New FAA Proposed sUAS Rules 14 Jan 2019

AH-1G · Mar 4, 2020

All speculation

and amusing.

R.Perry · Mar 4, 2020

AH-1G said:
Lol, that's what I'm afraid of!
I think there needs to be a "communications class" in person at a flight school not on line!
Let me ask, are they going to require you to contact ATC, and Center too, except when your out of range of of center????
Food for thought;
Example: when flying to "XO6" airport I need to contact Tampa Center (not ATC). So if I'm flying a drone in Tampa Center's area, do I need to contact them of my intentions?????
VFR vs IFR???

That's a very good question and how would ATC centers handle long range drone operations. Lets face if if I"m flying through a high traffic area I may end up talking to or being followed by several controllers. If you are flying in one area, not a big problem, but I think the future is for drone operations to be allowed to travel long distances. I think the future has many hurdles to overcome but to me it is exciting to be in the beginning this new adventure.
There is no question that at some point new drone pilots are going to be required to learn a lot more about aviation than they do at this stage of the game.

AH-1G · Mar 5, 2020

I agree @R.Perry. It may get very convoluted, that it may require new technology to keep up all the drone traffic.
I visualize a separate controlled airspace for drones only maned by separate type of ATC facility.
Currently our ATC's are busy as it is. (large metropolitan areas). I don't think the average Joe drone pilot realizes the complexity of aircraft air space.

clolsonus · Mar 5, 2020

I still say we should ban all human flight operations and it will make setting up the new drone network much easier.

R.Perry · Mar 5, 2020

AH-1G said:
I agree @R.Perry. It may get very convoluted, that it may require new technology to keep up all the drone traffic.
I visualize a separate controlled airspace for drones only maned by separate type of ATC facility.
Currently our ATC's are busy as it is. (large metropolitan areas). I don't think the average Joe drone pilot realizes the complexity of aircraft air space.

In the San Francisco bay area there are three major airports, SFO has an aircraft landing about every 30 seconds during certain times of the day, LAX is pretty much the same way. I think the FAA will establish long range drone operations first in remote areas and specific altitudes and possible new corridors. I'm sure the ATC folks are putting their two cents in to the FAA and rightly so.