Forbes Magazine has an update on the recently posted fireworks video, indicating that it may have been flown in violation of a Coast Guard established "safety zone."
"The video’s caption indicates that the flight took place in West Palm Beach, Florida. If it was a large Fourth of July celebration, the Coast Guard likely established a safety zone....
"There’s no way to know when the video was taken, but most major fireworks demonstrations will have a Coast Guard established safety zone. The punishment for violating a safety zone is a whopping $40,000 fine and for willful violations it is a Class D felony, punishable by at least 5, but no more than 10 years in prison!"
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2014/07/04/video-shows-drone-flying-through-fireworks/
Comments
I'm on the fence in this one.
Normally I'm a safety zealot, and obviously the flight through the fireworks, and even more-so over the crowd broke a bunch of rules.
But the reality of the situation is, I can't see how the flight through the fireworks could really be considered risky at all. If the fireworks were being done properly, there was no people or property below. The worst case in this event would seem to be that the quad got hit and fell. The risk in this case would probably be much less than that from a errant shell. If a quadcopter falls in the water and nobody is there to see it, does it really make a splash?
The only real issue I could see is if the quad for any reason crashed and landed in the fireworks launching area, and somehow started a fire. But again, if this was all being properly, I can't see how it could do more than set off a single shell before it was intended? They should be spaced out in a sandy area such that one shell-misfiring could not set off the other shells?
@Ben he transited across the crowd and has cut that part I have a copy of it. He still does not have the right to fly in controlled airspace. If you tried that in the UK and were caught without permissions you would be charged. The difference is you can obtain permissions after stating your safety case in the UK. You would still not be allowed directly above the crowd. You cannot obtain permission to fly an RPAS at an event in the USA.
I see that Time and CNN have picked the story up so the FAA will know. Its also not the first time somebody has flown in fireworks by a long shot.
The organisers of the event and the commercial operator they use should be coming under more fire for their video IMHO as that was flown very much with commercial intent by a chap being paid by the event.
Watch this space, the FAA have won the case against the Phantom guy in NYC even if it was only for either or 2200 or as rumours have it settled for 200. My money is on the FAA saying their fine regime is too forgiving and they will bump it up into the French sort of money.Perhaps they are restricted over there to the maximum they can fine somebody.
I am not sure the Forbes guy is right about prison, he would be if it was France there its a $100,000 fine or one year in prison. They have not handed down that hard a sentence yet but have to my knowledge fined about 10 folks so far. Small fines but a criminal record.
For the upcoming small rule making NPRM not the model aeroplane FPV nonsense that everyone is so wound up about and is just a side show for the big event, the FAA will have plenty of videos like these to demonstrate why it is a good idea to only allow sUAS within controlled environments.
Aren't safety zones for humans? Just thought I would point out the obvious.
You cannot obtain permission to fly an RPAS above crowds within controlled airspace in the USA. The organizer would not have the right to sanction the flight.
From a potential energy standpoint a small 1kg quadcopter, like the DJI phantom, flying over water is no more dangerous than a duck and considerably less dangerous than a pelican. Flying lights provide excellent LOS observability at night and allow an operator to easily avoid other aircraft.
While we are all aware of the many things that can go wrong during an RC flight it doesn't appear that this flight was unsafe. This was a small light quadcopter with a full autopilot being flown at night, with lights over water.,
The quadcopter flight allowed some pretty impressive video of the fireworks to be taken without any significant risk.
Here you go Mark
SunFest’s Marketing Manager Melissa Sullivan had this to say about their drone
“I’ll use it for my promotional video next year,” Sullivan said. “We’re growing in reach – last year we sold into 43 different states – so video is important for us to be able to give a taste of something they’ve never heard of. And video is so powerful. The drone is just using the latest technology.”
http://www.suasnews.com/2014/07/29902/sunfest-2014-uas-footage/
Now if the person would have set this up with the organizers had the permissions and known of any restriction it would be fine. If they would have said no you have to live with it. I guess too many people believe it is easier to ask for forgiveness after. Yes these guys will give the hobby a bad name with authorities and they are the ones making the rules not the fans on YouTube.
@Gary, do you have a pointer to the video?
Why are folks not picking up the official video in which the airport can be seen in the background... This guy of course is flying in the same airspace. It was not part of forth of July celebrations it was the SunFest. If there was a genuine no fly zone there might be meetings with no bisquits.