This is kind of a special post for me. It’s the intersection of two things I love: aviation and photography. I am a staunch defender of every community I am in. I believe in integrity, and paying your dues (that’s for another post, though). I don’t believe in ego in photography and in aviation, it can lead to dangerous situations. I also believe in teaching while holding the benefit of the doubt, and that’s where I am today. I have seen a lot of drone footage from venues that are near the Des Moines airport. So what, right? To answer that, I have reached out to my friends in aviation, Glenn and Christa, who have so kindly offered their time and expertise to help you operate a drone safely and legally.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO PILOTS
The fact of the matter is, a 737 pilot coming in to land at the Des Moines airport won’t care if they screw up your drone, or your photos get messed up and your client gets mad. The risk of operating a drone illegally is far greater to pilots than it is to the client relations aspect of your business. That being said, an incident that occurs because you are illegally operating a drone could very well sink your business.
First, it’s important to understand that the necessary rating you need to operate a drone legally does not train you to operate your device. It’s about learning the airspace system in which you operate. Someone who doesn’t have this rating isn’t going to have the knowledge to operate safely. This poses a risk to their gear, their clients, and most importantly, other aircraft.
Damage to Aircraft
Untrained operators pose a major danger to inbound aircraft, as any inbound aircraft is in the most critical phase of flight. If the pilot has to maneuver the aircraft away from your drone, they could lose control, and if they are in a low-energy configuration, such as what is used for landing, they could lose the necessary lift and crash. If that pilot is a student, they won’t have the experience to handle their aircraft the way a seasoned flyer would. This means they may not be able to maneuver quickly enough to avoid a collision. Larger drones over 15 pounds could bring an airplane down if they impact the airplane in just the right spot, and while you probably won’t bring an airliner down, you might get a multi-million dollar invoice from the airline.
It’s important to note that even a small aircraft may not be agile enough to move out of the way, since drones can be difficult to see until they’re up close. If you collide, even with a small aircraft, the damage will likely be several thousand dollars, that you will be responsible for. If you damage a control surface, that cost goes up. Obviously, the risk of colliding with an aircraft isn’t limited to the high repair cost. By damaging an airplane mid-flight, you also risk injuring or killing the occupants. To someone who isn’t familiar with aviation, it may seem pretty innocent, but a photographer or videographer capturing drone footage is interacting with an incredibly complex system that they need to be aware of and know how to navigate.
Even damage from a drone to a small plane like this Cessna 172 can be surprisingly costly to repair.
Risks to Students
The other major concern is the distractions that drones pose to student pilots. In addition to the lack of experience, a student is in a learning environment. Hitting a drone can cause catastrophic failure to parts of an airplane. While this is certainly going to be a learning opportunity, it may be one that the student may not be equipped to handle. A flight instructor is prepared to handle the situation, but this still poses a dangerous situation that no student wants to be in. In addition, if drones are operating in the vicinity of an active runway, this can present a distraction for the instructor during critical phases of flight. When you choose to operate a drone safely and legally, you reduce the risks to student pilots and instructors alike.
RECKLESSNESS VS. CARELESSNESS
There’s a saying: when you know better, you do better. Recklessness is knowing better and not doing better. Carelessness is more rooted in ignorance: “It’s just an RC airplane, why would I need to get a license.” Another example would be not thinking about your location and surroundings and shooting drone footage of a wedding next door to an airport. At this point, it should be common knowledge that artists who intend on operating a drone need to get licensed because they are operating in a very complex system. Regardless of whether or not you are licensed, you are responsible for your device and for operating it legally.
WHAT DO THE REGS SAY?
The regulations are the meat of what you need to know. As of right now, the FAA fairly stringently regulates drone traffic. The regulations will tell you where and how high you can operate, medical requirements, drug and alcohol usage, and more. It will also cover certification and waivers. Some of the regulations for unmanned and remote operations will refer to other regulations that apply to manned aircraft, so I highly recommend getting a copy of the FAR/AIM.
Temporary Flight Restrictions
There are also times when any kind of flight will be restricted. These are called Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) and they apply to drone operators as well as all manned aircraft. Everyone needs permission to fly/operate during a TFR. Depending on the TFR, drones probably won’t get a waiver. Some examples of TFRs are wildfires and other natural disasters, sporting events (it may be more likely to be granted a waiver), and VIP/Presidential TFRs, in which case, you absolutely do not fly or operate. Operating during a TFR can result in revocation of your license, remedial training, and criminal charges. If you violate a security TFR, the FAA is going to be the least of your worries. Never violate a TFR and if you need to operate during one, get the proper clearance.
If you are a drone operator, it’s not a bad idea to have a current copy of the FAR/AIM.
HOW DO I OPERATE LEGALLY?
In short, if you want to be seen as a professional in your field, get licensed, know and follow your regulations, register the drone, be professional, get your waivers and because drones don’t show up on the radar, remember that you are the hazard. While it’s not law, but courtesy, call your local airport if you are operating a drone within 5 miles of the airport. It’s just a simple phone call and it could save a life.
I HAVE A SESSION BY AN AIRPORT. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
Check your airspace and make sure it’s legal to operate in the intended area.
Determine if you need a waiver.
Call FSDO and let them know your needs, and see what they can do for you.
Call homeland security if you need a TFR waiver.
When everything is settled, inform the airport of when, where, and how high you will be operating, and make sure to follow the rules of the sky.
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?
The FAA website is a good source if you can find the information.
FAR/AIM, Part 107 is all about unmanned/remote operations. A hard copy is available on Amazon.
Your local airport.
If you’re in/will be working in the Des Moines Area, call the local FSDO at (515) 289-3840.
If you are interested in doing drone photography, especially in the Des Moines/Ames area, it is extremely important that you are licensed to operate your device and that you have the proper clearance to operate. Obtaining the license and clearance is apart of doing our due diligence as a community of professional photographers/videographers. Just like we groan when someone buys a nice camera and declares themself a professional photographer, the aviation community tends to not be keen on drone operators flying in their airspace without doing their due diligence. The difference is, an incident with a drone and an airplane could cause millions of dollars in damage and potentially take someone’s life. Drones have been around long enough for us as a creative community to know better. If you’re going to fly a drone for a client, make sure you do it right.