Game of Drones: Laws, Legal Issues and What to Buy
By Howard Berenbon
If you’re in the market for one of those new neat remote control (RC) flying machines that fly like mini helicopters with four engines—sometimes referred to as drones, called quad copters, then this is a must read for technical, and even legal information. If you’ve been researching Google or Amazon.com for pricing, you’ve seen toy-like quad copters from $17.49 to $80 for indoor and outdoor use, some with and without cameras, and more sophisticated models from $1200 or more equipped with high resolution gyro stabilized cameras and GPS controls that will bring the copter home (to your start position) when the battery gets low, or the RC signal connection is lost. With the more expensive units, you can fly for up to a half hour on a single battery charge, and you can view and video in flight, via the copter’s camera, on your iPhone or Android device. Sounds like fun. And if you’ve watched some of those demonstration videos on youtube.com it makes you want to go out and buy one immediately. In fact, in the next few months I’ll be buying and testing a DJI Phantom 2 Plus with all the bells and whistles, priced at just over $1,000. Not too pricey for what it can do: a stabilized HD GoPro camera with one half hour flying time that can soar to 1,000 feet or more sending impressive aerial videos to your mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android, etc.). If you’re a professional photographer, this quad copter capability can enhance your professional services with video fly-bys for the entertainment or advertising industries. If your business is construction, you can use a drone to examine and inspect your work for defects as it progresses. But, if you’re serious about the more advanced quad copters, either for business, or personal use, before you buy, you need to know the current laws regarding restrictions and use of that neat new toy, now gaining popularity in the RC hobbyist market.
Possible Legal Problems for Drone Owners
Considering buying a drone, quad copter for some RC flying fun? You should know the current laws before making the plunge, especially if you plan on spending over $1,000 on one of those DJI Phantom 2 Plus drones. Before making your decision, it would be best to consult an attorney in your area to find out what legal options exist. If you are a professional, and require a quad copter for business use, you’d want to find out about licensing if required. Again, consulting an attorney would be in your best interest.
You may not be aware of the restrictions, but currently, you are not allowed to fly a quad copter within 5 miles of an airport, in US National Parks and near Military Bases. Restrictions may apply locally as well because people are concerned about privacy and many of the drones have high definition cameras that can stream videos and spy on individuals. It may be safe just to fly on your property, but be aware that FAA regulations do not allow quad copters or model aircraft, for recreational use, to fly above 400 feet. However, some cities are now banning quad copters and it may be unlawful to fly your RC toy at your own home. Because the technology is so new, laws are now being crafted to address this new and growing use of these flying machines.
Now, if you buy one of those DJI Phantom 2 Plus quad copters, they have built in software to prevent you flying their machine in restricted areas using the built-in GPS. If you’re not sure it’s okay to fly your quad copter above or near your home, call your local city offices and find out. You may be allowed to fly your copter at a nearby park, but be aware that there are still privacy and safety issues when flying near people. Injuries and property damage can result from crashing quad copters, and that can be a serious problem. If you find it’s legal to fly your quad copter near your home, you should avoid flying near power lines and where people congregate.
Searching Amazon for Quad Copters
Searching on Amazon.com with the key word “quad copter” I found several inexpensive toy RC crafts for indoor and outdoor use from $17.49. I also found one of the best RC quad copters, the DJI Phantom 2 Plus, a sophisticated programmable RC flying machine with a gimbal stabilized GoPro camera and GPS for finding its way home for around $1,000. If you're searching for the best performing consumer quad copter on the market, in my opinion, the DJI is what you want and need. For information or to order click to visit Amazon.com.
Quad Copters by Price from Low to High
Cheerson CX-10 Mini 29mm 4CH 2.4GHz 6-Axis Gyro LED RC Quadcopter Bright Orange $17.49<
- 6-axis design makes the gyroscope adjustable, promoting flying stability
- Flight time will be up to 4-8 minutes
- 3-level adjustable speed flip function
- Powered by a piece of rechargeable 3.7V 100mAh lithium battery
Syma X5 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Explorers Quad Copter $34.39
- 360°Eversion 360°Eversion : A key 360°roll,continuous roll for perfect actionand wonderful performance
- Blade protector Highly elastic plastic protective circle, preventing the blades in flight Cause wear, anti-collision anti-fall performance further enhanced!
