Drone Laws

[Goat@2285]

Hey,

What if I use a drone as a tool in my toolbox. Let's say I do building maintenance, instead of using a ladder to climb a roof to inspect gutters I decide to use a drone. Which safes me time, money and removes the risk of falling of a ladder/roof.

Directly, I am not making money of the drone.

[Shepherd]

Hey,

What if I use a drone as a tool in my toolbox. Let's say I do building maintenance, instead of using a ladder to climb a roof to inspect gutters I decide to use a drone. Which safes me time, money and removes the risk of falling of a ladder/roof.

Directly, I am not making money of the drone.

Not sure if you are asking a question or making a statement....

Either way its very complicated to answer that question and cover all of the scenarios, but in short its a no.

If you do something that saves you time, money and removes risks, then you are improving your business and thus whatever you did to achieve this means you had commercial interest in doing it.

[cage]

Regulations don't speak of money, they talk about "reward".
This covers a very broad area, which basically means if there is a financial benefit you can't do it.
It has nothing to do with money changing hands, could be anything from a free beer or, as indicated above, an indirect financial benefit through cost savings etc.
Professional use is anything used in the pursuit of income, direct or indirect.

[heisan]

The regs are even more unambiguous. Without an ROC+license, only "private operations" are allowed:

“private operation” means the use of an RPA for an individual’s personal and private purposes where there is no commercial outcome, interest
or gain;

[Shepherd]

I have always viewed it like this...

The laws are so broad and vague that it covers anything and everything....

Having said this.... How many "services" are running out there doing drone work.... a stupid amount.

How many social media brands or "influencer" chasing dreams kinda people constantly push out drone content.... a stupid amount.

How many fisherman at the end of the threshold of Virginia Airport runways are flying bait drones out regularly..... a stupid amount....

Anything legislatively being done about it.... maybe (<---I genuinely dont know the answer here).....but you never hear about it and its not happening at a grand scale.

[Bluepoole]

In the USA, the law uses the term "in furtherance of a business", which basically includes any indirect financial gain. And the wording used by the CAA is basically aligned with this concept.

I have heard about guys with monetised Youtube channels (in the States, might be here in SA too, who knows) who got run-ins with the FAA because even though certain videos were uploaded just to share some nice footage, but it was considered to enhance their channels.

[Ricoby]

I have always viewed it like this...

The laws are so broad and vague that it covers anything and everything....

Having said this.... How many "services" are running out there doing drone work.... a stupid amount.

How many social media brands or "influencer" chasing dreams kinda people constantly push out drone content.... a stupid amount.

How many fisherman at the end of the threshold of Virginia Airport runways are flying bait drones out regularly..... a stupid amount....

Anything legislatively being done about it.... maybe (<---I genuinely dont know the answer here).....but you never hear about it and its not happening at a grand scale.

I am in Umkomaas, and I have seen the odd person using a drone to take out his lines. Personally, I don't have a problem with this. But I have also seen the odd small aircraft flying by so low that I have even felt the propwash. Last weekend, one small aircraft was skimming along the edge of the beach about 10m from the ground. Now I ask, who is the irresponsible person here? If the drone hit an aircraft, everyone would be up against the drone flyer, but it is very obvious that the aircraft is flying illegally below his ceiling in a public area. One reckless idiot spoils all for everyone else.

[bluefronted]

Luckily i saw this post now, was considering buying a Mavic 3 Pro for hobby purposes next week.

Guess i can wait a few more months to see what else is planned for drones

[Lood]

Luckily i saw this post now, was considering buying a Mavic 3 Pro for hobby purposes next week.

Guess i can wait a few more months to see what else is planned for drones

Same here. I’ve been toying with the idea to get a Mavic Air 2, purely for fun, but after reading this, it seems like just about everything about drones is prohibited and/or illegal…
Maybe not if I only fly it here on the farm and in other non-inhabited rural areas?

Yet, hundreds, maybe even thousands are being flown all over the place, without any repercussion, except if it gets too close to an airport or real aircraft.
Even then, there seems only to be a huge outcry, but that’s basically where things end? I’m not actively following the regulations or any developments in the drone world, but I don’t seem to recall any SA drone pilot being convicted, let alone any drone being “taken out”?

Just imagine the reaction if a drone is “taken out” and some innocent soul on the ground incur damages, injuries or even death?

[Shepherd]

Luckily i saw this post now, was considering buying a Mavic 3 Pro for hobby purposes next week.

Guess i can wait a few more months to see what else is planned for drones

Same here. I’ve been toying with the idea to get a Mavic Air 2, purely for fun, but after reading this, it seems like just about everything about drones is prohibited and/or illegal…
Maybe not if I only fly it here on the farm and in other non-inhabited rural areas?

