Hi all, don't know if this has already been discussed elsewhere but I have heard that if you tether your octocopter with a 149ft piece of fishing line to prevent flyaways then it can be used for commercial operations in the US. http://skypixel.org/post/73217886967 Are these claims true? what are people's thoughts?
Laurence not sure but there are companies making this claim and show letters from the FAA. I think they are making the claims based on the regulations for 'moored' aircraft which were focused on balloons, dirigibles and kites. Perhaps others have more information.
This has been briefly discussed, and that’s about all it deserves, IMHO. It introduces considerable risk, especially for those flying X8 configurations. Plus, most of us are doing this to achieve stable photo and video platforms, so where on the copter would you suggest running the tether to not interfere with the camera mount and the spinning blades? As for legalities, it’s a hornets’ nest any way you cut it. I seriously doubt that a local police officer or any other person with authority in your area would be impressed with this sort of contraption. You might as well hire a crane.
In Canada, in order to fly remotely controlled balloons/dirigibles, tethered or not, commercially (for profit), we are required to operate with a SFOC (Special Flight Operations Certificate). Noel
Here is a definition of a UAS I found under the FAA road map: A device used or intended to be used for flight in the air that has no onboard pilot. This devise excludes missiles, weapons, or exploding warheads, but includes all classes of airplanes, helicopters, airships, and powered-lift aircraft without an on board pilot. UA do not include traditional balloons (see 14 CFR Part 101), rockets, tethered aircraft and un-powered gliders. The wording of this sounds like you have the go ahead. But I took this definition off of an unofficial informational pamphlet. UPDATE: After an offline conversation, it looks like the FAA is not allowing this. Their specific rule or letter that I could find. One of the companies making tethered systems apears to have been given a cease and desist. They are no longer offering their product to non government users. They are directing people to obtain a COA.
Echoing Steve, I think there is more risk then reward, as well as not practical. At that point might as well teather a weather balloon or something like and make it fit a gimbal. My big concern would be the tether wrapping around a motor and causing all kinds of havoc up there.
I agree with the concern of 'more risk than reward' except that I've lost 4 jobs from major clients in the past two weeks because everyone is freaking out over the legalities. Until things get sorted out I would love to tell them that so long as we remain tethered and under 150 feet, everything is cool. Silly, yes, but I'd rather be silly and working than otherwise. Consequently, a colleague of mine did exactly this for the latest Mall Cop movie. They used the copter tethered, apparently taking advantage of some loophole. These past two weeks of losing gigs makes me think that things are actually going to get much worse before they get better.