Friday, March 11th, 2022 and the BVLOS saga . . .The ARC Report to the FAA

BigAl07 · Mar 11, 2022

As many of you may already be seeing, yesterday the FAA Released a VERY long report on UAS BVLOS operation.

First off let me break it down for those who have only seen the headlines.... we are NOT ALLOWED TO FLY BVLOS without a Waiver right now. I repeat

we are NOT ALLOWED TO FLY BVLOS without a Waiver right now

This report is merely the Final Report of the Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) on UAS BVLOS operation. This is only a committee making recommendations to the FAA. It will take time for the FAA to "digest" this report and then come up with what they want to take from it. Then they will likely, at some point in the future, create a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which will then have to go through the long process of Public Comments etc. Once that time period has expired the FAA would then take into account the comments from the Public (or not) and make revisions or possibly start the actual process of actually codifying their final rule. This could be a long process or a VERY long process.

If I had to "guess" I would estimate a Final Ruling could be 12-24 months away at best. There are a LOT of variables at play here and it's not going to be easy to say the least.

Swallabat · Mar 12, 2022

"We are NOT ALLOWED TO FLY BVLOS without a Waiver right now". Why not? They make you label the bloody craft (and pay for your registration) so it's not like you can evade responsibility if you drop it somewhere!

If you are fed up of the ever increasing numbers of things that are prohibited on someone else's whim, then "pushback" takes the form of DO IT ANYWAY...

(removed by ADMIN for political comments)

BigAl07 · Mar 12, 2022

Listen, follow the rules or NOT that's completely on you but it's attitudes just like yours that cause even more regulations and restrictions. Flying in the NAS isn't a God given right. The NAS has living and breathing Human Beings up there and your actions could cause life or death situations.

Swallabat · Mar 13, 2022

The lower airspace is already full of birds and other obstacles. There's a whole 500 feet above the surface where no manned flying machine is supposed to go (except when arriving and departing) for this and other sensible aviation reasons.

IF you really think that the rather draconian restrictions and regulations that have been applied across the board to all types of drones and activities are warranted, that's your choice.

I did at least in my country lobby successfully (and without knowing or bribing anyone!) to get the law changed to trim some of the more ridiculous suggested requirements, but you still have a situation where one of the most interesting uses of drones, "reconnaissance" is across the board prohibited.

Maybe I should have been less "punchy" in my comments. But I was very very, lucky, I got my input in here when the law was being drafted, and it gave us a few more rights, but you guys seem to have no real recourse to common sense. why the heck shouldn't joe blow be able to do BVR with his Mavic mini or even straight Mavic air if he or she is brave enough?

It's the overarching unreasonableness of it all, that drives me to the edge of reason..

You might be happy with everyone needing to be licenced and counted to have any sort of BVR, some of us are not.

As for "responsible flying" I do that. I even do lawful flying the vast majority of the time, I wouldn't know really, I've possibly not read the latest set of rules, they keep changing...

What I do know is to always keep my drone away from people buildings pets etc, (excepting myself), don't look at anything I know I should not be looking at, do my utmost not to be noticed, contact any landowners when possible to ask permission, and face any challenge politely and courteously whilst prioritising the safety of the aircraft. Add the PPL training (some of which I still remember) and a general safety minded attitude, and I actually had no choice but to get stuck in when they were making the laws and still I had to "pay to register"! I pay enough bleeding taxes as it is, so being asked to pay for the "mechanism of oppression" (let's be fair, also the "mechanism of vastly increased drone /air safety!") is a bit much. I don't mind being compelled to stick a label on so my drone can be traced right back to me, I do mind that they then tell me I can't legally do any sort of BVR ...

*Edit* I've not yet attained the required competence to attempt BVR deliberately! My only BVR experiences were involved in trying FPV in a field with a Hubsan H104D which I lost on the second attempt... But when I do have that competence, I want to be able to excercise it under 400 feet in a small craft without further "applying" to authoritah. maybe I have unreasonable expectations of my "free society"...

Don't revolt. Let 'em keep turning your rights into priviledges that can only be excercised with a licence that in turn gives the law makers an extra income and creates another little tax.

BigAl07 · Mar 17, 2022

(Copied from Mavic Pilots forum, OP is Vic Moss)

Are you a US 107 Pilot? Or are you getting your 107?

The FAA recently released the 381 page BVLOS ARC report. BLVOS ARC stands for Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee.

This report is full of great info and suggestion for the FAA when it comes to BVLOS flight in the US. However, as I mentioned, it's also 381 pages long.

To that end, we've scheduled a live webinar for Friday, March 18th, at 6:00PM ET. Kenji Sugahara, CEO/Pres of DSPA and Greg Reverdiau from @pilotinstitute will talk about the process, contents, and what happens next. We'll also have a live Q&A.

Kenji was on the BVLOS ARC, so he'll have some great insight, and Greg has spent the last few days slowly reading and digesting the report. They'll have some great content.

Greg will be hosting it on his YT channel, go here and set the reminder.