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The Most Important Thing FAA Can Do Now To Improve Drone Safety

This article is more than 8 years old.

The FAA issued another press release yesterday headlining an increase in pilot reports of unmanned aircraft sightings for this year, from 238 sightings in 2014 to more than 650 already this year.  What the increase in sightings actually means is open to debate since the FAA is encouraging pilots to report these sightings and many of the pilot reports do not appear to pose any potential hazard to the aircraft.  However, the FAA's message is clear that "operating drones around airplanes and helicopters is dangerous and illegal.  Unauthorized operators may be subject to stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time."

In its press release, the FAA outlines several actions that it is taking to educate unmanned aircraft operators, including its "Know Before You Fly" campaign and supporting the National Interagency Fire Center's "If You Fly, We Can't" efforts to educate drone pilots to stay away from firefighting operations.  It also warns that it is working closely with law enforcement and encourages the public to report illegal operations.

What the FAA does not state is that it could dramatically improve drone safety by the stroke of its own pen.  Yes, readers, as hard as it is to believe the FAA has taken the absurd and unsafe position that training drone users - unless it is done for free as a hobby or recreational activity - is illegal.   This means that local drone dealers who have years of experience flying drones cannot legally teach their customers to fly their newly purchased drones, even if the lesson is done for free.  How does that encourage safety?  By the same token, experienced drone operators cannot legally sell their training knowledge to new and inexperienced operators.  Even the recent holders of 333 exemptions for commercial training cannot legally allow their students to manipulate the controls of the drones they are learning to fly.  Is this any way to encourage safe flying by drone pilots?

So, if the FAA is as concerned as it claims to be about the possibility of drones and aircraft colliding the least it could do is make training more accessible to new drone owners.  All it needs to do is amend its June 23, 2014 Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft to specifically allow drone operator training by schools, businesses and individuals for compensation.