FPV Safety Guidelines

[scrtsqrl]

Yawn, **** guidelines and rules lol. If you can't have common sense you shouldn't be flying fpv.

If you can't have common sense you shouldn't be doing anything.

Guidelines serve more than just dictate how you fly. Just as important, they communicate to everyone else how you fly. They make it easier for everyone to understand us.

Thanks for reminding me to put that out.

"No rules" won't fly. The key is to construct our rules to be logical and easily understandable.

[PDXDave]

Looks good! Should there be some language in there about obeying local ordinances when flying somewhere other than an AMA field? Also, what about adding language to the effect of "FPV aircraft will only be flown for recreational purposes, and not used for hire."? (Something to try to keep people from getting entangled in the "commercial use of sUAS" restrictions.) I'm not hard-over on either of these, just bring them up for discussion.

[Vitamin J]

I like it, nice and short. There's only a few things I have an issue with. The first is the line that says "the following rules apply" are these rules or are they guidelines?

Secondly, I don't have a spotter with me when I fly 90% of the time. Why do I need a spotter when I fly in the local park and never go above the tree tops? Why do I need a spotter when I set up on a cliff edge and fly 500ft below myself?

Maybe a spotter should only be suggested for high altitude or long range flights?

[scrtsqrl]

Looks good! Should there be some language in there about obeying local ordinances when flying somewhere other than an AMA field? Also, what about adding language to the effect of "FPV aircraft will only be flown for recreational purposes, and not used for hire."? (Something to try to keep people from getting entangled in the "commercial use of sUAS" restrictions.) I'm not hard-over on either of these, just bring them up for discussion.

Good point. I'll add a set of "definitions"

[scrtsqrl]

I like it, nice and short. There's only a few things I have an issue with. The first is the line that says "the following rules apply" are these rules or are they guidelines?

Secondly, I don't have a spotter with me when I fly 90% of the time. Why do I need a spotter when I fly in the local park and never go above the tree tops? Why do I need a spotter when I set up on a cliff edge and fly 500ft below myself?

Maybe a spotter should only be suggested for high altitude or long range flights?

I think this falls into "use the good judgement". If you don't think there will ever be a FS plane in that airspace, you can probably defend it.

Best that I can tell, not mentioning a spotter will not fly with the rest of the aviation community

[Hucker]

Why no mention of having your HAM? Seems to me if we want to be legit the pilots should not be breaking any FCC rules while flying.

[Vitamin J]

I think this falls into "use the good judgement". If you don't think there will ever be a FS plane in that airspace, you can probably defend it.

Best that I can tell, not mentioning a spotter will not fly with the rest of the aviation community

I just don't get this. Nobody ever needed a spotter to fly RC before.

Why no mention of having your HAM? Seems to me if we want to be legit the pilots should not be breaking any FCC rules while flying.

Theoretically you don't need a HAM to FPV if you use a vtx with low enough power. Perhaps this could go in the "local ordinances" section something like "be sure you follow all applicable rules for your video equipment."

[scrtsqrl]

I just don't get this. Nobody ever needed a spotter to fly RC before.


Theoretically you don't need a HAM to FPV if you use a vtx with low enough power. Perhaps this could go in the "local ordinances" section something like "be sure you follow all applicable rules for your video equipment."

See and avoid. You have to be aware of other aircraft around yours. With FPV, being under the goggles or flying out of area, severely degrades your ability to do so...

I changed the wording to as you suggested to be broad enough to account for HAMs as you suggest.

Thanks for everyone's constructive input.

[Vitamin J]

I dunno about you but when I fly LOS I can't look at anything other than my plane or it will crash...

IMO these guidelines should be written to be followed, not written to be ignored. If you say that FPV always requires a spotter you are basically saying that FPV is never safe, even when flying a 500g model at normal RC ranges. That is obviously not true. Just offering my opinion.

[scrtsqrl]

I dunno about you but when I fly LOS I can't look at anything other than my plane or it will crash...

IMO these guidelines should be written to be followed, not written to be ignored. If you say that FPV always requires a spotter you are basically saying that FPV is never safe, even when flying a 500g model at normal RC ranges. That is obviously not true. Just offering my opinion.

I deleted reference to "spotter" and replaced it with "safety observer". You can be your own safety observer. You can have someone else be observer as required. Observation is not limited to visual observation...you can also listen for traffic for example.