Re:How drones and UAVs are already affecting construction jo...
by bigiain on Tuesday September 16, 2014 @10:31PM
(#8328201)
"Most of these things"...
My two newest ones both weigh in under 400g (a bit less than 1lb) ready to fly - fully loaded I could fly with 800 or 900g all up if I wanted to (they're a _lot_ less fun to fly loaded up like that though). They both use 5 or 6 inch props, usually plastic (though I do have some carbon fibre ones) which while they hurt a bit if you're careless are not super dangerous. I'd hesitate at calling them "mostly harmless" - you're right in that they're about as likely to cause damage in public as a baseball or frisbee - I think of them as about as dangerous as a kid on a bicycle.
A friend has a octocopter with eight 14inch carbon fibre props spun by 2kW motors which weighs in at over 6kg with all five cameras it usually flys with mounted.
Those _shouldn't_ be subject to the same rules - but the hobby/tech moves _way_ faster than the regulations, so while I disagree with it, I understand _why_ the restrictions need to first be based on the assumption that there are people flying unshrouded lawnmowers spinning blades capable of chopping heads off - because they _are_.
At least here in .au, there's strong evidence our local authorities are thinking about a graduated set of regulations (at least for "non commercial, hobby use"), where sub 0.5kg craft will be treated differently to 2kg and 5+kg craft.
My two newest ones both weigh in under 400g (a bit less than 1lb) ready to fly - fully loaded I could fly with 800 or 900g all up if I wanted to (they're a _lot_ less fun to fly loaded up like that though). They both use 5 or 6 inch props, usually plastic (though I do have some carbon fibre ones) which while they hurt a bit if you're careless are not super dangerous. I'd hesitate at calling them "mostly harmless" - you're right in that they're about as likely to cause damage in public as a baseball or frisbee - I think of them as about as dangerous as a kid on a bicycle.
A friend has a octocopter with eight 14inch carbon fibre props spun by 2kW motors which weighs in at over 6kg with all five cameras it usually flys with mounted.
Those _shouldn't_ be subject to the same rules - but the hobby/tech moves _way_ faster than the regulations, so while I disagree with it, I understand _why_ the restrictions need to first be based on the assumption that there are people flying unshrouded lawnmowers spinning blades capable of chopping heads off - because they _are_.
At least here in .au, there's strong evidence our local authorities are thinking about a graduated set of regulations (at least for "non commercial, hobby use"), where sub 0.5kg craft will be treated differently to 2kg and 5+kg craft.