- Colorful flashing lights,Colorful flashing light, keep your Aircraft at night Flying is quite excellent
- Battery: 3.7V 500 Mah Li-poly, Charging time: About 100 minutes (USB Charging),Flying time: About 7 minutes
- 2.4GHz The excellent frequency & bandwidth, Using Spread Spectrum Technology for Further remote distance， Best anti-interference ability, Least power consumption. You could fly more helicopters at the same time, its reaction speed is 100 times faster than other Radio Control
Hubsan X4 (H107C) 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Quad Copter with Camera - Red/Black, Red/Black $45.59
- Latest 6-axis flight control system with adjustable gyro sensitivity
- Permits super stable flight. With 4 channels
- Lightweight airframe with nice durability
- Camera: 0.3 MP video recording module included (requires a Micro SDHC card)
- 4-ways flip(left, right, forward, backward
Syma X5C 2.4G 6 Axis GYRO HD Camera RC Quadcopter RTF RC Helicopter with 2.0MP Camera By E-Trade Deal $47.99
- Syma X5C With HD Camera,high revolution 200W pixels
- The 6-axis system allows the quad to be hand launched
- 6-Axis gyro quad-rotorcraft flight, strong stability,can easily implement various flight movements, stronger wind resistance, easier to control
- 2.4 technology adopted for anti-interference.even more than one quadcopter is flying at the same time they will not interfere with each other
UDI U818A 2.4GHz 4 CH 6 Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter with Camera RTF Mode 2-$51.99
- 6 AXIS GYRO with posture control - Integrated design guarantee the precise positioning of the aircraft.
- 4 CHANNEL function provide stable flying and easy operation. Video Camera FPV.
- High Capacity Battery And Strong Power Motors Enable The Helicopter To Fly Much Longer And More Efficiently.
- Charging Time is about 120 minutes while Flight Duration is about 7-9 minutes
Syma X6 Super Ship 4 Channel 2.4GHz RC Quad Copter w/ Gyro - $78.95
- 3D Full Flight: Various control options for those piloting the X6 Up, Down, Left, Right, Forward, Backward, Leftward flight, Rightward flight.
- Four-axis structure is applied, which makes the helicopter more flexible and rapid when flying. It is suitable for outdoor flight.
- Built-in Gyro stabilizer can ensure accurate positioning in the air
- Modular design structure is applied, more simple for assembly and convenient for maintenance
- 360 degree 3D stunt & tumbling function
Heli-Max 1SQ RTF Quadcopter with 2.4Ghz Radio $87.82
- FEATURES: Four independently controlled rotor blades make the 1SQ easy to fly indoors or outdoors in light winds TAGS-Triple Axis Gyro Stabilization
- INCLUDES: RTF 1SQ Quadcopter with 2.4GHz Radio, LiPo Battery, USB Charger, extra set of Blades, Screwdriver, four AA Batteries, and Instructions
- REQUIRES: Device such as a personal computer with a USB port to power charger
Air Hogs RC Helix X4 Stunt, 2.4 GHZ Quad Copter $89.90
- The Helix X4 Stunt is a high-performance, easy-to-fly Quad Copter
- Performs insane backflips, barrel rolls and 180 flips with the push of a button
- 4-ducted fans and on board gyroscopic stabilization maintain flight stability delivering top quality control.
