By Mary-Justine Lanyon
Scott Boyer – who lays out the Alpine Mountaineer – recently got his FAA pilot’s license so he can fly his drone.
An FAA pilot’s license?
“Yes,” Boyer said, “the FAA is particularly fussy about where pilots are allowed to fly and how to apply for an exception to those rules.”
Airports are, he said, “definitely a no-no. Disaster zones, obviously.” Restrictions are enforced at Dodgers stadium when a game is taking place.
There is an app – FlightReady – Boyer said that shows specifically where it is permissible to fly ad when.
“Because it’s updated in real time, it can show new events, like when the President or other dignitary comes to town and all flight operations are restricted within a perimeter around him,” Boyer noted.
“The FAA requires that pilots have their Part 107b certification,” Boyer said, adding that’s the one he has, “for doing commercial work. Recreational pilots do not have to have the certification, but they must still abide by the FAA regulations.”
He feels the drone pilot who flew into and damaged the plane applying fire retardant was “completely unaware of the regulations. We all start there. But anyone who has studied the regulations would know to avoid fire zones.
“I was drilled six ways to Sunday to pass my test,” Boyer added.
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