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Drone Pilots Without 107

Unfortunately you will find that in many occupations people will do the work without the proper license/permit(s). When I had a hotshot trucking business I was amazed at the number of people that just went out with their pickup and trailer and took jobs. No DOT numbers, not the correct (if any) insurance, not following hours of service, etc, etc.
Everything is fine until the brown stuff hits the fan, and it is usually the customer that gets the short end of the stick :mad:
 
Since the FAA doesn't seem to enforce illegal commercial drone operations it will continue for some time. Reality is the FAA doesn't have the manpower to run down every illegal commercial operator. Local law enforcement will do nothing, Federal law enforcement will just tell you to call the FAA, so you get the bureaucratic run around.
Now people that do really stupid things like hamper firefighting operations, fly over major sporting events, or over airports, and government installations will get the immediate attention of the authorities.
Like Mac said, have an accident and hurt someone with no license or insurance and they will clean your clock, and once the lawyers get done with you you won't have two cents to rub together.
Basically, it isn't worth the risk, but you can't fix stupid.
 
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R.Perry said:
Since the FAA doesn't seem to enforce illegal commercial drone operations it will continue for some time. Reality is the FAA doesn't have the manpower to run down every illegal commercial operator. Local law enforcement will do nothing, Federal law enforcement will just tell you to call the FAA, so you get the bureaucratic run around.
Now people that do really stupid things like hamper firefighting operations, fly over major sporting events, or over airports, and government installations will get the immediate attention of the authorities.
Like Mac said, have an accident and hurt someone with no license or insurance and they will clean your clock, and once the lawyers get done with you you won't have two cents to rub together.
Basically, it isn't worth the risk, but you can't fix stupid.
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The FAA lack of enforcement will be the biggest obstacle they haven't got this resolved and now with the remote id law coming out these 40% will ignore it too along with most of the recreational flyers out there
 
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There is a guy, older than me, flying out of Columbia, CA. He lost his medical, is in bad health, and flying charters with no second seat pilot. FAA was notified some time back, he's still at it. So if they won't follow up on knuckleheads like him, you think they are going to deal with most illegal drone operations.
 
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R.Perry said:
There is a guy, older than me, flying out of Columbia, CA. He lost his medical, is in bad health, and flying charters with no second seat pilot. FAA was notified some time back, he's still at it. So if they won't follow up on knuckleheads like him, you think they are going to deal with most illegal drone operations.
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Accident waiting to happen !:eek::mad:
 
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R.Perry said:
There is a guy, older than me, flying out of Columbia, CA. He lost his medical, is in bad health, and flying charters with no second seat pilot. FAA was notified some time back, he's still at it. So if they won't follow up on knuckleheads like him, you think they are going to deal with most illegal drone operations.
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They've always been like that back in the 80's Shawnee airport grass runway there was a guy been flying all his life never had a pilots license had a blue taildragger acrobatic plane with white stars painted all over it he was in his 60's when FAA caught up with him just thought the FAA was better than that by now
 
This is an issue that is very hard for the FAA to get in front of. I do know of one active investigation that started last week. I talked to my LEAP Agent about it. He called me after I emailed him.

I am also an FAASTeam Drone Pro, so I can end up being the "FAA educational person" if an investigation is determined not to be criminal. I am currently involved in two other investigations, but neither of them are dealing with non-107 issues. And since I'm an FAA volunteer and not an FAA employee, I'm not privy to any of the knowledge of the investigation until it's over, or it goes to court.

The FAA stance is for us to self-police, and then bring them in if that isn't successful. And simply having a video on social media is not enough for a full blown investigation. So if you've talked with someone and they've blown you off, or told you to "blank-off", then it's time to involve FSDO.

The exception to the self-police part is it the operator is doing something reckless. That's the reason the other two investigations are active. One I reported, and in the other instance, I had talked to the operator after the fact, and had downloaded the video in question. So I was brought in.

And when there is a report filed, unless it's egregiously dangerous, the FAA has a three strike process. First report is usually a phone call or a letter asking if the pilot understands the rules, and then explaining them. Second strike is forced education. And third strike can be civil penalties and/or certificate revocation or suspension.

And just like being pulled over for speeding, your attitude can escalate the issue. If you're a turd to the investigator, it can quickly escalate the situation. A good analogy explained to me by my local FSDO is if you get pulled over for going 75 in a 65MPH zone. If you're apologetic and take responsibility for it, you may just get a warning. But if you start arguing with the cop for pulling you over, you may end up much larger ticket, because that cop may find taillights out, no seatbelt, broken windshield, or anything else wrong with your vehicle.

