Raging Rotors: Yo, Quad Daddy-O!

Again, the news is filled with so much trouble in regards to Multirotors/Quadcopters/Drones. Brian just saw someone follow highway traffic, a man in the Illinois suburbs is being investigated by the FAA for rule violations when doing a quadcopter video of Christmas lights, and a government employee has now crashed on his boss’s White House lawn. Ideally I’d love to send them all my Christmas post, or send them a letter with only ‘knowbeforeyoufly.org‘ written on it.

The reality of what is becoming prominent is what I have seen on the internet as ‘Quad Dads.’ This past Christmas was a quadcopter filled one, and with that came a whole new level of pilot: The ‘Point and Gifted.’ Lots of ZERO experience pilots got these aircraft as gifts because they’re ‘cool’ or ‘wanted what the neighbor has.’ The results? I would love to share many experiences, but I found an amusing posting describing what happened (in some cases) mere minutes after receiving a quadcopter as a gift.

As a result, I give you the Saucy Guide to Proper Flight

• The Sky is Not the Limit! I’ll admit I love to just get my quad hovering and then kick the throttle into high gear. It is such a rush! Unfortunately, there is an invisible ceiling at 400ft above ground that once breached becomes an FAA airspace violation. Honestly, I have gotten my quadcopter to an elevation around 350ft no problem, but it was a speck in my vision. If you can see it, you’re not too high.
• My Side, Your Side! Like all things, borders are important. You are more than welcome to do whatever you want under 400 feet confined to your personal property (house, backyard, etc), but as soon as you cross your borders, you neighbors are more than welcome to file a complaint. When it comes to public property (beaches, parks, etc), check with local municipalities for their rules, ordinances, or other guidelines regarding use of RC aircraft.
• Safety First! This should be a no-brainer, but watch where you fly. Do not fly over people, as they are unprotected from crashes and spinning props. Do not fly over traffic, as you can distract drivers, or even cause accidents when you crash.
• Lastly, If you don’t know, don’t do it! There are a lot of gray areas out there, and if anything looks iffy or you just don’t know for sure…don’t risk it. It could cost money from fines, or possibly cause harm or give you a fun time in court!

Coming soon from yours truly: 180CFX Fun, Helicopter Building Reflection, SAB Goblin 380, and more!!

Until next time, Stay Shiny and Keep Flyin’!