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Comment by rebootthesystem | Hacker News Reader

I've been designing, building and flying model airplanes and later helicopters since I was ten years old. I've always flown in the context of a registered flying club and carry one million dollars insurance for my activity.

I continue to be horrified by what is happening with these multicopters. People fly them outside of controlled environments and with a total lack of consideration towards others or their property.

The vast majority of these things are cheap hobby-grade toys with laughable "safety" features. I own RC helicopters costing in excess of $3,000 and use a radio that costs well over $1,000. I still consider them dangerous toys not to be flown outside of club controlled environments.

What sucks is this morons are going to kill somebody and this will ruin the hobby for those of us who have been responsible flyers for decades.

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While acknowledging the fact that drones being operated by "morons" do not amount to safe. Could you fill me in on what safety features a 3k copter offers over one of these smaller and arguably less threatening drones. Googled a couple "high dollar" copters most seemed to be in range of ~4kg range with large fixed carbon fiber blades as opposed to (in this particular case) a 3 pound object with collapsible polycarbonate blades. Honestly seeing this trend of "automated" drones the only human controlled factor of idiocy would be removed in part due to the automated nature of this drone, this would seem to favor a trend towards safer operations.

I think you missed my point. Real model flight enthusiasts will only fly their birds at RC clubs. Clubs impose structure, safety rules, etc.

In other words, even if you are flying total crap the probability of hurting anyone or causing property damage is greately reduced.

To anser the other part of your question. A $3K heli has significantly better electronics and mechanics when compared to something like a DJI quad. And, of course, there's the fact that it has excellent autorotation with full control on the way down.

Yet, again, the point is we don't fly over people, roads or buildings and we have far more experience flying than most drone buyers.

It would seem we are missing each other's. "Club's impose structure, safety rules etc" given this and other automated drones the imposition of structure and safety rules is/can be written into the software. There has been mention of providing no-fly zones that people could register and given a companies interest in brand preservation the drones would respect the no-fly zones as long as untampered with. However, I do understand the risk to life issues that need to be confronted. I just wouldn't leap to the conclusion that there is a mass of people buying drones, acting irresponsibly, and inciting a heavy regulation of all hobby level flying.

Responsible model airplane enthusiasts are members of the American Modelers Association. They, among other things, interface with the FAA and other regulatory agencies on our behalf. We get regular reports on relevant regulation, meetings and negotiations. Believe me, it doesn't take a mob of people to create problems for AMA members.

No software today can do what a reponsible human being flying at a club does. It's the equivalent of letting people take off and land full scale airplanes and helicopters from anywhere, fly at any altitude, in any manner they wish and without traffic control. In other words, unthinkable.

I do not fly over people or property. Software cannot make that decision for me. And software certainly cannot restrict people buying a $300 quadcopter from flying it above a group of kids at the park or over a crowd elsewhere. It is a simple matter of individual responsibility and consideration for the wellbeing of others. I choose to fly at a club because after 30 years of experience flying (and, yes, crashing) all kinds of model aircraft I know these things can fail anywhere, any time and for a million different reasons. It is beyond irresponsible to fly these things in uncontrolled airspace.

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