Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

If I recall correctly, the wording is "people and structures". If you want to fly close-by (10m or so) buildings and people, you can file for a special class/permit which requires an in-person exam. I might do that at some point, but haven't yet. Otherwise it's about what you said, couple hundred meters.

A 5" fpv quadcopter is already terribly dangerous, it happily pulls up to 50A, goes above 100km/h easily, and the rotors shred through flesh like butter, so it makes sense to at least regulate it somewhat. When I started, I had drones fall out of the sky because my battery connection was not firm enough and while I have by now quite some confidence in my soldering and building abilities, that's always something that can happen, so I naturally stay away from roads, regardless the rules.

For flying 5" drones, I usually take a trip to the country side where there's plenty of space. It's already stressful enough, and that way you can enjoy your flights much more without endangering people. Nobody ever asked for my permit, though, and nobody ever measured my signal strength and asked whether I have the required HAM license (which is far more involved getting). I don't fly in densely populated areas, at least not with my bigger drones. Sub-250g drones are barely regulated, and while they can hurt as well, the risk of serious injury is quite low - so you can try tinywhoops (which come even under 50g)




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: