There is breaking news in the world RC aircraft or drones.
The FAA says seven companies have asked for permission to use these aircraft in
television and film production and the FAA is considering their request for
exemptions that would allow these aircraft to use legally for the first
time.
Stay on frequency for this special edition of aerospace news dot com
I'm the editor Craig, we'll be right back.
Hope you liked those graphics,
that was our entire 2014 graphics budget.
Actually we've been working on a feature story on this subject for some time
which is actually why we develop those. The news however on
June second, from the FAA, is something that we think
really merits its own little special story which is why we're coming to you
with this today. Now before you get your hopes up, this is not the FAA saying
that you can now do aerial photography and aerial video
with RC aircraft AKA drones in the USA
legally. At least that's the FAA's position
I know that there are people out there that feel differently. However
this is very interesting because it's a press release directly from the FAA
saying that seven companies have come to them
to apply for exemptions to the rules and the FAA
is acknowledging the receipt of that request and saying that it came from a
respected
motion picture production industry trade group. Here's a bit more detail about
what we know so far
and the details are actually still pretty thin.
First 7 aerial photo and video production companies
have asked for regulatory exemptions that would allow the film and television
industry
to use unmanned aerial systems, UAS,
or RC aircraft or drones, with the FAA's approval
for the very first time. The FAA did not say if they would grant the exemptions
just that they were requested. The Motion Picture Association of America
facilitated the exemption requests on behalf of their membership.
The firms that filed the petitions are,
according to the FAA, all independent aerial cinematography professionals
who collectively developed the exemption requests
as a requirement to satisfy the safety and public interest concerns of the FAA,
MPAA, and the public at large.
Three other industries have also made such requests including
something called precision agriculture, power line
and pipeline inspection, and oil and gas flare stack inspection.
They're all asking for the FAA to grant exemptions
from regulations that address general flight rules,
pilot certificate requirements, manuals,
maintenance and equipment mandates. According to the FAA,
they are also asking for relief from airworthiness
certification requirements as allowed under section 333
of the FAA modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Now
the agency says that under that section of the law, certain
airworthiness requirements can be waived to let specific
unmanned aerial systems fly safely in narrowly defined
controlled low-risk situations. Next
the agency also says that to receive the exemptions
the firms must show that their unmanned aerial system operations
well not adversely affect safety or provide at least an equal level of
safety
to the rules from which they seek exemption.
They would also need to show why granting the exemption
would be in the public interest and that sounds pretty vague to me.
At the moment only so-called public entities such as
law enforcement and firefighting have access to such waivers
though commercial operations may be authorized on a quote
case by case basis. Without a waiver commercial flight requires
a certified aircraft, a licensed pilot,
and operating approval, says the FAA.
This is a highly controversial topic in there are lots of folks that have very
strong opinions about this issue,
including whether or not the FAA is actually legally empowered
to regulate the RC community at all, or whether or not people in the RC
community have been acting responsibly.
We're not taking a position on it this is not an opinion piece.
However if you'd like to read a web page that kinda provides
some balance perspective on it - it's actually on the site of our sponsor
aeronautic pictures dot com and there's a link to that
right in the description of this video. I'd really
really like to know what your opinion is but I'd like you to please express it
politely and professionally.
Please leave a comment or ask a question
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a comment there.
And while we're on the subject to comments, we'd really appreciate it if
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Welcome! Why am I suddenly out of focus?