Time to Register Drones....

[kenr74]

As a pilot of small GA aircraft I am all for it. I have had a few way too close encounters with RC planes and drones at 1,000+ feet. If I make contact with one it would likely have serious consequences for me, my passengers, and some people on the ground.

What they should have done is installed software to keep them under a few hundred feet AGL and away from airports. Probably would cost way too much to do that though.

Do a few idiots spoil things for the 99% that are responsible? Sure they do. Sounds familiar.

 

[45alive]

As an enthusiast, I enjoy displacing intrusive memories of a day at work with the zen activity of flying an RC plane or helo around at sunset (or sunrise). And yes, I've actually taped a tiny keychain camera to the belly of my birds, which renders shaky, high-altitude vistas of the unoccupied ballparks, parking lots and rural fields where I fly. "Oh, look, there I am! Woo-Hoo!"

Funny... I've never been an @sshole about the way I ride mountain bikes, enjoy boats or own/shoot guns either, but they're all getting squeezed too.

I acknowledge that using RC aircraft to invade privacy, swoop around near bystanders or interfere with general aviation/firefighting/LE aircraft are irresponsible and dangerous activities. It would never occur to me to do stuff like that. But as with my other hobbies, I'll surely end up bearing the regulatory brunt and expense of other peoples' stupidity.

Pisses me off...

Sounds like you have Pigeons and maybe you will need a permit to let them fly over a certain air space ! That would not surprise me one bit. I have to pay for my Water and Sewer with increases in fee's yearly, so technically I have to pay to take a Cr&p !

 

[fredball]

As a pilot of small GA aircraft I am all for it. I have had a few way too close encounters with RC planes and drones at 1,000+ feet. If I make contact with one it would likely have serious consequences for me, my passengers, and some people on the ground.

What they should have done is installed software to keep them under a few hundred feet AGL and away from airports. Probably would cost way too much to do that though.

Do a few idiots spoil things for the 99% that are responsible? Sure they do. Sounds familiar.

I have been flying Rc planes since 1984 and have never heard of a passenger plane flying at 1000 feet much less having a near miss with said RC plane but it nice to see that RC airplanes are lumped in with drones
Air planes requier a lot of skill to fly these drones only require that you have enough money to pay for them with the technology they pretty much fly themselves 9 GPS units on board 2 gyros soft wear that will return to starting point if you loose sight of it ,RC Planes won't do that but hay what the heck lets throw them in there too makes for a better story
Ok I'm done

 

[oknow]

I have been flying Rc planes since 1984 and have never heard of a passenger plane flying at 1000 feet much less having a near miss with said RC plane but it nice to see that RC airplanes are lumped in with drones
Air planes requier a lot of skill to fly these drones only require that you have enough money to pay for them with the technology they pretty much fly themselves 9 GPS units on board 2 gyros soft wear that will return to starting point if you loose sight of it ,RC Planes won't do that but hay what the heck lets throw them in there too makes for a better story
Ok I'm done

Good to see another rc flyer. Im in the process of putting a couple planes back together (still learning to fly) for now foam is the way to go for me.
As much as i hate to disagree with you. They do now have rc planes that you flip a switch and it will return to launch site and land by its self.

Saw it on flitetest

 

[kenr74]

I have been flying Rc planes since 1984

Then I'm sure you know where you should and shouldn't be flying then. You probably aren't out buzzing around PDX. Registering drones isn't going to stop some 15 year old from flying it through my windshield the day after Christmas but at least the FAA will know who to track down after they clean up the mess.

A lot of GA planes fly at 1,000 AGL. If I am just out cruising around I rarely am above 2,000'. I'm not talking about a 747 although if a big jet sucked in a drone on take off it could cause problems.

One of my very first lessons I had a RC plane dive right in front of me over Woodburn at around 1,000. If I make contact with a drone or RC plane I would have very expensive repairs at a minimum.

If everybody was responsible(just like guns) there would be no need for registrations and laws. Unfortunately money doesn't buy common sense so the rest of us have to deal with the mess a few cause.

 

[JustShoot]

I can fly my Ultralight without Registration but the Fed is going to Jackboot registration of RC airtoys ?
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• Recreational flight limited to single seaters weighing less than 254 lbs
• Any category, class or type of vehicle permitted (i.e. airplane, trike, powered parachute)

FAA has chosen not to promulgate Federal regulations regarding pilot certification, certification or registration .
-

 

[teflon6string]

General aviation flying at 1000' AGL is kinda low. Unless you're on final or climbing on departure. So, either way, any argument about altitude is moot. Bottom line? RC pilots (myself included) should not interfere with any other plane in any way. Ever.

