“I’m 37, I’ve been flying RC models for 7 years now. I fly mostly freestyle FPV quadcopters which are multi rotor designed for acrobatic flight and high speed piloted through a remote video system giving the first person view of the aircraft to the pilot. All my aircraft are from my own design. I studied electronics in college but dropped out and didn’t do anything meaningful with my life for a while. Learning to build and fly a radio controlled aircraft re-ignited my interest in technology and computer science. I met new friends through internet forums and gained new skills. I even managed to work as a drone pilot for a year or two. I worked for a production company, piloting 20lbs drones with professional cinematic cameras and for an engineering company offering structural inspections with drones. In both cases, the overbearing legislation effective at the time made getting contract nearly impossible and lead to the end of those jobs. However, these experiences gave me the skills and knowledge needed to get the job I have now. I am now a specialist technician at a leader in the telecommunication testing industry and it’s because of my hobby. Amateur build aircraft and their pilots are the core of the innovation in the “drone” industry. The current proposition made by the FAA will seriously hinder this hobby and several businesses relying on amateur builders as customers. Most businesses well known in the industry are from the United States and would have to stop operations or move out of the US. I sincerely hope these rules will be revised and bring a much more open vision for the hobbyist and students for the future.”