the hobby forever

CatholicFlyer

Active member
it looks like Amazon and all the big companies want the airspace where we fly and there will be a test to get certified in order to fly our models! gosh. So these big companies will push the FAA to kick us out.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
It does not matter at this point. The bill is bought and paid for. As xjet says in the first video its too late to go back and make changes as commercial aviation will be stalled over it.

We just have to sit back and watch the same idiots that got regulation forced upon us return the favor of destroying drone delivery by doing what they do best. Be stupid.

They will shoot at the delivery drones, try and use nets to catch them, or some other thing beyond my comprehension of stupid. Then there will be the fortune hunters intentionally getting hurt and sueing. Finally the less honorable of our species will try and steal the drones to part out for quick cash.

If that doesn't kill it then the non flight orientated people who complain about the ocassional drone buzzing about will go totally nuts over many over flights on a daily basis.

Our best redress for this stupidity is to bug the snot out if police EVERYTIME a commercial drone flys over once it all starts.

This will force small towns to start regulating them which will in turn push back up hill on the state level making them wish they never sold us out.

That is only if we and as many people as we can rally do this from day one.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
yeah one of the questions I asked, so does that mean the airspace on our farm and over it, can't be used by us or friends we invite to fly?
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
So, what this means is that we all need to panic, we have lost our airspace, the hobby is dead, and the FAA have become the lords and masters over anything that's higher than the air 2" off the ground, right?

I've heard this guy rant over things before, and I'm willing to take things with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to a multi-million dollar industry that has a political agenda.

People are still going to fly (illegally, now) because they're not going to know the laws, or they're going to protest, or they're not going to care. Or, maybe, it'll get killed. Remember, it's still a BILL.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
So, what this means is that we all need to panic, we have lost our airspace, the hobby is dead, and the FAA have become the lords and masters over anything that's higher than the air 2" off the ground, right?

I've heard this guy rant over things before, and I'm willing to take things with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to a multi-million dollar industry that has a political agenda.

People are still going to fly (illegally, now) because they're not going to know the laws, or they're going to protest, or they're not going to care. Or, maybe, it'll get killed. Remember, it's still a BILL.
true, we could get Trump to Veto it.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
reminds me of obamacare, no one could read it. just hope hobby flyers will contact their reps and pressure them to vote no against it.
 

JTarmstr

Elite member
The bill is finished, but it still has to go through the house and senate, we have to put as much pressure on them as we can. It doesnt help that this is run by lobbyists supported by idiots. Do they really think that just cuz they put a few words on a sheet of paper that everything bad will magically go away? This is just depressing how dumb most people are, its like most people dont even care about issues anymore, the only reason the public would care about this is some sort of tragic scandal, like if a plane crashed because of a drone. Barely anyone watched the hearings for the supreme court nominee until the scandal sprouted up. Most people dont care about flying foamies but they love the idea of their items from Amazon dropped off in 30 minutes. Unless there is a massive turnout of hobbyists that pressure their representatives into voting no, I fear this bill has nothing in its way. I'm sorry if I sound downbeat. I dont want to, but the truth is all we have on our side is our voice, they have cash, corporations and plenty of news covering them, every article I have read makes it seem like every phantom 4 purchase will end up in tragedy. I hope that FliteTest and other companies manufacturing RC vehicles decide to take this matter into their hands and push for this bill failing. 1 voice alone is not much, but multiply that by 800,000 and you have a sizable backing. I will be writing a paper letter to my state representative asking him to vote no on this bill, I hope many others decide to also.

Edit: turns out the house already voted. Well we still have the senate.
 
