Drones - An extremely serious problem

Drone Forces Emergency Transport Helicopter Pilot To Take Evasive Action In Fresno Area A small drone is seen flying during a demonstration at the International Drone Expo 2015 at Makuhari Messe on May 21, 2015 in Chiba, Japan. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) FRESNO (CBS SF) - Pilots on board a medical emergency helicopter transporting a patient from the mountains to a hospital had to take evasive action when a drone flew right into their path near Fresno. The startled pilot made a sharp turn just barely dodging the drone that was mere feet away. "It could definitely take down the helicopter. Things as small as a bird have taken down helicopters in the past, so depending on where it strikes us it could have tragic consequences," Skylife Nurse Vince Ellis said. The rattled crew says this is the first time something like this has happened, but they are keeping an extra close eye out for drones from now on. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/08/13/drone-forces-emergency-transport-helicopter-pilot-to-take-evasive-action-in-fresno-area/ Back to Top

The Most Important Thing FAA Can Do Now To Improve Drone Safety By: John Goglia The FAA issued another press release yesterday headlining an increase in pilot reports of unmanned aircraft sightings for this year, from 238 sightings in 2014 to more than 650 already this year. What the increase in sightings actually means is open to debate since the FAA is encouraging pilots to report these sightings and many of the pilot reports do not appear to pose any potential hazard to the aircraft. However, the FAA's message is clear that "operating drones around airplanes and helicopters is dangerous and illegal. Unauthorized operators may be subject to stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time." In its press release, the FAA outlines several actions that it is taking to educate unmanned aircraft operators, including its "Know Before You Fly" campaign and supporting the National Interagency Fire Center's "If You Fly, We Can't" efforts to educate drone pilots to stay away from firefighting operations. It also warns that it is working closely with law enforcement and encourages the public to report illegal operations. What the FAA does not state is that it could dramatically improve drone safety by the stroke of its own pen. Yes, readers, as hard as it is to believe the FAA has taken the absurd and unsafe position that training drone users - unless it is done for free as a hobby or recreational activity - is illegal. This means that local drone dealers who have years of experience flying drones cannot legally teach their customers to fly their newly purchased drones, even if the lesson is done for free. How does that encourage safety? By the same token, experienced drone operators cannot legally sell their training knowledge to new and inexperienced operators. Even the recent holders of 333 exemptions for commercial training cannot legally allow their students to manipulate the controls of the drones they are learning to fly. Is this any way to encourage safe flying by drone pilots? So, if the FAA is as concerned as it claims to be about the possibility of drones and aircraft colliding the least it could do is make training more accessible to new drone owners. All it needs to do is amend its June 23, 2014 Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft to specifically allow drone operator training by schools, businesses and individuals for compensation. http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2015/08/13/the-most-important-thing-faa-can-do-now-to-improve-drone-safety/ Back to Top

Pilots Are Spotting More Drones, Prompting Worries About Collisions Authorities warn that operators who fly the devices too close to aircraft face possible criminal charges This medical helicopter, shown in a photo provided by SkyLife Air Ambulance, nearly collided with a drone above Fresno, Calif., this week, according to the crew onboard. Pilots are spotting drones in flight at a far higher rate than last year, U.S. regulators said, triggering authorities to step up efforts to prevent a midair collision as drones proliferate in U.S. skies. The Federal Aviation Administration said pilots spotted drones while flying more than 650 times this year through Aug. 9, up from 238 sightings in nearly all of 2014. In June and July this year alone, pilots spotted 275 drones, up from 52 in those months last year. Collection of data began in February 2014 and has improved over time, making comparisons tricky, but federal and local authorities concerned by the rising number of sightings are warning that drone operators who fly their devices too close to an aircraft face possible criminal charges and jail time. "I'm not going to kid myself and think that there aren't people out there that might be interested in causing some trouble," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in an interview. "Anyone who thinks that it's cool to fly an unmanned aircraft near a large commercial airliner on approach to an airport needs to understand that...we will find them." The FAA is investigating or has already fined operators in more than 20 cases of drones flying too close to aircraft. The Justice Department is assisting on some of those investigations. Federal criminal penalties for endangering an aircraft range up to a $25,000 fine and jail time. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said his office is investigating a string of drone sightings by passenger-jet pilots at New York's La Guardia and John F. Kennedy International airports. Mr. Brown said his office can prosecute a drone operator for reckless endangerment, which carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison. "If, God forbid, someone takes down a commercial aircraft [with a drone], rest assured I will prosecute that case very vigorously," he said. The increase in sightings tracks the growing popularity of consumer drones, which are becoming cheaper, more advanced and easier to fly. Industry officials now estimate there are more than 1 million consumer drones in the U.S. Industries including farming, filmmaking and construction use the devices, but officials believe recreational drones accounted for the vast majority of pilot sightings. Mr. Huerta said he believes uninformed operators are flying many of the drone spotted by pilots. The FAA and the drone industry are working to educate users with a public campaign called "Know Before You Fly" that explains the airspace rules, including that drones generally can't fly above 400 feet or within 5 miles of an airport. Some companies also have mobile apps that tell users if they can fly where they are, and the FAA says it is developing one. Some consumer drones already include software that prevents them from flying near airports or above certain altitudes, and some federal lawmakers are pushing legislation to require such software on all consumer drones. Still, some aviation experts doubt drones pose much of a threat to manned aircraft, particularly large commercial jets. "People tend to forget how big the sky is and how small these little quadcopters are," said the FAA's former top drone official, Jim Williams, who now advises companies that use and make drones for the law firm Dentons. "Every airplane is designed to take a hit from a 5-pound bird and keep flying. If an engine eats [a drone], it'll be expensive to fix. But the likelihood of one of these little guys taking down an aircraft is very remote." Helicopters are most at risk, Mr. Williams said, because they are less stable than planes and operate at low altitudes, where there are more drones. On Wednesday, a medical helicopter transporting a snakebite victim near Fresno, Calif., had to swerve to avoid a drone while it was flying about 1,000 feet above ground, the FAA said. The helicopter's crew estimated the drone passed just 20 feet away, said Todd Valeri, co-owner of the medical-copter company. "Had there been a collision, it could've been catastrophic," he said. Michael Drobac, head of the Small UAV Coalition, a drone-advocacy group, said the industry is trying to be proactive to make their devices safe because "any kind of close call or incident would absolutely be devastating" for the industry. He called on the FAA to set clearer rules for drones, saying bad actors must be halted. "The technology is never guilty; there are operators that are guilty," he said. The FAA said it collects much of the drone-sighting data from reports to air-traffic controllers by pilots of commercial jets, small private planes and helicopters. The agency began tracking drone sightings in early 2014 and improved its collection of such data throughout the year, making year-to-year comparisons less reliable. "Last year's data would be much less certain because the process wasn't in place," said Mr. Williams, who left the FAA in June. "Some of what you're seeing year-over-year is just an increase in reporting."