If you are planning on flying commercially in the USA, ie take photos for money from your platforms. You really ought to be a member of RCAPA and follow their very simple guidelines.
http://www.rcapa.net/guidelines.aspx
Of course right now you cannot turn a dime selling aerial photos but that might change soon.
I would suggest that all DIYD members use them and perhaps supplement with the excellent BMFA Up up and Away publication http://www.bmfa.org/publications/files/EUA.zip
There is a Facebook page as well.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/317984811558233/
They are the only group fighting for sUAS in the NAS in America.
The others just don't care and are very busy throwing small companies under the bus!
2012 will be the year of some changes, unless you are part of the conversation and push for sensible rules you can expect some tough times.
This post will give you a flavour of what they are upto.
We hope to be able to put out some information on proposed standards for airframes shortly.
All the fuss about rule changes by January is based on the NPRM process which was slated to start in January but if you follow sUAS News you will know that has been put back many many times. I abandoned the countdown timer on the top right of the home page as changing it all the time became dull.
sUAS News believes the process will now start April/May then go into 90 days of comments.
This may well change.
Now is the time to get ready. They cannot hold this process back many more times. The big boys are facing reduced sales to the military and they need to start the civil push.
Comments
No, RCAPA has Global reach. We are part of the EUROCAE sRPA expert groups etc... We had TC Canada connections, but it is hard to keep up all of those relationships without making all of the shows. (Budget= $25 to $30 thousand per year.)
However, it is difficult to hit all of those targets and wants on a very low/no budget. Sure, I'd like to be able to be as unfettered by regulation as possible, but let's be realistic about what is achievable.
I have had my disagreements with Patrick in the past but I will take my hat off to him for putting himself out there time after time for commercial sUAS operators. If RCAPA can get behind AP use and work that into their guidelines in writing then I definitely could definitely get behind them as an organization.
RCAPA also is only designed for the USA, excluding operators in Canada. Its bad enough that Aerial Pak does not cover someone from Canada and flying there, but will cover someone from the USA flying in the Canada.. pfft!
The splitters are a killer. (All the mavericks in the house put your hands up!) The RCAPA Guidelines are head and shoulders above what we are going to get.
Re: 8
All operations have to have a pilot in the loop who can take manual control.
Here's how it shakes out...
Its 4th down and 20, out about 65 yards for the field goal attempt.
You've got no one pulling for you except for the defense contractors and their talking MIL-STD 3001 manuals and documentation for operators. I've got two high profile programs under my belt and I can say without reservation that the documentation is extensive and expensive. There is a soft effort to keep things on the down low. All along I said that we must keep the public business public.
ARC 2.0 has no small business or end user representation, and there is only one dude who knows the score.
The RCAPA must be included!
Okay lets not drop item 8 lets just clarify it so that it does not appear to preclude the use of autopilots. I am sure that would take Patrick about thirty seconds. once we have that sorted I will throw my lot in with Patrick and even pay dues ; )
Well I guess that depends on how you define full autonomous. I am sure they mean that the PIC must be able to take control of the aircraft at anytime. Every authority wants some human intervention at a moments notice.
Gary
If they drop item 8 from their guidelines I would join but not before then.
Rory
The RCAPA guys might not thank me for posting that but I feel pretty passionately about this subject. The UK CAA has had the debate asked for opinions and had rules for sUAS in the NAS for at least three years now. I think the FAA is slowly killing US small business whilst dithering.