How will the unmanned "revolution" affect us?

joeparrilla

joeparrilla

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So I was reading through a helicopter magazine while waiting for my instructor today, and read an article about how UAVs are ready to turn the aviation business on its head. Basically it spoke about how most if not all flights made for surviellence or transporting non human cargo, along with fighter and bomber pilots, will be slowly replaced by UAVs. Now I dont know much about this, its validity, or how quickly it will happen. I do know that if it proves to be cheaper and more efficient... its probably inevitable like anything else.

My question is, what sort of impact if any do you expect this to have on the community of pilots who fly for personal travel or just plain fun such as an aerobat? Obviously regulations will have to change if we are to see human pilots share the sky with computers. Do you expect consequences for this crowd? Obviously the consequences for the career bush pilot or pipeline surveillence pilot are huge, but will the guy like me be brought big dissapointment from this "revolution"?
 
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Won't affect you at all unless you want to take part in unmanned aviation. Those of us who fly as a hobby or fly human cargo for work will be business as usual.
 
NextGen ATC, if it happens, will facilitate co-use of the NAS. The Marines have already tested and are sold on cargo UAS (CRUAS) transport in Afghanistan. Been doing it for about a year now. Google "K-max UAS" to see what we've been using there. I think we'll see cargo shipped TRANSPAC/TRANSLANT via UAS before we see it TRANSCON; but the time is definitely coming.
 
Banjo33 said:
NextGen ATC, if it happens, will facilitate co-use of the NAS. The Marines have already tested and are sold on cargo UAS (CRUAS) transport in Afghanistan. Been doing it for about a year now. Google "K-max UAS" to see what we've been using there. I think we'll see cargo shipped TRANSPAC/TRANSLANT via UAS before we see it TRANSCON; but the time is definitely coming.
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KMAX is good for basic loads. Does well from FOB to FOB with plenty of planning involved. Can't compete with those of us who get a few minutes notice to transport supplies to a pinnacle in Afghanistan. That's why "speed balls" were the supply choice for those in contact. You can vary the load tailored to the customer and I don't have some load hanging below my aircraft restricting my maneuverability.

But I agree, amazing things are being done not only with K-max but other unmanned helo platforms.
 
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Banjo33 said:
NextGen ATC, if it happens, will facilitate co-use of the NAS. The Marines have already tested and are sold on cargo UAS (CRUAS) transport in Afghanistan. Been doing it for about a year now. Google "K-max UAS" to see what we've been using there. I think we'll see cargo shipped TRANSPAC/TRANSLANT via UAS before we see it TRANSCON; but the time is definitely coming.
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Will this affect the hobby/GA pilot at all?
 
joeparrilla said:
Will this affect the hobby/GA pilot at all?
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I think it will. The RC pilots will have more technology available for use in their hobby. The big concern is that an anti-UAV movement might restrict how the RC hobbyist can fly their plane. No more flying at the neighborhood park because the neighbors fear you'll spy on them. :D

Can we think of RC hobbyist as the GA of UAV and the other UAV as military/leo/commercial?
 
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johnrweb said:
I think it will. The RC pilots will have more technology available for use in their hobby. The big concern is that an anti-UAV movement might restrict how the RC hobbyist can fly their plane. No more flying at the neighborhood park because the neighbors fear you'll spy on them. :D

Can we think of RC hobbyist as the GA of UAV and the other UAV as military/leo/commercial?
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Sure we can consider that :) but when I said hobby pilots I meant hobby pilots in GA not RC. By a hobby pilot I mean a GA pilot who flies for something other than profit. Be it a aerobatic pilot or a weekend hamburger fetcher. Will it affect these guys?

Being an RC "pilot" myself.. it will be interesting to see how that hobby is affected. Although I admit I am more concerned with my ability to fly an actual aircraft being hurt... RC is fun but id give it up any day for actual flying ;)
 
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Great expansion of controlled or off limits airspace without positive control.
 
