rklk*@*ast.net

, Port Gamble

, Washington

, United States

Posted on
2020-02-23 1:37:38
“I am NOT a DRONE flyer. I have been an AMA member for decades. My successful aerospace and marine engineering career was based on my involvement in flying fixed wing models from the age of 5 years old. My hobby as a youth taught me a vast knowledge in structures, materials, stress/strain, adhesives and paints, flight stability and controls, and weight/balance and lead me to obtain my private license as a student. All my models until just a few years ago were built from plans (my own designs or purchased plans) or kits (the kits require the purchase of many model industry components and hardware). Many of my models are decades old. My major interest are scale models of real fixed wing aircraft with all the scale markings. The remote ID regulations as proposed will kill off youth involvement in aviation by decreasing their introduction into aviation by building and flying fixed wing model aircraft. Recommend replacement flying fields be allowed into the new remote ID regulations. The proposed remote ID regulations will decrease the number of available model club flying sites by not allowing the introduction of new fields. As many clubs experience, many fields are lost to development and the land owner will no longer lease or rent the flying site to the club. The land owner can make much more money by selling the land to a developer. The club is forced to find a field in a more remote area. With the new regulations the club members would be forced out of a lifetime hobby if there is not a nearby authorized flying field. The new regulations ignore the fix wing model builder with self designed, plan built, short kit or kit built RC fixed wing models. The model builder use materials and components to assemble the fixed wing aircraft model. To meet the needs of the this type of model builder, I recommend that the new remote ID specifications be incorporated into the RC receiver not as system. Many or most RC fixed wing model aircraft are not purchased as system vice most drones are packaged and sold as a complete system to novices (No RC experience). From my discussions with young novice drone flyers, it appears that they have contempt for rules and regulations. They want to fly their drones when and where they want to obtain an outstanding video or photo that they can post. Since many crimes are not prosecuted in our area, youth do not have fear of law enforcement. What I fear that all the new remote ID regulations will have little effect on the drone incursion problem but will kill the RC model fixed wing aircraft hobby and industry. I think the drone incursion problem started to occur when the drone capability improved and the cost decreased to a point that young hubris drone flyers could buy a complete system. If the drones were not sold as a system these troublesome participants would not be involved. The complete capable drone system makes it too ease for these young novice drone flyers to break flight rules. If the drones had to be built from components, these troublesome youth would look to other easier avenues for videos and photos. One ease solution would be to remove the camera from the drone system for the non Part 107 drones.”