Jokingly, before I leave the house to fly a drone mission, I'll tell my wife I'm off to capture that million dollar video. When I return she'll ask, "Did you get your million dollar video". There have been several occasions when drone operators feel the need to capture that million dollar video. Or so they believe. Flying drones in restricted areas or pushing safety aside is simply selfish. Drone pilots/operators already deal with the stigma of flying drones, we don't need the assistance of the irresponsible drone operators. Getting that million dollar video by chance, is like winning a billion dollars. (At the time of its' billing, the odds of winning the mega million lottery in October of 2018 was 1 in 88 quadrillion.) You can be fined $27,500.00 for civil penalties and $250,000.00 for criminal penalties for violating the regulations.
Generally, those who do operate drones illegally, don't do so with the intention of causing harm. Most drone operators are responsible pilots. Too, there are those that are highly compensated for their work and rightfully so. They toil everyday and make the best of each opportunity and operate within the guidelines.
However, not all reported drone accidents turnout to be a drone related incident. The National Transportation Safety Board has listed several incidents which they classify as False Positive. Meaning initially the incident was first reported as a drone accident, but later it was discovered that it was a bird. Once the report has been completed it doesn't get the same headline grabbing attention as first reported. I've included a link to an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report based off the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) findings.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yuKXKYtmLcNwYEyTVrH_5A-lRtbQW2vt/view?usp=sharing
Finally, I have three categories of drone operators. It's a generalization but none-the-less the classifications are valid.
1) The Professional Drone Pilot: I consider a professional drone pilot as one who has obtained an
FAA Remote Pilot Certificate/License, and one who operates with in the confines of the FAA rules
and regulations. Is well prepared for their mission. Knows when to abort the mission because it is
unsafe to fly or for others reasons. They have either received specialized training either
on-line or through a school on how to operate drones safely. They constantly are honing their
skills and keep abreast of the latest changes.
2) The Responsible Drone operator: Is a recreational operator, who educates themselves but
operates the drone safely and within the FAA guidelines. Often is part of a club specifically for
drone operators. Many times has the skills and qualifications of a professional but chooses to
remain a recreational operator.
3) Irresponsible Operator: Is one who is technically sound with the overall operation of drones, but
is self centered, lives on the edge and thrives on the attention they receive from friends and social
media. (AKA The Million Dollar Video Person)
As always my blog is intended to start a topic of discussion based on my experience and research, thus the title, "I Learned From That". Please leave your comments, follow me here and also on Twitter: @DannyBaker0 Mahalo!
Links:
http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/learn-the-drone-laws/
https://www.khon2.com/local-news/hilo-man-convicted-for-illegally-flying-drone-at-volcanoes-national-park/
https://www.hawaii-aloha.com/blog/2018/05/25/drones-on-vacation-yes-but/
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