What concerns me about drones, which is a category of aircraft that I feel is very poorly defined, is the ability for just abut anyone to get their hands on one and wreak havoc in the air. Just take a look at this little nugget and imagine encountering this fella's toy, only while you're in the pattern. It was reported that this device nearly crashed onto a pedestrian after striking several buildings tens of stories in the air. Crazy.

quadcopter Drone Crash NYC
 
There are already a bunch of folks conducting business using small RC helicopters. FAA sends a few cease and desist letters, but they seem not too occupied with enforcing their rules. And now they are trying to fine someone who then spent some big bucks on a nice defense rebuttal. Seems one risk is folks flying them at altitudes where they might interfere with real helicopters or in approach paths near airports ("wouldn't it be cool to get a closeup of the guy landing that 757"), and getting sucked into an engine, etc.
 
JMichael said:
There are already a bunch of folks conducting business using small RC helicopters. FAA sends a few cease and desist letters, but they seem not too occupied with enforcing their rules. And now they are trying to fine someone who then spent some big bucks on a nice defense rebuttal. Seems one risk is folks flying them at altitudes where they might interfere with real helicopters or in approach paths near airports ("wouldn't it be cool to get a closeup of the guy landing that 757"), and getting sucked into an engine, etc.
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So do we think that the biggest struggles will be between the FAA, RC Operators, and the general public... leaving us pilots alone for the most part? I just wonder about how they will shape the laws. Will their popularity allow them to win over our airspace, pushing us into more restrictions? Will their possible safety bonuses force new regulations about autonomy into piloted aircraft? (Something like forced autopilot over populated areas). Just some thoughts.

I just feel like if they become more economical and have better safety records... Any legal battle for rights will be lost by the piloted aircraft. If more money is to be made with these things, I feel like lobbyists would be happy to kick us out of the skies.
 
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One of the pizza delivery companies was exploring using drones.
 
Velocity173 said:
Won't affect you at all unless you want to take part in unmanned aviation. Those of us who fly as a hobby or fly human cargo for work will be business as usual.
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It will bring another piece in to your puzzle. Right now, UAVs are restricted to 400' AGL or below, except for specific areas for training, research or military. Once the FAA figures out what it wants the UAV future to be, you will need to incorporate that in to your flight planning and situational awareness.

Velocity173 said:
Gonna be a long time before you can pull this off with a UAV,

http://youtu.be/z2BGMfnFFjU
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Nobody is seriously talking about using UAVs for passenger flights of any kind within the USA for the foreseeable future, including rescue flights.

WakeNCAgent said:
What concerns me about drones, which is a category of aircraft that I feel is very poorly defined, is the ability for just abut anyone to get their hands on one and wreak havoc in the air. Just take a look at this little nugget and imagine encountering this fella's toy, only while you're in the pattern. It was reported that this device nearly crashed onto a pedestrian after striking several buildings tens of stories in the air. Crazy.

quadcopter Drone Crash NYC
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If he was tens of stories in the air, he was operating illegally. And if someone will operate illegally now, they will do so no matter what laws are passed.
 
I think there will end up being at least 3 different classes. There has to be a class for things too small and too low performance to be a threat like insect-sized devices. Then there has to be a class for long range higher performance craft like might be used for pipeline patrol. The third would be those that fall between the first two.

There are of course proponents of no rules, from a recent comment:

"When the people fear the Government there is tyranny. When the Government fears the people there is liberty."
 
They will cut recreational meatbag pilots out of the airspace in favor of working drones ie govt or big money companies that bought *cough* our airspace. And crush the rc guys the people can't have the same toys as the gov, the people can'tbe trusted. <-sarcasm
 
ClimbnSink said:
They will cut recreational meatbag pilots out of the airspace in favor of working drones ie govt or big money companies that bought *cough* our airspace. And crush the rc guys the people can't have the same toys as the gov, the people can'tbe trusted. <-sarcasm
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See, thats what my cynical ears want to hear!!

(but really... who knows) :)
 
Part 101 will expand and become a more critical part of the FAR. The FAA will be forced to pay attention to violations by UAS operators near airports. GA pilots in the habit of buzzing their girlfriends' houses below 500' (already in violation) will become bigger targets for Darwin.
 
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