FAQ
WHAT IS A UAS?
A UAS is the unmanned aircraft system (“UA”) and all of the associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, etc., necessary to operate the unmanned aircraft.
The UA is the flying portion of the system, flown by a pilot via a ground control system, or autonomously through use of an on-board computer, communication links and any additional equipment that is necessary for the UA to operate safely. The FAA issues an experimental airworthiness certificate for the entire system, not just the flying portion of the system.
WHAT ARE THE BASIC RULES OF FLYING A UAS?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) states that a operator must follow these guidelines for safe & legal flight practices:
Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (25 kg).
Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) only; the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS. Alternatively, the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the visual observer.
Do not fly over people who are not directly participating in the operation, or under a covered structure.
Maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level (AGL) or, if higher than 400 feet AGL, remain within 400 feet of a structure.
No operations from a moving aircraft.
No operations from a moving vehicle unless the operation is over a sparsely populated area.
No careless or reckless operations.
No carriage of hazardous materials.
Requires pre-flight inspection by the remote pilot in command.
A person may not operate a small unmanned aircraft if he or she knows or has reason to know of any physical or mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small UAS.
Foreign-registered small unmanned aircraft are allowed to operate under part 107 if they satisfy the requirements of part 375.
Most of the restrictions discussed above are waivable if the applicant demonstrates that his or her operation can safely be conducted under the terms of a certificate of waiver.
Must fly during the day or twilight.
Must fly at or below 100 mph.
Must yield right of way to manned aircraft.
IS INSURANCE AVAILABLE FOR UAS OPERATORS?
Yes. I use Verifly which covers any drone I fly for up to $2.5 Million in the case of personal injury, collision, and property damage.
Insurance companies offer coverage for UAS operators. Be sure to ask any individual or company you are working with if they are insured for the UAS operation. In addition, request that you be named as an additional insured for purposes related to the UAS operation.
WHERE CAN I FIND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION OF UAS REGULATIONS?
WHAT SAFETY FEATURES ARE BUILT INTO THE UAS THAT (VVP) USES: DJI Inspire 2 and Phantom 4 Pro?
Return to home feature uses GPS & telemetry data to return the drone to its point of take-off.
GPS stabilization allowing for smooth footage, as well as positioning data to allow the operator to know where the UAV is at all times.
Intelligent power management system, which allows operator to set battery warnings for when charge falls below a critical level.
An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which incorporates both a 6-axis gyroscope and an accelerometer to monitor minuscule changes in tilt and movement.
Visual data and sonar waves in a single unit, detecting both variance in patterns on the ground and current altitude. With this information, the Inspire 1 can hover in place and automatically raise or lower its arms as you control liftoff or descend to the ground.
A dedicated CPU chip that takes in feedback and outputs data in real-time, and is intelligent enough to distinguish between objects and ground patterns. All of this data is given to the Inspire 1’s flight controller, which in turn communicates with the entire aircraft.
5 direction obstacle avoidance technology using infrared & depth sensors. Making this drone much safer to maneuver within tight spaces where precise movements are needed.
IS THE UAS THAT (VVP) USED REGISTERED WITH THE FAA?
Yes. Affixed to the UAS is a registered N-number.