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Operations Over People- What would you do if you could?

SethB

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There are a few obstacles before we get to legal operations over people. Category 1 drones (under .55 lbs, don’t lacerate skin) are difficult to come by in a useful form, and Category 2 and 3 drones won’t be with us until manufacturers certify impact, apply to FAA, and Remote ID is up.

(See Pilot Institute’s page for an excellent snapshot and summary.)

What would you do in your operations if you had access to a Cat 1, 2 or 3 drone and could legally fly over people? Hypothetically speaking? Where would you fly? What have you been wanting to do? What clients? What images? What video? What places?

Please let’s skip the regulatory challenges - see the above linked page if you’re interested. We all should know that this isn’t quite legally accessible yet, except with a hard-to-configure useful Cat 1 drone.
 
I have a Category 1 Mini 2. I use it fly over people if a client needs it.

 
Move to Canada?
@Ajkm sorry, I don’t know how to take your comment. Would U.S. pilots and/or residents flee the intrusive drones, or are you saying that OOP is more readily and legally accomplished in Canada? Please excuse my ignorance of Canadian drone regs!
I have a Category 1 Mini 2. I use it fly over people if a client needs it.

Thanks @Vic Moss - a most interesting read! I have that cage, that drone, and just took delivery on those batteries. Yes, by a similar fluke - I don’t have a way to get any more. I see some weighing and shaving action in my near future!

Any example client OOP needs you can share?
 
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I have a Category 1 Mini 2. I use it fly over people if a client needs it.

Technically once you put the prop-guards (47g) it's no longer eligible.
 
Technically once you put the prop-guards (47g) it's no longer eligible.
It can be done with a Mini 2 and propguards at under 250g. But you’d have to read the article @Vic Moss linked, or the article I linked in the first post to learn how.

@chasco how would you use a Category 1 drone if you had access to one? They *do* exist!
 
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It can be done with a Mini 2 and propguards at under 250g. But you’d have to read the article @Vic Moss linked, or the article I linked in the first post to learn how.

@chasco how would you use a Category 1 drone if you had access to one. They *do* exist!
I think I have seen somewhere that you have to have the Japanese battery? I'll check that out though. Ours weighs 239.4g without prop guards and 286.4g. I work for a construction company and would fly indoors more and it would be less of a PITA to do exterior inspections. Most of our work is Civil so we can wait until something legal comes out before we make it part of our normal workflow. Right now we are relegated to brunch and lunch or after hours and who wants to fly on overtime when they get paid salary, lol.
 
The regs say "Cannot expose rotating parts that would lacerate human skin." Prop guards don't completely cover that issue IMHO.

With guards on the props can still wreak some havoc.
 
The regs say "Cannot expose rotating parts that would lacerate human skin." Prop guards don't completely cover that issue IMHO.

With guards on the props can still wreak some havoc.
Nice thing about Category 1 is that the RPIC makes that determination. For me, guards are 100% (or as close as you can get) safe.
 
Read the article, 100% legal... 😉
Nothing is 100% legal. The way the prop guards were cut on the top ring exposes blades quite a bit so you are subject to a judgment call at best. Modifying manufacturer's equipment might come into play as they have to have a definite line in the sand. That said how likely is someone to ever get questioned about flying a Mini with prop guards? You get crowds big enough to worry about and everybody's probably hammered to the point that they think it's cool.
 
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Nothing is 100% legal. The way the prop guards were cut on the top ring exposes blades quite a bit so you are subject to a judgment call at best. Modifying manufacturer's equipment might come into play as they have to have a definite line in the sand.
You're wrong, it's 100% legal. Let me explain why.

Category 1 drones are determined compliant by the RPIC. There is no FAA involvement outside of writing the rules. So what I have is 100% legal.

That said how likely is someone to ever get questioned about flying a Mini with prop guards? You get crowds big enough to worry about and everybody's probably hammered to the point that they think it's cool.
I'm not sure how this is part of the equation. If there is a crowd of people (which isn't legal yet w/o RID), and they're drunk, you need to take that into consideration when you make your safety mitigation decisions. Either don't fly, or fly high enough where people can't throw things and hit your drone. But even then, it would be a 107.110 violation. At best, if would be a reckless flight concern, and that's only if it was reckless. More than likely it would be a violation of 18 USC 32, destruction of aircraft, and not the RPIC's concern.

So as I mention, my Mini2 set up is 100% legal, there is no way it isn't according to 107.110.
 
You're wrong, it's 100% legal. Let me explain why.

Category 1 drones are determined compliant by the RPIC. There is no FAA involvement outside of writing the rules. So what I have is 100% legal.


I'm not sure how this is part of the equation. If there is a crowd of people (which isn't legal yet w/o RID), and they're drunk, you need to take that into consideration when you make your safety mitigation decisions. Either don't fly, or fly high enough where people can't throw things and hit your drone. But even then, it would be a 107.110 violation. At best, if would be a reckless flight concern, and that's only if it was reckless. More than likely it would be a violation of 18 USC 32, destruction of aircraft, and not the RPIC's concern.

So as I mention, my Mini2 set up is 100% legal, there is no way it isn't according to 107.110.
If your aircraft weighs 250g, even with modified hardware and your RPIC says go then that doesn't make it legal. The second half of my statement wasn't even serious so go drink a warm glass of milk.
 
If your aircraft weighs 250g, even with modified hardware and your RPIC says go then that doesn't make it legal. The second half of my statement wasn't even serious so go drink a warm glass of milk.
A couple of things.

First, I missed the sarcasm in the second 1/2 of your post. I apologize.

Second, you're missing the point. Category 1 drones are RPIC certified. That makes my drone legal. Period. You can assert your opinion that the guards don't make it legal, but you're dead wrong. In black and white.

Please read the OOP Final rule, § 107.110, and tell me how I'm wrong. Repeating your assumption about the prop guards doesn't count. It is 100% up to the RPIC to make that decision.
 

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