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Legal implications of auto piloting capability.

Posted by Jacob Cunningham on July 4, 2012 at 8:23pm

Hello Folks, 

I am new here so I apologize if I don't know the rules or am terribly misinformed. 

I wanted to know if there were legal implications associated with autonomous drones. 

In the sense that I would like to have the public capability of telling anyone on the street that my aircraft can be programmed to fly anywhere in a certain radius. You look at map, pick a starting point and an ending point. 

Clearly this sounds like it could lead to "terrorism" just thinking about this vexes me and I just want to go back in time and stop whoever got this whole terrorism crap started which prevents many things which are intended for scientific purposes to be suspected as a "bad thing". 

Anyway, I would appreciate it if someone informed me of what a public operator would need to operate an autonomous drone, because what I described above is basically my venture and I want to know that it is legal. 

Would I need to "Train" potential operators and certify them? Or would they need to sign papers saying "I will not mis-use this item"... 

Thank you for your time. 

Regards,

Jacob Cunningham. 

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Replies

  • Jacob Cunningham July 5, 2012 at 1:37pm
    Excellent! And if I was to distribute a ready to operate fully autonomous plane without a payload; only the sensors / ardu board required to fly autonomously.

    Would there be no need to license the private operators?
  • Ray K July 5, 2012 at 1:16pm

    The only restrictions I'm aware of with hobby aircraft are the ones you see with GPS modules.  

    "Most modules permit NMEA output only when the module is traveling under 515 m/s AND when its at an altitude of under 60,000 ft (18,000 m). This is to prevent the modules from being used for military use."  -Adafruit  For the record, that is approximately at an 11 mile altitude and traveling at over 1,000 miles per hour.   I don't think any project featured here can even remotely exceed those specs.

     

    Other than that, what John Birkeland said, and as long as you don't have any weapons on there, you're fine.

  • Jacob Cunningham July 5, 2012 at 2:40am
    What about the concept of giving a private user the freedom of an autonomous aerial vehicle?

    Isn't that alone a bad idea?

    Would one need a license to distribute self piloting drones to establishments?

    How about AMA licensing?
  • Developer
    John Arne Birkeland July 5, 2012 at 2:31am

    As long as you are following model airplane rules/recommendation you should be fine, since there is to my knowledge no US laws covering hobby/private UAV's yet.

    The most important ones would be:

    - Do not fly over populated areas

    - Stay below 400 feet

    - Always fly in line of sight

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