The problem is that the FAA should help mitigate risk for air vehicles, and instead they are regulating commerce. For example, flying a DJI Mavic 50 feet in the air over private property to take a photograph of a house only requires a Part 107 if the picture is used to sell the house or inspect the roof or something commercial - but that has NOTHING to do with the risk that may or may not exist on a flight.
Thanks for covering this. I just took my recurrent yesterday. I think that if they are charging us 150 that they could at least issue a new license, maybe with a photo. I got the paper with the embossing that we are supposed to carry around. Actually the FAA site says that we can carry a copy. I'm a filmmaker and photographer so being a drone pilot seemed like a natural progression and I love it.
Just FYI: I took my Part 107 recertification test today and passed. Honestly the proctor told me in 2016 and 2017 she was pretty busy but now, I could just pick whatever day and time I wanted to come in and take the test because she was wide open. My business is growing and I will continue to build it. Trying to follow the rules and do the right thing. I hope it just doesn't backfire on me.
The way you enforce FAA Part 107 rules is by requiring every business using drones, (all types of businesses), to keep accurate records that include the license and insurance information of all pilots they hired on a given project. The FAA then hires more people to audit there books instead of driving around trying to catch an elusive pilot. If the audited cimpany's books are not in order, containing all the information, you fine them 20% of the gross profit on that particular project/sale/ contract in which the footage was used. (Every realtor, every insurance company, every television and movie company.) You publish the busts in the trade magazines and business will do the enforcement to keep costs down. To determine who gets audited, the FAA simply monitors movies, TV shows, real estate adds at random. When business stop hiring 16 year old kids that got a drone for Christmas and will fly for $50 an hour, there will be a legitimately enforcable drone industry with a fair but competative market.
I just passed my Part 107 yesterday thanks to you guys. Doing research at a university and they told us we had to be licensed even though our research isn't for the "furthering of a business" because it *could* be in time.
Although I am committed to growing my business properly, many large companies do a cost benefit analysis to determine if breaking the law can result in much more profit than the penalty will cost. The laws need to sentence ceo’s to prison and fines that exceed the profit made by 100% and then we may go back to being a nation of laws...
Drone u has 34,000 subscribers on TH-cam alone. What better platform to organize a group to start influencing and educating Congress to get some of these restrictions changed?? Seems to me like Drone u and your community could really influence the FAA! Just a thought. Awesome podcast/ video as always! Keep up the great work!
Today a single engine plane landed on I-45 in Orlando, Fla. They played the mayday radio call. It crashed into a black SUV. Probably from behind at 80 ish mph. I didn't hear any cries shouts or screams. Interesting about the CB middle finger to the FCC, awsome didn't know that. Did you know unless your transporting goods for commercial use the Govt. is not supposed to impede travel. ie licenses Registration Regis means King uh, Tolls, Taxes, Insurance and on and on. Great show
I took the 40 question Recurrent Yesterday ... It was MUCH Harder than the Original where I got 93% .... This one I got 73% .... mostly map stuff ... several Lat/Long ... Victor Airways above the ground, Even some Weather questions that were surprising (METAR, FOG, STABLE/UNSTABLE AIR) ... None of those FAA Sample question were on the test ... This Recurrent Test seemed like some questions were from the Original test ... Good Luck.
I think a lot of pilots are waiting for them to hopefully just make it a free online knowledge test instead of a paid recurrent test taken in-person. I also think they've tightened up the screws to the point that they're eliminating lots of people who aren't willing to put in the work to follow the rules anymore (cause it's a huge hassle!). Not to mention, the majority of the market doesn't often pay enough for the work to warrant the level of diligence required to do it with any sort of scale as a serious company. But the stats seem possibly promising for those who want to keep at it...essentially the industry of real professionals (on paper) has now gone down to
I just met a guy that works for his dad's big company and he uses his drone to film ads for the company. NO 107! When I asked him when he is going to get it he said never and that why does he need it when he has been filming for years without it. I could not believe it. As an airplane pilot, I can't imagine flying my plane for hire, for years, without a Commercial Pilots License. What would be the penalty for that?
