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Amazon Blasts FAA On Drone Approvals, Regulations
itwbennett writes Late last week, Amazon was issued permission by the FAA to fly an experimental drone as part of its tests for a planned automatic delivery service but it came too late, Paul Misener, vice president of global public policy at Amazon, told lawmakers on Tuesday. 'The UAS [unmanned aircraft system] approved last week by the FAA has already become obsolete,' he said. As a result, Amazon has filed for permission to fly a more advanced drone—one that is already being flown in several countries including the U.K., said Misener, who was speaking at a hearing of the Senate Committee on commerce, science and transportation.
We're a corporation, damn it. We should be allowed to do whatever we want, whenever we want it. Your petty concerns about the public airspace are needlessly impeding our relentless drive for profit profit profit. Maybe some generous campaign contributions will help you see things our way.
....from flying over my house, that is all I want.
Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
The fix is already there, no less than 1000 feet.
Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
I see a future full of kids shooting down drones for sport.
Some people don't believe in fairies. I don't believe in The Patriarchy.
If there is, I'll ignore it!
Are we talking a slightly portly butler, or a skinny scullery-maid?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Said the guy, on the internet.
You are welcome on my lawn.
So what does the more advanced drone look like?
I need less government help than you because I can probably beat you to death within 30 seconds, taking your wealth, your turf, your freedom, and *definitely* your women. And as soon as you form a group to stop me, hey, voila! Government!!!
Go have your mommy make you a sammich, and keep applying for all those jobs making computer games.
And the reliable source of electricity that enabled you to type that brain dead missive... that came from Jeesus,?
I don't respond to AC's.
Pants-on-head retarded is what you are.
That stuff is covered at the local level
Instead of blindly approving every proposal put forth by profit-hungry companies, I'd much prefer the FAA takes its time to assure the safety of the drones.
They're not going to be flying UAVs continuously. If Amazon gets the autopilot right, everything except the final approach and landing at the delivery location will be automated. A bank of "pilots" could easily cover 25-30+ drones each, given a 30 minute flight time from the distro center to the delivery and a 2 minute land/deliver/relaunch sequence. Distro centers would have automated guidance and pads that wouldn't require piloting. It would be far more human-cost efficient than truck delivery which requires the "pilot" to actively travel with the vehicle (weight limitations notwithstanding). That's 200 deliveries a day per person - twice what a UPS/FedEx driver does.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
I'd rather the FAA take a proactive, and active, role in creating rules which allow operations and enforce existing damage and nuisance laws. Letting the FAA "take it's time" is like telling ID that there's no rush on getting Duke Nukem Forever out as long as they do it right.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
And if they make an error, they can just amend the rules, just like I did in that topic line.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
I see a future full of kids facing jail time and their parents facing 6 figure fines. These drones will have cameras and radio links.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
As stupid as the idea of shooting down other people's aircraft just for fun is ... people already do shoot down R/C planes for sport, though these are being flown by somebody so they're not really "drones" ...
Drones are tricky.
The FAA has no choice BUT to take it slow because there are a lot of stakeholders to consider - including regular airspace users, air traffic control, etc.
I mean, there's a hobby advisory circular that's just that, advisory. People flying drones under those terms are still deemed to be flying aircraft, and there has been a case where a drone pilot flying their drone in an unsafe manner has been charged under the FARs (it was initially appealed but the NTSB upheld that advisory circulars were not law).
At best, the FAA can apply what they feel is appropriate, i.e., advisory circular rules. But if your drone exceeds it, then it has to be part of the big boys including see and avoid, communications, transponders, etc., if it comes close to controlled airspace.
And then there's the whole controlled part of it - if it's in controlled airspace, then it needs to obey ATC. We've already had issues where drones piloted by people who really do know better still not properly doing their part. Enough so that the FAA had to basically declare areas of airspace as "drones only" because testers couldn't assure that their drones would participate properly.
then there's the whole taxing thing - if drones use ATC, they need to pay for it. Right now aircraft pay for it through fuel taxes (thoughts of user-based taxing keeps coming up as the airlines keep proposing it, though it gets shot down because GA objects - they already pay the taxes for it).
You want agile drone development, you need to go into a place where airspace is controlled and there aren't so many stakeholders. China is one, for their military controls all airspace. GA is practically non-existent (the military has started allowing local GA flights though). Now there the only stakeholder is the military.
Europe works too since GA is suppressed through high taxes leading to mostly only airlines having to be consulted.
Hey Bezos,
I don't know if you realize this but this SOP for the FAA. You should be told to shut-up and get inline like anyone else involved in aviation. Also, Drone deliver is stupid. You can't possible hope to avoid all the powerlines, etc. I have seen the paper work needed to approve flying stunt jets. It was huge and this wasn't even close to the first place to offer training in those exact stunt jets.
If you think that FAA shouldn't take their time why don't you get aboard my home built experimental helicopter??? Yes, the FAA hasn't approved it for flying passengers, but will when I get past the 20 hour mark. But don't worry I've already completed 5 of those hours.
https://youtu.be/i5tWT6I1GvY?t...
That seems to be the model they have in mind, preload the drones at the Fulfillment Center, toss them in the truck, drive to the area where they'll be dispatched, and let them go. One truck then proceeds to make a dozen or more deliveries simultaneously. I still think it's pie-in-the-sky stuff for now, but if they can do something like deliver to a bin on the roof of apartment buildings instead of suburban doors it might make a lot of sense.
"Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
I'm going to assume that you "never get tired of repeating this" because you're too young to remember the 1960s. One of the best examples of why government regulation is necessary is the situation of the Cuyahoga River. The several chemical and paint companies that lined the river banks dumped their effluent into the river since no regulations requiring their safe disposal existed. In the 1960s the mix and concentration of chemicals finally started spontaneously combusting, and the country was treated to the sight of the river burning on national television. That more than any other single event prompted the creation of the EPA.
People want to drink clean water and eat food that's not contaminated and breathe air that won't kill them. There is no market solution for these needs, that's why people want government to regulate society's activities.
"Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
Lets say the FAA makes an error (IE no means for coordination between UAV and Manned aircraft). The consequences of the drone taking out the EMT helicopter are quite big. Maybe the EMT helicopter only kills everyone on board, and not all the rescuers on the ground, then I guess it isn't so bad.
No, let them go through the process and get it right. Your local EMT will thank you someday.