I just read an interesting AP article stating that new FAA rules for commercial drone flights are expected as early as TODAY, the 21st of June 2016.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to announce as early as Tuesday the creation of a new category of rules for drones weighing less than 55 pounds. The long-anticipated rules would mean drone operators would be able to fly without special permission.

Personally I’ve been avoiding filing for an FAA 333 exemption (the current commercial approval by the FAA) because I don’t have the money for an attorney to draft one up, nor do I have the time or desire to wait six months to a year for a response. As a result, I’ve simply not pursued commercial endeavors with my drones.

The summary says operators must register their drones online and pass an aviation knowledge exam for drone pilots at an FAA-approved testing center. That would give them a drone pilot certification that’s good for 24 months. Operators must also present identification for a security vetting similar to that applied to general aviation pilots.

Hopefully new and sensible rules will make it easier for people like me to dive into aerial photography, aerial videography, thermography, mapping, or other areas drones are great for. Looking forward to these new rules asap!

This is similar to some situations I’ve had on my own.  People who are completely paranoid about drones exaggerate and extrapolate these incredibly insane scenarios where the drone flyer who is doing nothing wrong is accused of all sorts of wrong doing and dangerous behavior.  In the video below a small racing drone crashed 100+ feet away from a lady who then told the police it hit within four feet of her.  This is what we are up against.

The great thing is that most of us drone flyers are honest folks and when some freak like this makes up stories they are exposed. This is especially funny when the technology assists in proving that the paranoid person is lying.

I’m fighting with this right now. My last two major flights have had episodes similar, where an irate bystander who was nowhere near the flight path got in my face about privacy and safety and such.

So this is basically a drone with no remote. It stays level via sonar and shoots pictures or video of you for the coolest selfies ever.

I do wonder about using this outdoors though. With no remote a slight wind could take it away, never to be seen again.

I’ll be interested to follow this technology, and subsequent entries into the hover camera world.