A lot of really terrible information is being passed around in these comments.
No, FEMA does not have any authority over air space. That is 100% FAA. Here is a quote from FEMA documentation, "DOT/Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for the operation and regulation of the U.S. National Airspace System, including during emergencies."
- http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-esf-01.pdf
Yes, the operators were legally operating the UAV so long as they have a pilot license and a Class 2 medical examination, then they are treated the same as any other pilot.
If they do not have a pilots license, they must have completed ground school and still have a Class 2 medical exam. The UAV must be registered with the FAA; including each piece having a serial number.
To fly for not-profit means being associated with a research entity under a Certificate of Authorization (CoA), such as a state university or the government. There isn't anything in the regulations stating that a company or individual that has complied with all FAA regulations cannot operate for profit, provided they are not trying to profit under a CoA.
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Re:
Trying to correct misinformation
No, FEMA does not have any authority over air space. That is 100% FAA. Here is a quote from FEMA documentation, "DOT/Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for the operation and regulation of the U.S. National Airspace System, including during emergencies."
- http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-esf-01.pdf
Yes, the operators were legally operating the UAV so long as they have a pilot license and a Class 2 medical examination, then they are treated the same as any other pilot.
If they do not have a pilots license, they must have completed ground school and still have a Class 2 medical exam. The UAV must be registered with the FAA; including each piece having a serial number.
To fly for not-profit means being associated with a research entity under a Certificate of Authorization (CoA), such as a state university or the government. There isn't anything in the regulations stating that a company or individual that has complied with all FAA regulations cannot operate for profit, provided they are not trying to profit under a CoA.
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by acer328.
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