How about something new, like Drone Advocacy?
I’d love to report that the usual suspects put a few points on the board this yer, but
alas, I cannot. I know there are some of you already calling me Debbie downer and
or negative as the “experts” at the Commercial Dog and pony expo are saying BVLOS
(Beyond Visual Line Of Sight for the Best Buy flyers) is on the cusp of reality. RID is
going to usher it all in!
Everyone knows that this will finally kick off the big drone revolution, and there will
be consulting off-ramps for everyone at the UASIO! It is mighty quiet over there
these days, including the moonlighters, with the only exception being the
whistleblowers.
https://www.suasnews.com/2021/10/remote-id-intrigue/
I sent that over to the Department of Transportation, Department of Justice, and
other interested parties for review. The FAA hasn’t been forthcoming with the
daylight on the ex parte (backroom deal) stuff and some of us are wondering why?
Man alive, this FAA RID is shaping up to be a total disaster!
Two names keep popping up, Jenifer Ambrose and Casey Nair, but the FAA keeps redacting their names in the FOIA requests due to privacy concerns. I don’t understand it as they are public employees doing what the public is paying them to do, and well, ethics matter.
Hard to believe, but if you read the properties info on some of the RID PDF’s the author is none other than Jennifer Ambrose! Maybe I need to inquire about a job with the Pinkertons?
After seeing what the AOPA can accomplish with the big safety pass the Congress
dolled out, maybe we should be asking for some sort of regulatory compensation?
Commercial droners got shut down for nine years, and GA got a big pass based on
consensus without any data or unmanned industry input or participation.
Maybe the FAA needs to subsidize drones like they do GA to help make amends?
Here is what advocacy and consensus look like when you’re out for the membership and not out for yourself.
The VC sell-phone app heroes and their lobbyists
These corn hole clowns are the worst. Well, besides AUVSI, but I’ll get to that gilded
dumpster fire all in good time. I’ve watched a few of the new heroes pay just enough
attention to ferret out some free solutions for future regulatory problems.
Anyone claiming to be an avid RC hobbyist is more than likely a snake oil in the garden salesperson and the first to throw the hobbyist right under the regulatory bus.
These turncoats will eagerly give consensus on a plan no matter how ridiculous or
impractical with not even a scintilla of science or data to support it for a crack at
offering free goods and service to the FAA. Others, including the purveyors of
aircraft down at the mall, and prefer to be left alone to outfit the uneducated. Those
are the same folks the AUVSI hopes will pay the $150 a day to get educated, and the
sell-phone app heroes can get to pay for LAANC services someday. Pivoting for
profit.
LAANC is an excellent example of a solution for a problem that didn’t exist.
Is AirMap IO off the board for good, or is it just one of those security deals that got
KittyHawk IO booted off till they got their act together? The only problem it fixed was NATCA members having to service drones (not aircraft in this case) and not getting paid. Ok, the FAA decided to expand the drone buffer from 3 miles around airports to 5 and let a cellphone app company take over the service for free. So the union folks didn’t like free, but the sell-phone app guys do? Add AirMap to the long list of IO’s that have bitten the dust.
The Chinese toy company –
They just lost their crack policy guy, and I wish him all the best, getting tired of the money and prestige and moving on, to a company that has nothing to do with airspace integration. It may just be the blessing the domestic drone industry needs to get back on its feet. Adding to the mystery, he did a lot for the folks who left PrecisionHawk, and 3DR, and they left him out in the cold. Damaged goods, or just a no-go on the quid pro quo?
The damage done on the Trappy case pretty much kicked off the draconian regulation worldwide. The backstory on this one is that old Trap was a Swiss citizen and the FAA was not willing to go to the Swiss government to crack down on a toy plane flyer. Trappy’s legal counsel recommended that he take the lesser charge and pay the fine. The rest is an unfortunate history for the rest of us.
I’ll reiterate that I do not dislike the DJI; they make a great product at a great price
point. They knew they had problems with their USA team as it cost them tens of
millions in sales and overhead. Or, maybe they share the policy breather notion?
AUVSI
The gilded dumpster fire just rages on! Adding insult to injury with the Benedict Arnold, friend of the court brief –
The CEO fires the loyal staff and gives himself a raise. The 2019 IRS 990’s show him
making north of $580K a year?! Many are asking what the hell for? This hit-shit
show is in its 49 seasons of screwing the pooch for personal enrichment.
What can be done to save this wretch of an association?
- Start acting like your efforts are being made for the benefit of the
membership. - More watchdog and less lapdog when dealing with the FAA
- Commission a “scientific” study (peer reviewable, unlike that, ASSURE stuff
and or birdcage liner $82 billion economic forecast) comparing the fatality rates of
General Aviation and sUAS. - Change things up and hire vetted experts.
- Get rid of Wynne while AUVSI still has a shred of dignity left; however, it
might be too late? - Lobby the Congress to clean house at the FAA like Mayor Pete wanted to do
- September 2015 Airspace Integration Mandate! ATO has had six years to
comply with the law. - Reserved
You get what you pay for!
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