Yet, hundreds, maybe even thousands are being flown all over the place, without any repercussion, except if it gets too close to an airport or real aircraft.
Even then, there seems only to be a huge outcry, but that’s basically where things end? I’m not actively following the regulations or any developments in the drone world, but I don’t seem to recall any SA drone pilot being convicted, let alone any drone being “taken out”?

Just imagine the reaction if a drone is “taken out” and some innocent soul on the ground incur damages, injuries or even death?

There are ZERO issues with owning a drone for recreational use...

Buy it, fly it and enjoy the hell out of it!!

They really are fun and an AMAZING little tools to get some aerial footage at a cost you couldn't even insure a full size, let alone maintain or storing it....

Personally I dont enjoy flying them, because you arent flying them... they fly themselves and thats why I can teach even my mother to pick one up and go to town flying around.

BUT, like I said its a fantastic tool to get aerial footage. Likewise its pretty boring filming your backyard, so it becomes very valuable when you go to the farm and jol with the family on vacation or somewhere else remote.. and for their cost, you buy one now to have for the next ten years, so its not something that is outdated the next month or even year.

** Side note... When I was in Bali a few years ago, we were pretty remote on another island and used the drone to scout the surf spots around the corners and make a call which direction we going to mission

Just follow the basic rules, fly it with some common sense and see things you probably don't have the luxury to see from your airplane because you're too busy being in command of it.

The biggest outcry and issues about drones are the numbers of people that go and fly ANYWHERE, but more so about those who buy it with the intent of shooting houses, filming events, flying bait out next to an airport... This is not only UNSAFE but they are screwing the whole industry which will never establish itself as a serious contender in aviation until the regulatory clowns wake up and come to the party they were hired to perform at....

For a genuine hobbyist, there is very little to worry about legislatory wise (assuming you follow the basic rules, i.e. 10KM from airports or registered helipads, 50m from public roads, not over people, etc, etc...)

[Ricoby]

Luckily i saw this post now, was considering buying a Mavic 3 Pro for hobby purposes next week.

Guess i can wait a few more months to see what else is planned for drones

Same here. I’ve been toying with the idea to get a Mavic Air 2, purely for fun, but after reading this, it seems like just about everything about drones is prohibited and/or illegal…
Maybe not if I only fly it here on the farm and in other non-inhabited rural areas?

Yet, hundreds, maybe even thousands are being flown all over the place, without any repercussion, except if it gets too close to an airport or real aircraft.
Even then, there seems only to be a huge outcry, but that’s basically where things end? I’m not actively following the regulations or any developments in the drone world, but I don’t seem to recall any SA drone pilot being convicted, let alone any drone being “taken out”?

Just imagine the reaction if a drone is “taken out” and some innocent soul on the ground incur damages, injuries or even death?

There are ZERO issues with owning a drone for recreational use...

Buy it, fly it and enjoy the hell out of it!!

They really are fun and an AMAZING little tools to get some aerial footage at a cost you couldn't even insure a full size, let alone maintain or storing it....

Personally I dont enjoy flying them, because you arent flying them... they fly themselves and thats why I can teach even my mother to pick one up and go to town flying around.

BUT, like I said its a fantastic tool to get aerial footage. Likewise its pretty boring filming your backyard, so it becomes very valuable when you go to the farm and jol with the family on vacation or somewhere else remote.. and for their cost, you buy one now to have for the next ten years, so its not something that is outdated the next month or even year.

** Side note... When I was in Bali a few years ago, we were pretty remote on another island and used the drone to scout the surf spots around the corners and make a call which direction we going to mission

Just follow the basic rules, fly it with some common sense and see things you probably don't have the luxury to see from your airplane because you're too busy being in command of it.

The biggest outcry and issues about drones are the numbers of people that go and fly ANYWHERE, but more so about those who buy it with the intent of shooting houses, filming events, flying bait out next to an airport... This is not only UNSAFE but they are screwing the whole industry which will never establish itself as a serious contender in aviation until the regulatory clowns wake up and come to the party they were hired to perform at....

For a genuine hobbyist, there is very little to worry about legislatory wise (assuming you follow the basic rules, i.e. 10KM from airports or registered helipads, 50m from public roads, not over people, etc, etc...)

I fully agree with Shepherd. Common sense is all it takes. I enjoy flying my DJI Spark. It is used as an extension of my photography hobby. Having worked many years in the construction industry I have had safety rammed down my throat all my life, so much so that safety becomes a habit and everything I do, I look at the safety aspects first. The DJI's are so safe nowadays, with collision avoidance and gps positioning. Just keep to your limits, keep your Quad in eyesight and always keep it at a safe distance from other people.

[henkhugo]

Then you have the guys that abuse it to the point where DFFE (and I believe after consulting ATNS, CAA etc) had to step in and issue this notice last week.

274937046_10158169812331607_8166827812461314903_n.jpg

[henkhugo]

The high court has ruled against the applicants including a cost order.