All aircraft, manned or otherwise, should be completely avoided.

So, assuming that RC pilots keep some visual tabs on where they're flying, it is incomprehensible that anyone would be stupid/irresponsible/evil enough to put an RC bird into the path of a real aircraft.

The fact that I don't fly my RC birds that way (fixed wing or rotor) mirrors almost exactly the fact that I don't do stupid, illegal shjt with my firearms - nor will I ever. And, just to be clear, I'm furious over being restricted, registered and forced to buy background checks, carry-licenses and tags to participate in a hobby that I've practiced responsibly for decades.

So, I'm curious, and I'm asking responsible, voting firearms owners. What's the best way to address the possession, purchase, capabilities and use of RC aircraft?

 

[JustShoot]

Quote:
The fact that I don't fly my RC birds that way (fixed wing or rotor) mirrors almost exactly the fact that I don't do stupid, illegal shjt with my firearms - nor will I ever. And, just to be clear, I'm furious over being restricted, registered and forced to buy background checks, carry-licenses and tags to participate in a hobby that I've practiced responsibly for decades.

So, I'm curious, and I'm asking responsible, voting firearms owners. What's the best way to address the possession, purchase, capabilities and use of RC aircraft?

-
If , RC/Drone crowd want to keep flying free, what they choose to buy or design and build . then they better wise-up in light speed hurry .
Other Public Air users are on a constant organized fight with the Fed. Regulators that constantly trying to regulate there sports away from under there wings and ground them out of the public Airspace . You got, Ultra light, Experimental, Hang glide, Para glide, Hot air, Skydive, Etc . , ALL have established organized group membership that learn and share info for the cause to keep them in the Air that is there's .
RC/Drone need to ' Organize themselves ', establish ' BSR's' (basic safety rules) . Or attach themselves to an already fighting organization that plays in the Air, to fight the Fed. to keep what they love to do ' In There Air ' that is there's . Because the Government love to take away what is not there's .

I have spent large portion of years in my life playing in the Air . The RC / Drone population must not be as organized and self regulating with basic safety rules, as other user of public Airspace are ???? . It is Government way to not make any rational thought for regulation they 'maliciously choose' to inflict on public groups who play in the Free Open Air that encircles there lives .
The Feds. are heavy handed Nazi bastards when it comes to regulating and enforcing simple Air, and I have had it inflicted on me personally and seen it hammered on others out there, that choose to play in the Air .
.

 

[erudne]

I think this fits here;

 

[gunfriendly]

Just watch. There will be a loop-hole in the law where people will be able to build them without serial numbers.
Then the government will call them "ghost drones" with "high capacity batteries" to scare people.

 

[RicInOR]

Some of you remember the 70's ... all the rage was this thing called CB. Smokey and the Bandit. How many of you know anyone who got an FCC licence for their CB. It was required.

Any "drone" or "RC" licences will mostly be ignored because places like CostCo will sell you the unit.

Just like FA, you can buy one, but how much of the law do you have to know?

Wise individuals will seek out that knowledge.
Most of our neighbors aren't.

 

[JustShoot]

I don't fly RC so it really does not affect me . Just like most out there don't really care because I imagine that the group of American citizens that build & fly RC are a small minority nobody really notices except for the YouTube and occasional over-sensationalized exaggeration of Media on RC exploits .

RC registration and regulation does 'Nothing' but just force people to ' Hide there Normal social activity ' activity that is declared illegal . To use an analogy that you might understand . Is the comparison between Federal threatening registration regulation of RC . Comparable to the newly passed firearms background checks on lawful citizens that being forced down your throats .
I am sure you can still hide your once normal legal activity when doing local face to face firearms transactions by planning, hiding and then walking away snickering with satisfaction of a stupid law you stepped around . But the reality is that the Federal Government has now forced you to behave as the criminal that they have painted you to be .
The RC/Drone crowd is small minority and it does not affect me . It still does not make it Right, and the Fed. with small steps goes quietly across the backs of the public to continue empowering themselves .
.

 

[RicInOR]

Did they get the tail number?

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