And that was exactly the situation that happened last week. The LEAP Agent called the offending operator, and the operator ending up being argumentative and vulgar to the agent. The agent hung up and blocked the guy's number. Nothing good will come out of this situation for the drone operator.

I would love to have a few "public hangings" of non-107 flyers. It would get the word out that the FAA can (& will) do something for illegal commercial operators.

But the argument I always tell people to use is the insurance one. Especially for Real Estate agents who fly illegally.

If you're flying illegally, and you have an accident, insurance will not cover the losses. Any illegal activity is not covered. And if it's an agent who works for a broker, let the owner of the brokerage know. Because it's their insurance. And if there is a lawsuit, the attorney for the victim will attach everyone they can think of to the suit.

I take reporting violators very seriously. Due to my standing in the industry, I have lots of people reach out. In all of those cases, I've only reported 5 people over the years. And each of those was either egregious recklessness, or operator attitude. Never just because "they're underbidding me and flying illegally". That's not worth the FAA's time, and a perfect opportunity to bring up the insurance issue to the brokerage owner.

Also, the National Association of Realtors will fine their members who do this. They take it seriously too.
 
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Vic Moss said:
..........
And just like being pulled over for speeding, your attitude can escalate the issue. If you're a turd to the investigator, it can quickly escalate the situation. A good analogy explained to me by my local FSDO is if you get pulled over for going 75 in a 65MPH zone. If you're apologetic and take responsibility for it, you may just get a warning. But if you start arguing with the cop for pulling you over, you may end up much larger ticket, because that cop may find taillights out, no seatbelt, broken windshield, or anything else wrong with your vehicle. ...........................
Having over 20 years in law enforcement you learn very quickly the "power of the pen". Many people learned the hard way running their mouth could get expensive, on the other hand non antagonistic people appreciated the verbal warning

Especially for Real Estate agents who fly illegally.

If you're flying illegally, and you have an accident, insurance will not cover the losses. Any illegal activity is not covered. And if it's an agent who works for a broker, let the owner of the brokerage know. Because it's their insurance. And if there is a lawsuit, the attorney for the victim will attach everyone they can think of to the suit.
.....
Also, the National Association of Realtors will fine their members who do this. They take it seriously too.

I explained the same thing to an agent who was holding an open house next to where I live. I had asked her about the use of drones in her office and she told one of the agents flies one for the photos. I then asked her if he was licensed and she said he wasn't so I explained the possible consequences to her and followed up with an email with the FAA info attached.
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People break the law, they drive without driver license, insurance, they fly real airplanes when they lost their licenses, they fish, hunt, without them.
That is what people do. The Feds don't have the man power to keep watch on our food, lol
So yes people that break the laws always will.
 
Vic, you make some very good points. What I believe the FAA needs to do is get the help of the FBI and Local law enforcement because both agencies see these problems as the FAA's problem, not theirs.
The local police in the most part don't have a clue to what the laws are, and of course right now the locals have more problems than they know what to do with right now, so getting their help won't be easy. But they do need to be educated as to what is legal and what isn't.
Sure most of the frustration of those of us who want to live by the rules get irritated with the ones that don't and cutthroat the industry, and as you said that in itself isn't enough to warrant FAA involvement.
Let's see, is vigilantism still illegal?
 
So, being a newbie in the Drone biz. I have been running into many Real Estate agents who fly without a 107, ignorance or in direct defiance. Is there any CURRENT resources I could use to educate these agents and brokers? Simplified and not a bunch of hard to understand (clear) Laws? Also was thinking about joining FASST to help educate folks...
 
Kklix said:
So, being a newbie in the Drone biz. I have been running into many Real Estate agents who fly without a 107, ignorance or in direct defiance. Is there any CURRENT resources I could use to educate these agents and brokers? Simplified and not a bunch of hard to understand (clear) Laws? Also was thinking about joining FASST to help educate folks...
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As Fred stated they already know. The NAR has pounded it into their heads since the Section 333 days (prior to Sept 2016) but often times they feel the rules don't apply to them because they are "Safe Professionals" and know what they are doing. (insert Eye Roll here)

Fred Garvin said:
I wrote a guide for Real Estate Agents. You can download a copy from my website. Feel free to send it to them or give them a link to download it.
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Do you have a link handy Fred?
 
BigAl07 said:
As Fred stated they already know. The NAR has pounded it into their heads since the Section 333 days (prior to Sept 2016) but often times they feel the rules don't apply to them because they are "Safe Professionals" and know what they are doing. (insert Eye Roll here)


Do you have a link handy Fred?
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HERE is the link I used - scroll to the bottom of the page and fill in the requested info - excellent read
 
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