1000ft Exemption renewed

[FPVSteve]

Does sort of put things in perspective doesn't it.

Free flight - safe
FPV with autopilot, return to home, and... actual control - DANGER!

Ban cameras!

[simondale]

It's a very common misconception that the rule for flying a model aircraft under 7kg is 400ft maximum altitude, unless you fly under the exemption - which increases that limit to 1000ft.  That's completely wrong though.

The title of this thread is also a bit misleading.  The exemption is not the "1000ft exemption".  It is an exemption to article 166(3) of the ANO - which is the one about direct unaided visual contact with the aircraft at all times.  In other words - its the "FPV Exemption".

Firstly, let's establish that there is no 400ft rule for sub 7kg UAS.  Have a read of article 166(4) here: http://www.fpvuk.org/fpv-law/  Here it is copy/pasted also:

(4) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft which has a mass of more than 7kg excluding its fuel but including any articles or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the commencement of its flight, must not fly the aircraft:
(a) snip
(b) snip
(c) at a height of more than 400 feet above the surface unless it is flying in airspace described in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) and in accordance with the requirements for that airspace.


Nb. I know that some simplified CAA literature mentions 400ft (and I've raised that with their communications team) but remember - the ANO is the law.  Nothing else.

Now to get the CAA to allow us to do FPV back in 2009 we had to agree some limits.  Instead of the unlimited altitude limit we agreed to a 1000ft limit, instead of the 7kg mass limit we agreed to a 3.5kg limit and obviously we also have the stipulation of the Competent Observer.

The exemption gets us around 166(3) of the ANO by limiting us in other ways to mitigate/ reduce the risk.  In no circumstances does the exemption allow you to fly higher than someone flying with direct LOS on the model himself/ herself.

In both cases LOS (either of the pilot or the Competent Observer) are the limit, if less than 1000ft.

All the best

Simon

[simondale]

Yup, 400ft is the normal limit to any random who goes to the shop and buys a RTF "drone". If you are addicted, do your research, and get insured, you are rewarded with the privilege of an exemption.  ;D

That's how I see it anyway.

That's actually pretty much what the CAA are saying for the new ANO - which will go to consultation in September and then probably become law April 2017 (Or September 2017, or April 2018).  (Not to be confused with the new ANO coming into effect on 25th of August). 

ANOs are like buses...You wait 7 years for one and then two come along at once!

The apparent plan is that the limit in the ANO will be 400ft (including for sub 7kg aircraft) but then members of the model clubs (including FPV UK) will have an exemption to that. 

All the best

Simon

[FPVSteve]

Thanks for your continued efforts Simon

[Ratty]

Awesome Simon thanks. Keep up the good work.   ;D

[KillerDave]

Ok,

I am only just getting into FPV and will be joining very soon but....

I've been flying (on and off) for over 30 years, over the last 2 or so years I've only flown electric and that's all great but....

Recently, I got a set of goggles, I've had 3 flights FPV and loved it...

The other day, I was sure some of the guys would be at the field but no... Billy no-mates!...

So I flew my FX-79 for a while, had a nice enough LOS flight and recorded it on my goggles (They were on the ground!)

When I got home, I downloaded the video and oops!... I think I went over the 400ft....
By quite a way... I really had no idea!

So, I just weighed the FX and it comes in at around 2180g with the batteries....

What is the bottom line with that?

Am I ok to 1000ft? it was a clear day, I had clear, un-aided sight at all times and I didn't once think I was too high???
I think it's a great video... IMO... :-)

[elmattbo]

As I understand it the only limit for line of sight is line of sight, so you should be fine for that weight. As soon as the goggles are on the 1000' rule kicks in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KillerDave]

So, with the goggles on, I can fly to 1000ft? (with an observer)

[FPVSteve]

Yes

[KillerDave]

Thanks...

Another thing I never understood... Drones.... I have two 'copters...

Is a "drone" and unmanned aerial video platform (plane, multi-copter, heli')?

All of the things like the Drone Safe video show multi's..??? 

[BlueFlyer]

opened a can of worms there

[FPVSteve]

lol :)

In the eyes of everyone outside of the hobby yes... but we call them planes and multirotors because we're not smoking crack and understand that they're simply big boys toys and not orphan killers.

[BlueFlyer]

To "Joe Public", a drone is what they call this new craze, these new cheap quadcopters that have flooded the market on the back of the success of serious quadcopter manufacturers such as DJI.

the word "Drone" was used because the actual names for these things were deemed too "technical" for dumb people to understand.

you say quadcopter, they say "whah?"

you say drone, they say "oh yeah those cool flying thingies with cameras on".


However, it appears that governing bodies are now using the word drone to include ANY aircraft of ANY size and/or weight that is piloted remotely. So that means your 450 size helis, your .50 engined classic fixed wing LOS planes and your skywalkers/hunters/minitalon and your 250 miniquads.... heck, even a hubsan x4 is classed as a drone.

[KillerDave]

lol :)

In the eyes of everyone outside of the hobby yes... but we call them planes and multirotors because we're not smoking crack and understand that they're simply big boys toys and not orphan killers.

PMSL!  :laugh:

So when the gov' say "drone", it's anything with a camera on it?

[FPVSteve]

Yea but they usually mean quadcopters tbh