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sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
The bill is finished, but it still has to go through the house and senate, we have to put as much pressure on them as we can. It doesnt help that this is run by lobbyists supported by idiots. Do they really think that just cuz they put a few words on a sheet of paper that everything bad will magically go away? This is just depressing how dumb most people are, its like most people dont even care about issues anymore, the only reason the public would care about this is some sort of tragic scandal, like if a plane crashed because of a drone. Barely anyone watched the hearings for the supreme court nominee until the scandal sprouted up. Most people dont care about flying foamies but they love the idea of their items from Amazon dropped off in 30 minutes. Unless there is a massive turnout of hobbyists that pressure their representatives into voting no, I fear this bill has nothing in its way. I'm sorry if I sound downbeat. I dont want to, but the truth is all we have on our side is our voice, they have cash, corporations and plenty of news covering them, every article I have read makes it seem like every phantom 4 purchase will end up in tragedy. I hope that FliteTest and other companies manufacturing RC vehicles decide to take this matter into their hands and push for this bill failing. 1 voice alone is not much, but multiply that by 800,000 and you have a sizable backing. I will be writing a paper letter to my state representative asking him to vote no on this bill, I hope many others decide to also.

Actually, the AMA has come out heavily against this. I've seen numerous emails from my father's club and my club saying to contact our Congresspeople to fight against it.

https://www.modelaircraft.org/about-ama/advocacy

This link above should take you to a page where it'll allow you to put in your information and send a blanket email to Congresspeople in your state and region saying you want them to vote no. As far as I know, you do NOT need to be an AMA member to use this link, as it takes you to another site called OneClickPolitics, which has a pre-prepared email for your Congresspeople. It also provides phone numbers for those in Congress to call and urge them to vote No on this.

It's bad enough that the tariffs are hurting us...I was fortunate enough to purchase an IX12 about a week ago. $599.99, with tax it came out to just shy of $650. Horizon Hobby's now pricing the exact same radio at $729.99 due to the tariffs. Let's stop this nonsense with having them vote No first, and then maybe we can get some people in who will help reduce or remove the tariffs that are hurting the hobby...
 

JTarmstr

Elite member
Actually, the AMA has come out heavily against this. I've seen numerous emails from my father's club and my club saying to contact our Congresspeople to fight against it.

https://www.modelaircraft.org/about-ama/advocacy

This link above should take you to a page where it'll allow you to put in your information and send a blanket email to Congresspeople in your state and region saying you want them to vote no. As far as I know, you do NOT need to be an AMA member to use this link, as it takes you to another site called OneClickPolitics, which has a pre-prepared email for your Congresspeople. It also provides phone numbers for those in Congress to call and urge them to vote No on this.

It's bad enough that the tariffs are hurting us...I was fortunate enough to purchase an IX12 about a week ago. $599.99, with tax it came out to just shy of $650. Horizon Hobby's now pricing the exact same radio at $729.99 due to the tariffs. Let's stop this nonsense with having them vote No first, and then maybe we can get some people in who will help reduce or remove the tariffs that are hurting the hobby...

Yes, really the problem is who is lobbying, When its a coalition of Google, Amazon, and a drone regulation group, its not surprising that they won overwhelmingly in congress. As for tariffs, I am mixed on them because I think the US shouldn't import everything and countries like Canada and China already had some tariffs in place on us. However that is politics and opinions and I try to keeps that off the forums. It is unfortunate that bills like this are impeding our hobby, but we cant go down, not without fighting for every inch they take.
 

BS projects inc.

Elite member
Will this effect flying at home as well? I fly over an empty field will this be regulated as well?

Also I feel like this is just a phase, bills can be removed you know. There are way too many people in this day and age who disapprove of commercial drones having this freedom of airspace. Just think about the drone delivery phase a few years back. That idea got shut down after a year and it was a much small scale project compared to what the commercial drone companies plan on doing.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
Will this effect flying at home as well? I fly over an empty field will this be regulated as well?

Also I feel like this is just a phase, bills can be removed you know. There are way too many people in this day and age who disapprove of commercial drones having this freedom of airspace. Just think about the drone delivery phase a few years back. That idea got shut down after a year and it was a much small scale project compared to what the commercial drone companies plan on doing.

I asked this question, but no answer yet. So someone please answer this important question.
 

BS projects inc.

Elite member
My question is how are we going to be restricted more? Flying in town is already a no go and there really shouldn't be an issue with flying in rural areas.
 

Dante

Active member
I fourth this question. I fly at my grandparents farm over a hay field. I'm not a member of the AMA but fly responsibly according to ama guidelines. Is that going to be illegal?