- The remote control uses 2.4Ghz communication, increasing the strength and distance of the control's signal
- Includes: 1 Air Hogs Helix X4 Stunt, 1 USB Charger, 1 Controller/Charger, 1 User Instruction Guide
Ei-Hi S911C Huge 2.4GHz 6.5 Channel 6 Axis Gyro LED Light RC Quadcopter UFO with Camera $154.95
- Strong Wind and drop resistance
- 2.4Ghz,6.5 Channel 6 axis Gyro Stabilization System
- Aerobatics and Flips With the Press of a Button
- Fly indoors and outdoors / Long Distance(300 ft) Fly
- Light: 4 edge 3 color LED light and Camera
OLOGY® Quadcopter Live Video Feed Video Record Quadcopter FPV First Person View Camera Multicopter Aerial PhotographY $197.99
- QUADCOPTER WITH CAMERA AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY -- LIVE VIDEO FEED / REAL TIME VIDEO
- REMOTE PILOTED DISTANCE UP TO 100 M
- QUADCOPTER CAMERA RECORDS TO SD CARD
- QUADCOPTER Remote Control Function: Raise & Down/Forwards & Backwards/Left & Right
- STABLE DRONE READY TO FLY
DJI Phantom Aerial UAV Drone Quadcopter for GoPro $384.95
- Complete quadcopter and remote transmitter, pre-tuned by the factory and ready in minutes! Just charge the included battery, attach the propellers and landing gear, and add 4 AA batteries to the remote and you're flying.
- Fun flying by itself or even better with a GoPro to record the action. Tested with Hero2, Hero3 and Hero3+ models, sold separately. Produce dramatic cinema-quickly results from the air! Note: Wi-Fi streaming from a camera is not possible because it may interfere with the Phantom's remote control.
- Outdoor flight is made possible by advanced GPS positioning that compensates for light wind. The Phantom has a fail-safe function and can be configured to automatically fly to and land at its take-off position if connection to the transmitter is lost. Note: indoor flight or operation by persons under 18 years of age is NOT recommended.
- With a maximum horizontal speed of 22 miles/hour (10 meters/second), the Phantom lets you capture the action of almost any sport, event or scene.
- The Phantom's high tech Naza-M autopilot system lets you configure advanced parameters via software (USB port and separate download required)
Parrot AR Drone Quadricopter, 2.0 Elite Edition, 720P $349.99
- Remote control quadricopter controlled using an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet
- 720p high-definition live video streaming & recording to smartphone or tablet while flying
- Record & share videos & pictures straight from piloting app
DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ V3.0 Quadcopter with FPV HD Video Camera and 3-Axis Gimbal (White) $924
- Super smooth video thanks to the 3-axis gimbal
- Crystal clear stills and live streaming video from the redesigned HD video camera with built-in FPV link
- Extra-long flight times of up to 25 minutes from the intelligent 5,200-mAh battery
- More flight power and security from the high-efficiency self-tightening propellers, redesigned for V3.0
- This is V3.0 which includes an upgraded controller with rechargeable batteries and gimbal control dial, updated motors and more efficient propeller
DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ V3.0 Quadcopter with Gimbal-Stabilized 14MP, 1080p Camera + Extra Battery and a 32GB microSDHC $1099
- Ready to fly: The Phantom 2 Vision+ is simple to set up and super easy to fly, making it the first aerial filmmaking system for everyone. Now you can shoot fully stabilized video from the sky, right out of the box.
- 3-axis camera stabilization: A built-in high precision 3-axis camera stabilization system brings a whole new level of smoothness to your aerials and gives you total creative freedom in the sky.
- High performance camera& parameter settings: The Phantom 2 Vision+ carries an extremely high quality camera and a 4GB micro SD card. It shoots full HD video at 1080p 30/60i, 720p 60for clean slow motion and takes 14 megapixel stills. Camera settings can be adjusted through the vision app.
- Camera tilt control:Tilt the camera as you fly, creating unique angles and amazing shots. The upgraded remote control comes with many new features. A gimbal control dial, trainer port, built-in rechargeable LiPo battery
- Improved Power: New motors, propellers, and ESCs combine to give you greater thrust and control than ever before. You can load more equipment on your Phantom, and achieve up to 200g/axis of extra thrust when using a 3S LiPo battery with this completely new system
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Interview at the Internet Advisor WJR 760am Detroit
I was interviewed by Gary Baker on the Internet Advisor show on News/Talk 760 am (a major station in the Detroit area). The podcast is online at http://internetadvisor.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Podcast-1441-Oct.-11-2014.mp3
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