All of your points about why pilots aren't renewing their Part 107 are interesting and may be valid. Let me tell you why I did renew after my certificate had expired almost a year ago. The company for which I work started experimenting with UAS wind turbine blade inspection back in 2014, and although it proofed to be an extremely valuable solution because of cost and safety, dropped the whole thing because the path to legal use was the 333. Two years later, I had my Part 107 certificate the same week the exam was available. During the proceeding two years, although we did complete several interesting missions, the company I work for never committed or invested in a UAS program, even though they were completely aware of its benefits. When my certificate expired last September, I decided not to renew. As a hobbyist photographer, I decided to support any aerial images I wanted as a hobbyist drone pilot. Several weeks ago, nearly three years after I first obtained my certificate, the company I work for informed me that they would pay for me to renew my certificate, would invest in the latest technology, and are now ready to build an internal UAS program. So yesterday, nearly a year after my certificate expired, and on my company's dime, I renewed by taking the recurrent exam. This next week, I'll be having meetings with interested company stakeholders to see where this will go. I agree with you in part about why so many people became Part 107 certified in the beginning; however, I don't believe it parallels the "fade" examples you gave. I believe that the majority of those who first certified were doing it because it was the right thing to do, at the dawn of an industry that was all but guaranteed to grow. Time has passed, most discovered that, like any other industry, success comes from the hard work of building a business, not just flying a drone around for nickles and dimes. I too believe you are correct about people not renewing because there is no enforcement, but I also believe those who are not renewing because of this are missing the point of being certified. Being current on the aspects of any industry or technology is the foundation of providing legitimate business value. Regardless of whether the certification is being enforced, a true professionals will always ensure their customers are getting legitimate value. Yes, there are those customers who will skirt regulations to save money. As a professional with a commitment to long-term integrity, I am unwilling to conduct business with customers who are willing to short-cut the system. In the end, when the wild west fades have gone the way of gold rushes, I will not be living in a ghost town. If people have chosen not to renew their Part 107 certification because the system is failing them, I get it. But if you want to be a true professional in the long-term growth and maturity of the UAS industry, a 40-question recurrent exam is not a huge hurdle.
Ok, so the short answer is...I keep this recurrent test result on me at all times but dont lose it and if I do lose it I pay $150 and my time to retest the original 107 since I would be expired. This makes FAA sense to me...I mean why isnt it just logged in IACRA?
There has not been a Formula 1 race in the US this year. There is also only one track in the US which is currently a Formula 1 track, Circuit of the Americas in Texas
Interesting that Paul seems interested in enforcement. For a long time he has criticized people who were concerned about a lack of enforcement and seem to believe that they should shouldn't worry about it
But he had his part 107 and insurance and he's still screwed. So what's up with that? And as for hobbiest flyers what about all the toy/camera drones sold buy Amazon , Walmart, Target etc... I'm a registered fpv hobby flyer have loads of fun. Happy flying. 💖🤓
The FAA needs to cut down on the helicopter pilots in NYC considering the accidents the past two or three years alone. I think it depends on who has the money.
This is a VERY interesting topic that's very well addressed in this video. However, I'm watching this video in November 2020 and want to know if anything addressed in this video has changed since this video was made?
January 15th 2021 Are testing centers open right now? If not how can the reoccurrant text be taken? Is there an online option due to testing centers being shut down due to Covid-19?
The problem is that the FAA should help mitigate risk for air vehicles, and instead they are regulating commerce. For example, flying a DJI Mavic 50 feet in the air over private property to take a photograph of a house only requires a Part 107 if the picture is used to sell the house or inspect the roof or something commercial - but that has NOTHING to do with the risk that may or may not exist on a flight.
