FAA Eases Drone Restrictions Around Washington, DC (roboticstrends.com)

An anonymous reader writes with a link to Robotics Trends, which reports that: After doubling the radius of the "no-drone zone" from 15 miles to 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C. in 2015, the FAA announced drones can now fly in the "outer ring" of the Special Flight Rules Area. This means drones can operate between a 15- to 30-mile radius outside of the nation's capitol. Drones that fly between the 15- to 30-mile radius still have to operate under specific conditions: drones must weigh less than 55 pounds, be registered and marked, fly under 400 feet, stay in the operator's line of sight, only fly in clear conditions, and avoid other aircraft.

Comments

Re:Are there that many drone in the air in the US?

[pixelpusher220]

There aren't many terrorists in the US....but we still spend BILLIONS in fear of them. The driver on his phone driving next to you is FAR more of a threat to more people than drones or terrorists are - and kills more people every year.

The conflicting info is that my drones do not have to be registered being the toys that they are...yet to fly them in my own damned back yard (inside this 'outer circle') I need to register them AND notify the FAA an hour ahead of time and of course notify Dulles airport?

I can imagine the hilarity if every hobbyist starting calling the airports multiple times a day.

Re:Drone Loophole

[mark-t]

So would that include children holding a model plane over their head and pretending it is flying under its own power? Technically, it's "tethered"... via the child's arm.

These restrictions are so outlandishly vague that they are absurd. At the very least, a minimum flying height should be mentioned, but it is nowhere to be found.

I have seen a childrens toy that has a tethered helicopter which cannot roam anywhere further than a couple of feet from the base of the tether Should those also be covered by the law?