Trouble in the FAA

The FAA Misses its Regulation Deadline

     In 2012, Congress sent an aviation funding bill to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). On that funding bill was a deadline that stated that by September of 2015, there has to be "drone laws" set for drone users. It is now October 27, 2015 and there are not any regulation set forth by the FAA. Michael Huerta, the chief of the FAA, is going to testify before THUD (Senate Appopriations Committee's Transportation, Housing and Urban Development) on Wednesday.

     This hearing is like a check-up. Lawmakers will be there to see what the FAA has done to add drones to the National Airspace System. From the looks of it, not much. Really all that has been done is creating the idea to register all drones (even the ones that are already out) so that there will be less interference with airplanes. Well, that and approving a little more than 1,700 drone flights below 200 feet. 

Michael Huerta, the FAA chief

     The FAA had about three years to set restriction on drones and they haven't really done anything. Even worse, people are complaining that making rules for drones is more important then issuing devices.  

Drone Defence

Drone Defense

     Drones are constantly invading peoples privacy and going were they aren't suppose to go. The only thing that we can do to stop them is throw rocks in there general directions. Or is it? There soon might be another way. The army has been tinkering with Wi-Fi antenna and Raspberry Pi (a $35 computer). They have put them together in the shape of a gun and pointed it at a drone. The results are hijacked drones. This could be the future weapon for defense against drone attacks.

     The army is not the only people to try creating a anti-drone weapon. The Battelle Memorial Institute have created a gun that they call the DroneDefender. The gun is made out of a giant antenna attached to a rifle stock and the maker of the DroneDefender (Zack Epstein) claims that it will let you mess with the controls and GPS signal of the drone and take control of it. This weapon is meant for government uses and has not been legalized yet. Which ever gun works better and if the DroneDefender will ever be used is yet to be seen, but we know one thing. Soon there will be a way  to take down drones and protect your privacy.

Disappearing Drones

Disappearing Drones

     Icarus was a boy in a Greek myth. ICARUS also stands for "Inbound, Controlled, Air-Releasable, Unrecoverable Systems." DARPA believes that they can make one-use drones that collapse when needed. They are investing $8 million to create a drone that can be used to bring people supplies in a natural disaster or war zone and, of course, fall apart when needed.

     The requirements for the drone is that it has to be able to carry a three pound package, drop that package gently within 32 feet of targeted area, have a wingspan of less than 10 feet, and be able to fly in a straight line for 90 miles when released at 35,000 feet. DARPA wants the drone completed in 26 months (a little over two years). The collapsing part of the drone has to happen within four hours of delivery or within 30 minutes of civil twilight. My guess is that it will either collapse when hit with water, or it will have to be activated.

                                     

New Drone Restrictions?

Drones For Christmas!

     In 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was ordered by the US Congress to have regulations for flying drones in US airspace by September 30, 2015. The FAA still hasn't made any official rules. The worst part is, they predict that over one million drones will be sold at Christmas. This isn't good because the only proposals for any kind of rules is that the drones have to be in sight of the operator, flown under 500 feet, and not to fly your drone over public areas.

     There have been many different times when drones have been used "dumbly". For instance, they have been flown too close to airplanes, crashed into the US open, and even bothered firefighters trying to put out fires! These dumb acts will only increases when children get there hands on some drones. Not knowing whet to do with them and causing a craze. This is worrisome knowing that there aren't any rules and barely any rule proposals. 

A drone hooked up to an iPhone set up with a GoPro attached.