USA To Many 333 Exemptions?

[SanCap]

SUAS News FAA 333 Exemption Holders, commercial drone operators in America. - sUAS News has an interactive map showing the 333 exemptions by location with a searchable database by state and business name. I wonder how long it will take before the USA is over saturated? There soon might be as many 333 exemptions as there are real estate agents

 

[Highrpm955]

Looks like alot!.. I see my dot!

 

[n9ami]

Yup to many unskilled people that have no business getting them. My dog could apply and get one as long as you do all the paperwork right. I do not think they should get them unless the "holder" of the 333 has a pilots lisc. But here is the kicker.. Just cause you have a sport pilot or above ticket doesn't make you a uav operator. This whole system is a mess as most of you know. There should be a written test on airspace with flight standards and a flight test with a uav to get a sign off for commercial use. The whole industry is a joke with tons of people getting 333s and then they hire someone or I should say anyone that has a sport or above ticket.

 

[kcobello]

Yup to many unskilled people that have no business getting them. My dog could apply and get one as long as you do all the paperwork right. I do not think they should get them unless the "holder" of the 333 has a pilots lisc. But here is the kicker.. Just cause you have a sport pilot or above ticket doesn't make you a uav operator. This whole system is a mess as most of you know. There should be a written test on airspace with flight standards and a flight test with a uav to get a sign off for commercial use. The whole industry is a joke with tons of people getting 333s and then they hire someone or I should say anyone that has a sport or above ticket.

Totally disagree on a pilots license. Maybe all the recreational flyers should get a degree in journalism, or photography to do AP. We are not flying from coast to coast, with passengers, or flying anything over 5 pounds in most cases. Now do I think there should be regulations...YUP. A permit/course/ or cert in aviation terminology which could include, verbal communication with airport contact, how to navigate safely and the list goes on. Come on most responsible AP people fly in a 400' x 400' x 400' box and take pictures. Pilots license is only required to keep the numbers down at this point.....We are awaiting our 333 and have been doing AP for 8 years......SAFELY......

 

[licensed pilot]

100% on point, Kcobello. All this whining and moaning about the FAA;s pilot license requirement is pointless and non-productive as the feds are not going to change anything until the final Part 107 rules are issued. The feds will not allow anyone to operate commercially w/o a minimum knowledge of FARs and an understanding of the national airspace rules. I don't like the restrictions in my 333 but it is what it is...I'd rather spend my time building my business in anticipation of the market glut coming once the test is approved.

For those not licensed, I'd recommend spending your time studying for the UAS operator test on your own, a good source is the Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, free here:
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Or sign up for a Private Pilot ground school course at your local airport. I will bet that 90% of the FAA UAS Operator license test will come from their private pilot written test, they are not going to waste time writing a new test. And when the time comes, the FAA will publish a study guide, like they do for all pilot ratings.
Airman Knowledge Test Guides


Besides, according to the SBA, over 50% of small businesses fail in the first five years., so the market will thin out.

 

[CaptainBadge]

Don't expect the licensed pilot to change, in fact, expect it to get more restrictive. You can almost certainly expect a UAV operators certificate to come down the pipes and I am going to bet its not a quick online course. Complain to the hills but if you are making money with a drone, you are now a commercial aviator as defined by the FAA. Actually I am looking forward to watching the mass carnage when the FAA drops 107 and people see that it is written like a 135 with drug testing and much more stringent reporting requirements. There will be a slew of 333's that will be dormant. You can also expect 107 to bring about some real penalties for rogue operators.

 

[SanCap]

Don't expect the licensed pilot to change, in fact, expect it to get more restrictive. You can almost certainly expect a UAV operators certificate to come down the pipes and I am going to bet its not a quick online course. Complain to the hills but if you are making money with a drone, you are now a commercial aviator as defined by the FAA. Actually I am looking forward to watching the mass carnage when the FAA drops 107 and people see that it is written like a 135 with drug testing and much more stringent reporting requirements. There will be a slew of 333's that will be dormant. You can also expect 107 to bring about some real penalties for rogue operators.

What makes you think the Pilots License requirement will not go away?

 

[CaptainBadge]

My rice krispies told me.

 

[Dr. Ifly Drones]

My prognostication is that the FAA will create 2 new categories of airspace, one class for 300-400' for logistics and autonomous operations (delivery, ortho, etc.) and one from GL-200' for AMA/hobby, commercial photography/imagining. The total general commercial zone could include 200-400' with possible cross use. I agree with others that a general aviation and safety knowledge test with demonstrable minimum number of hours of flight time completed. Hobby fliers (all non commercial) would use GL-200' with only the current registration required.

 

[flatfive]

Don't expect the licensed pilot to change, in fact, expect it to get more restrictive. You can almost certainly expect a UAV operators certificate to come down the pipes and I am going to bet its not a quick online course. Complain to the hills but if you are making money with a drone, you are now a commercial aviator as defined by the FAA. Actually I am looking forward to watching the mass carnage when the FAA drops 107 and people see that it is written like a 135 with drug testing and much more stringent reporting requirements. There will be a slew of 333's that will be dormant. You can also expect 107 to bring about some real penalties for rogue operators.

Why don't you expect the licensed pilot requirement to change? I've seen other comments expressing this same thing - that the final Part 107 will have changed from its original language and go back to requiring a pilots license. I have researched this for several days and cannot find a single shred of evidence to support that. I've read many of the comments submitted to the FAA by influential entities, which are given considerable weight, and they all strongly support dropping the requirement for having at a minimum a Sport Pilot License as is proposed in Part 107. I am a licensed private pilot, and it would serve me well if they continued to require an airman certificate, but I do not see any reason to think they will change what is likely the single most significant part of the proposal in the eyes of most.

 

[flatfive]

My prognostication is that the FAA will create 2 new categories of airspace, one class for 300-400' for logistics and autonomous operations (delivery, ortho, etc.) and one from GL-200' for AMA/hobby, commercial photography/imagining. The total general commercial zone could include 200-400' with possible cross use. I agree with others that a general aviation and safety knowledge test with demonstrable minimum number of hours of flight time completed. Hobby fliers (all non commercial) would use GL-200' with only the current registration required.

That hasn't even been proposed. What has been proposed under Part 107 is 500' AGL. No flights in Class A, flights in Class G without ATC clearance required, and clearance required in B,C,D & E. Your description doesn't make sense anyway - how could you make deliveries if restricted to 300'-400'? Are you dropping the package from 300' with a parachute?