Amazon Blasts FAA On Drone Approvals, Regulations 60
itwbennett writes Late last week, Amazon was issued permission by the FAA to fly an experimental drone as part of its tests for a planned automatic delivery service but it came too late, Paul Misener, vice president of global public policy at Amazon, told lawmakers on Tuesday. 'The UAS [unmanned aircraft system] approved last week by the FAA has already become obsolete,' he said. As a result, Amazon has filed for permission to fly a more advanced drone—one that is already being flown in several countries including the U.K., said Misener, who was speaking at a hearing of the Senate Committee on commerce, science and transportation.
You Congresscritters just don't understand (Score:5, Insightful)
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We're a corporation, damn it. We should be allowed to do whatever we want, whenever we want it. Your petty concerns about the public airspace are needlessly impeding our relentless drive for profit profit profit. Maybe some generous campaign contributions will help you see things our way.
It would make far more sense to just set guidelines like keep it below x feet and x distance from airports rather than doing what the FAA did and require:
1. No flights at all without permission.
2. Keep it under x feet.
3. Keep it in a specific remote area.
4. Get permission in advance for each new model of drone you want to fly (with the FAA apparently taking so long to approve them that they're already obsolete).
5. Have a pilot operate the drone.
That is just way more than necessary. If they just said "
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If it's on their own property sure, but if someone is flying an aircraft over my property, I think it's fair to ask for a bit more specific licensing to ensure they're flying only safe, well-maintained, properly operated devices.
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Except that this is the FAA, which is not part of Congress, and Congress is trying to kick the FAA into moving faster.
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... Congress is trying to kick the FAA into moving faster.
You mean the Congress that has been purchased by corporate and other special interests?
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Did you have another one in mind?
Of course the congress full of people on the payroll of everybody except the voting public.
That's what it's for.
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profit profit profit.
This is amazon we're talking about so THAT's not the motivating factor...
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Insightful? More like hippy liberal corporation bashing.
Now this isn't some conservative rant. The FAA should be taking such things carefully, so not to cause problems. However, some of the rules are not focused on more agile aircraft development, where drones are involved there is less needs to verify personal safety, and changes to the drone technology shouldn't need as much screwenty. So unlike a Jet where they decided to change a component, as the safety of the pilot is a major concern, and such chan
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dibs on "screwenty"! I found it first! Not sure what it means but I'm calling it! I'll assign a definition later.
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They're not going to be flying UAVs continuously. If Amazon gets the autopilot right, everything except the final approach and landing at the delivery location will be automated. A bank of "pilots" could easily cover 25-30+ drones each, given a 30 minute flight time from the distro center to the delivery and a 2 minute land/deliver/relaunch sequence. Distro centers would have automated guidance and pads that wouldn't require piloting. It would be far more human-cost efficient than truck delivery which requi
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That seems to be the model they have in mind, preload the drones at the Fulfillment Center, toss them in the truck, drive to the area where they'll be dispatched, and let them go. One truck then proceeds to make a dozen or more deliveries simultaneously. I still think it's pie-in-the-sky stuff for now, but if they can do something like deliver to a bin on the roof of apartment buildings instead of suburban doors it might make a lot of sense.
Just keep their frigging drones... (Score:1)
....from flying over my house, that is all I want.
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The fix is already there, no less than 1000 feet.
Text to speech, or joe_dragon? (Score:2)
If there is, I'll ignore it!
Are we talking a slightly portly butler, or a skinny scullery-maid?
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I see a future full of kids shooting down drones for sport.
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I see a future full of kids facing jail time and their parents facing 6 figure fines. These drones will have cameras and radio links.
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As stupid as the idea of shooting down other people's aircraft just for fun is ... people already do shoot down R/C planes for sport [youtube.com], though these are being flown by somebody so they're not really "drones" ...
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Apparently, you did well on your own, to the point of getting educated enough to be a nerd and read
Re:Regulation is always bad for everyone!! (Score:4, Insightful)
Said the guy, on the internet.
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I need less government help than you because I can probably beat you to death within 30 seconds, taking your wealth, your turf, your freedom, and *definitely* your women. And as soon as you form a group to stop me, hey, voila! Government!!!
Go have your mommy make you a sammich, and keep applying for all those jobs making computer games.
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That stuff is covered at the local level
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Pants-on-head retarded is what you are.
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I'm going to assume that you "never get tired of repeating this" because you're too young to remember the 1960s. One of the best examples of why government regulation is necessary is the situation of the Cuyahoga River. The several chemical and paint companies that lined the river banks dumped their effluent into the river since no regulations requiring their safe disposal existed. In the 1960s the mix and concentration of chemicals finally started spontaneously combusting, and the country was treated to
Advanced drone (Score:2)
So what does the more advanced drone look like?
Amazon needs this for all of us ... (Score:1)
... SCOTUS says Amazon is a people.
If Amazon gets concessions, the We The People will get them, too, or file discrimination suits.
I'd rather the FAA takes its time (Score:2)
Re:I'd rather the FAA get it's ass in gear (Score:2)
I'd rather the FAA take a proactive, and active, role in creating rules which allow operations and enforce existing damage and nuisance laws. Letting the FAA "take it's time" is like telling ID that there's no rush on getting Duke Nukem Forever out as long as they do it right.
Re:I'd rather the FAA get its ass in gear (Score:2)
And if they make an error, they can just amend the rules, just like I did in that topic line.
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Lets say the FAA makes an error (IE no means for coordination between UAV and Manned aircraft). The consequences of the drone taking out the EMT helicopter are quite big. Maybe the EMT helicopter only kills everyone on board, and not all the rescuers on the ground, then I guess it isn't so bad.
No, let them go through the process and get it right. Your local EMT will thank you someday.
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Drones are tricky.
The FAA has no choice BUT to take it slow because there are a lot of stakeholders to consider - including regular airspace users, air traffic control, etc.
I mean, there's a hobby advisory circular that's just that, ad
Welcome to Dealing with the FAA (Score:1)
Hey Bezos,
I don't know if you realize this but this SOP for the FAA. You should be told to shut-up and get inline like anyone else involved in aviation. Also, Drone deliver is stupid. You can't possible hope to avoid all the powerlines, etc. I have seen the paper work needed to approve flying stunt jets. It was huge and this wasn't even close to the first place to offer training in those exact stunt jets.
If you think that FAA shouldn't take their time why don't you get aboard my home built experimental hel
Press Announcement by Amazon VP (Score:2)
https://youtu.be/i5tWT6I1GvY?t... [youtu.be]