Thanks for covering this. I just took my recurrent yesterday. I think that if they are charging us 150 that they could at least issue a new license, maybe with a photo. I got the paper with the embossing that we are supposed to carry around. Actually the FAA site says that we can carry a copy. I'm a filmmaker and photographer so being a drone pilot seemed like a natural progression and I love it.
I love your unfiltered candor, regardless of drones. You call it as it is. Brilliant!
Just FYI: I took my Part 107 recertification test today and passed. Honestly the proctor told me in 2016 and 2017 she was pretty busy but now, I could just pick whatever day and time I wanted to come in and take the test because she was wide open. My business is growing and I will continue to build it. Trying to follow the rules and do the right thing. I hope it just doesn't backfire on me.
The way you enforce FAA Part 107 rules is by requiring every business using drones, (all types of businesses), to keep accurate records that include the license and insurance information of all pilots they hired on a given project. The FAA then hires more people to audit there books instead of driving around trying to catch an elusive pilot. If the audited cimpany's books are not in order, containing all the information, you fine them 20% of the gross profit on that particular project/sale/ contract in which the footage was used. (Every realtor, every insurance company, every television and movie company.) You publish the busts in the trade magazines and business will do the enforcement to keep costs down. To determine who gets audited, the FAA simply monitors movies, TV shows, real estate adds at random. When business stop hiring 16 year old kids that got a drone for Christmas and will fly for $50 an hour, there will be a legitimately enforcable drone industry with a fair but competative market.
So...who's been fined? The original question.
By the way, 16 year old's xmas drones dont take any video that is worthy of $50/hr. Get a grip
I just passed my Part 107 yesterday thanks to you guys. Doing research at a university and they told us we had to be licensed even though our research isn't for the "furthering of a business" because it *could* be in time.
Although I am committed to growing my business properly, many large companies do a cost benefit analysis to determine if breaking the law can result in much more profit than the penalty will cost. The laws need to sentence ceo’s to prison and fines that exceed the profit made by 100% and then we may go back to being a nation of laws...
Appreciate your candid assessment of the situation!
Drone u has 34,000 subscribers on TH-cam alone. What better platform to organize a group to start influencing and educating Congress to get some of these restrictions changed?? Seems to me like Drone u and your community could really influence the FAA! Just a thought. Awesome podcast/ video as always! Keep up the great work!
Today a single engine plane landed on I-45 in Orlando, Fla. They played the mayday radio call. It crashed into a black SUV. Probably from behind at 80 ish mph. I didn't hear any cries shouts or screams. Interesting about the CB middle finger to the FCC, awsome didn't know that. Did you know unless your transporting goods for commercial use the Govt. is not supposed to impede travel. ie licenses Registration Regis means King uh, Tolls, Taxes, Insurance and on and on. Great show
I took the 40 question Recurrent Yesterday ... It was MUCH Harder than the Original where I got 93% .... This one I got 73% .... mostly map stuff ... several Lat/Long ... Victor Airways above the ground, Even some Weather questions that were surprising (METAR, FOG, STABLE/UNSTABLE AIR) ... None of those FAA Sample question were on the test ... This Recurrent Test seemed like some questions were from the Original test ... Good Luck.
I think a lot of pilots are waiting for them to hopefully just make it a free online knowledge test instead of a paid recurrent test taken in-person. I also think they've tightened up the screws to the point that they're eliminating lots of people who aren't willing to put in the work to follow the rules anymore (cause it's a huge hassle!). Not to mention, the majority of the market doesn't often pay enough for the work to warrant the level of diligence required to do it with any sort of scale as a serious company. But the stats seem possibly promising for those who want to keep at it...essentially the industry of real professionals (on paper) has now gone down to
I just met a guy that works for his dad's big company and he uses his drone to film ads for the company. NO 107! When I asked him when he is going to get it he said never and that why does he need it when he has been filming for years without it. I could not believe it. As an airplane pilot, I can't imagine flying my plane for hire, for years, without a Commercial Pilots License. What would be the penalty for that?
