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The FAA Gave the First Ever Go-Ahead For a Drone To Fly at an Airport (recode.net)

Posted by msmash on from the trying-to-work-out dept.

It's not legal to fly your drone anywhere near an airport -- at least not without a special waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration. From a report: For the first time under the FAA's commercial drone rules, the agency granted permission to operate a drone at an airport. Seven flights were conducted by Berkeley, Calif.-based 3D Robotics on Jan. 10 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the busiest airport in the world. Restrictions on flying drones near airports have to do with safety. Not only can drones collide with planes, but seeing one can also distract a pilot. The 3D Robotics drone was given permission to collect data on two four-story parking structures at the airport that a construction firm was hired to demolish.

5 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. "At an airport" meaning Class B airspace. by ClayJar · · Score: 4, Informative

    The subheading in the linked article ("It's the first waiver granted for flight in Class B airspace since the FAA came up with commercial drone rules.") makes sense, but the summary, title, and article are a bit wonky.

    It's been perfectly legal for a certified commercial Remote Pilot to fly at an airport since Part 103 went into effect, but only in Class G airspace. Small airports with Class E Surface or Class D airspace would require a waiver, and waivers have been had for those for a while now. Larger airports with Class C airspace took longer before the FAA began processing (and approving) waivers, but there had not been any waivers of Class B airspace. This is the first.

    Of course, you can only get a waiver under Part 103, so if you're a hobby pilot, the five-mile rule is in effect. For Part 103 Remote Pilots, on the other hand, it's all about airspace. (Most of the FAA Knowledge Exam is airspace and weather.)

    1. Re:"At an airport" meaning Class B airspace. by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 2

      . . . part of me wonders just how many shirk their need to learn these things because they just don't take them seriously.

      Isn't that the Über model? If you don't like the regulations, just ignore them.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    2. Re:"At an airport" meaning Class B airspace. by Kjella · · Score: 2

      Not exactly sure why this is news anyway... it's like "What can you do on a public street?" vs "What can you do on a public street if you're a major Hollywood production that has applied for all the right permits?" and the answer to the latter is pretty much everything. If you have a legitimate reason and you're willing to go through all the paperwork you're probably not the problem. Particularly not if you have professional stuntmen and a huge liability insurance, then you can probably get special permits for just about anything as long as the general public is at a safe distance.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  2. Re:Too much regulation by bobbied · · Score: 2

    Personally.... I think that most laws should require a re-authorization every few decades, with few possible exceptions. That way, when things like the "blue laws" go out of style/vogue they will eventually go away unless renewed.

    Same with HOA's but that's another issue...

    --
    "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  3. Re:Calm down... by ASDFnz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Or birds.

    These drone regulations are quite literally the return of the Luddites. They are far less dangerous than just about any other hazard to aerial navigation but I think the regulators just get a thrill out of regulations these days and if there is anything new they immediately start to think of ways to regulate it.

    The wowser attitude of the general public doesn't help, people seem to think that recreational/imaging drones kill people on a daily basis or something.