What will be the effect on others? What will the neighborhood think? Your friends? Your significant other? Give this some thought. Are you going to fly in your back yard? If so, expect the drone to "go over the fence". It happens. What about the neighbors dog? Do you have a HOA covenant? Better check it out :)
Is there somewhere else you can fly it? A park,
or other open area? What's the ground there like? You'll need grass or soft
sand for the inevitable crashes that will occur. Children will ask you to let
them fly it. You WILL say NO! In fact, you won't even fly when they are near. Think
of all the things the COULD go wrong.
You'll need some spare cash. You will need a small drone. $60.00 will get you a very good one. Comes with one battery - last about 5-7 minutes then you go home and charge the battery for about an hour. Gets old the first time you do it. You know this because you did your homework. So you buy more batteries.
You'll need some spare cash. You will need a small drone. $60.00 will get you a very good one. Comes with one battery - last about 5-7 minutes then you go home and charge the battery for about an hour. Gets old the first time you do it. You know this because you did your homework. So you buy more batteries.
I fly my UDI U818A quad 6
minutes per battery and then land and change batteries. The batteries will last
longer. I carry 10 batteries. That's about $50.00 more from Amazon.com.
You bought spare rotors (props) right? That's another $5.00. Carrying all that stuff in a gunny sack? No, not for you. A carrying case for UDI U818A if only $25.00 - so you get one. Oh, and some AA batteries for the transmitter - $5.00. Lets add that up. $145.00 plus S&H.
Know the law. Easy enough except it's changing almost daily. Stay 5 miles from any airport and fly under 400 feet above ground level (AGL) and not over private property and you should be ok. Do you need license? Generally speaking, no. Unless your are flying for profit (hire) as a "commercial operator".
You bought spare rotors (props) right? That's another $5.00. Carrying all that stuff in a gunny sack? No, not for you. A carrying case for UDI U818A if only $25.00 - so you get one. Oh, and some AA batteries for the transmitter - $5.00. Lets add that up. $145.00 plus S&H.
Know the law. Easy enough except it's changing almost daily. Stay 5 miles from any airport and fly under 400 feet above ground level (AGL) and not over private property and you should be ok. Do you need license? Generally speaking, no. Unless your are flying for profit (hire) as a "commercial operator".
If so, the FAA
will demand that you either have a pilots license and/or a waiver or both. FAA
controls ALL airspace over the USA used for commercial purposes. Charging Uncle
Harry $10 to take video of his house which for sale, means you now NEED a
license and/or permission. The FAA is where you'll get it.
Get in line. Hundreds are waiting for commercial approval as you read this. Police may stop you at the local park. They quote you "their" local law. Do you know what to say? You better. Check the park regulations. You'll find it on a sign on the edge of the park. No sign? Call the city. Ask them. Ask for something in writing or online. Print it out and keep it with you when you fly.
If the sign isn't there how are you going to explain the law as it currently stands in your area to the police? They won't know what the current law is. The MIGHT put a call in to the "Sarge" and ask him. He won't know. Don't believe me? Call your local police department. Tell them you have a question about drone flying. I'm willing to bet they'll refer you to the FAA. Get you ducks in a row, now!
A drone is NOT a toy except it looks like a toy and it's made from China where they make all the affordable cheap toys selling for less than $50.00. All that's true except the drone can be a toy and a dangerous flying object at the same time. And you have no training :( If you crash your "not-a-toy" drone into somebody's face and they sue you, are you insured.
"Well", you say. "I certainly am NOT going to crash it in somebody's face. No way that could ever happen!" Wanna bet? It can and somebody will. It's only a matter of time. Lawsuits can wipe you out financially. Don't let it be you! Get the rest of your ducks in a row. Call your insurance agent and see if your covered for something like this.
Practice-Practice-Practice. Do you tend to get all excited about things like: the latest iPhone, laptops, X-Box, tablets, and blue tooth gadget that everybody stuffs in their ear? You know - technical toys? Can you follow through on the training? Guess who the teacher will be? That's right - YOU!
Learning to fly a drone semi-proficiently will take you about 10 to 25 flying hours and many more study hours to become a proficient small drone pilot. Well, now you know what to expect. Can you do it? Yes, I think you can. So what are you waiting for? Go for it :)
Get in line. Hundreds are waiting for commercial approval as you read this. Police may stop you at the local park. They quote you "their" local law. Do you know what to say? You better. Check the park regulations. You'll find it on a sign on the edge of the park. No sign? Call the city. Ask them. Ask for something in writing or online. Print it out and keep it with you when you fly.
If the sign isn't there how are you going to explain the law as it currently stands in your area to the police? They won't know what the current law is. The MIGHT put a call in to the "Sarge" and ask him. He won't know. Don't believe me? Call your local police department. Tell them you have a question about drone flying. I'm willing to bet they'll refer you to the FAA. Get you ducks in a row, now!
A drone is NOT a toy except it looks like a toy and it's made from China where they make all the affordable cheap toys selling for less than $50.00. All that's true except the drone can be a toy and a dangerous flying object at the same time. And you have no training :( If you crash your "not-a-toy" drone into somebody's face and they sue you, are you insured.
"Well", you say. "I certainly am NOT going to crash it in somebody's face. No way that could ever happen!" Wanna bet? It can and somebody will. It's only a matter of time. Lawsuits can wipe you out financially. Don't let it be you! Get the rest of your ducks in a row. Call your insurance agent and see if your covered for something like this.
Practice-Practice-Practice. Do you tend to get all excited about things like: the latest iPhone, laptops, X-Box, tablets, and blue tooth gadget that everybody stuffs in their ear? You know - technical toys? Can you follow through on the training? Guess who the teacher will be? That's right - YOU!
Learning to fly a drone semi-proficiently will take you about 10 to 25 flying hours and many more study hours to become a proficient small drone pilot. Well, now you know what to expect. Can you do it? Yes, I think you can. So what are you waiting for? Go for it :)
Keep on Flying!
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