What an action-packed drone news show! Good one guys! ;p
All of your points about why pilots aren't renewing their Part 107 are interesting and may be valid. Let me tell you why I did renew after my certificate had expired almost a year ago.
The company for which I work started experimenting with UAS wind turbine blade inspection back in 2014, and although it proofed to be an extremely valuable solution because of cost and safety, dropped the whole thing because the path to legal use was the 333. Two years later, I had my Part 107 certificate the same week the exam was available. During the proceeding two years, although we did complete several interesting missions, the company I work for never committed or invested in a UAS program, even though they were completely aware of its benefits.
When my certificate expired last September, I decided not to renew. As a hobbyist photographer, I decided to support any aerial images I wanted as a hobbyist drone pilot.
Several weeks ago, nearly three years after I first obtained my certificate, the company I work for informed me that they would pay for me to renew my certificate, would invest in the latest technology, and are now ready to build an internal UAS program. So yesterday, nearly a year after my certificate expired, and on my company's dime, I renewed by taking the recurrent exam. This next week, I'll be having meetings with interested company stakeholders to see where this will go.
I agree with you in part about why so many people became Part 107 certified in the beginning; however, I don't believe it parallels the "fade" examples you gave. I believe that the majority of those who first certified were doing it because it was the right thing to do, at the dawn of an industry that was all but guaranteed to grow. Time has passed, most discovered that, like any other industry, success comes from the hard work of building a business, not just flying a drone around for nickles and dimes.
I too believe you are correct about people not renewing because there is no enforcement, but I also believe those who are not renewing because of this are missing the point of being certified. Being current on the aspects of any industry or technology is the foundation of providing legitimate business value. Regardless of whether the certification is being enforced, a true professionals will always ensure their customers are getting legitimate value.
Yes, there are those customers who will skirt regulations to save money. As a professional with a commitment to long-term integrity, I am unwilling to conduct business with customers who are willing to short-cut the system. In the end, when the wild west fades have gone the way of gold rushes, I will not be living in a ghost town.
If people have chosen not to renew their Part 107 certification because the system is failing them, I get it. But if you want to be a true professional in the long-term growth and maturity of the UAS industry, a 40-question recurrent exam is not a huge hurdle.
Ok, so the short answer is...I keep this recurrent test result on me at all times but dont lose it and if I do lose it I pay $150 and my time to retest the original 107 since I would be expired. This makes FAA sense to me...I mean why isnt it just logged in IACRA?
There has not been a Formula 1 race in the US this year. There is also only one track in the US which is currently a Formula 1 track, Circuit of the Americas in Texas
best episode yet
Interesting that Paul seems interested in enforcement. For a long time he has criticized people who were concerned about a lack of enforcement and seem to believe that they should shouldn't worry about it
Paul, you guys talk to the FAA a lot. What are they saying about some dang enforcement?
But he had his part 107 and insurance and he's still screwed. So what's up with that?
And as for hobbiest flyers what about all the toy/camera drones sold buy Amazon , Walmart, Target etc...
I'm a registered fpv hobby flyer have loads of fun. Happy flying. 💖🤓
The FAA needs to cut down on the helicopter pilots in NYC considering the accidents the past two or three years alone. I think it depends on who has the money.
do you think Verifly is adequate if there isn't that many assignments at least until business picks up?
This is a VERY interesting topic that's very well addressed in this video. However, I'm watching this video in November 2020 and want to know if anything addressed in this video has changed since this video was made?
●●● Has anyone been fined for NOT having FAA 107 even WITH accidents?●●●●
Just set up my recurrency test, and they only charged me $96? Anyone else have this experience?
January 15th 2021 Are testing centers open right now? If not how can the reoccurrant text be taken? Is there an online option due to testing centers being shut down due to Covid-19?
Thanks. Always appreciate your knowledge and experience. BTW UASidekick is subscription based, currently $4.99 month.
Title of video vs what you're talking about? WTF