Has anyone heard anything within the last several weeks about the FAA's licensing project for commercial use of UAV's.  I applied about 15 days ago with a 34 page petition and waiting.

I found an online post from UAV Digest that might be of some help with FAA updates. And No, I have no interest in promoting the digest, just found it today.

It's great that you brought that up! I was actually researching yesterday. I am hoping to apply this month but I have to look for someone to help me. did you hire a lawyer?

I think the waiting time is 6 months, what state are you in?

I'm in California.  I found examples of the request online at regulations.gov and tailored them to my specific requests.

you still have to have a pilot's license to be except from the 333 exception

pidetectives@ya Posted at 2015-5-12 01:22
you still have to have a pilot's license to be except from the 333 exception

From my  limited understanding, a simply sport pilot license will suffice.

pinpointmapping Posted at 2015-5-12 01:59
From my  limited understanding, a simply sport pilot license will suffice.

I am not a pilot put can you explaine the diffrence , timeframe and cost?

I am in south Florida and no school offers  sport pilot course here

Hey PIdetectives....I'm a licensed investigator also.

Well, I have asked for a waiver of the pilot's license for flying the drone.  I think it will be OK, not sure!

I believe you can fly an ultralight without a license.  Is that correct?

pinpointmapping Posted at 2015-5-12 01:59
From my  limited understanding, a simply sport pilot license will suffice.

A sports pilot will not do. FAA is requiring a Private Pilots license, unfortunately.
I've applied for my exemption and also have a pilot at hand.
It's a shame we need so much training...

Could take up to 8 months. Even with the FAA trying to Streamlining the process. I submitted mine in Early March.  Best of luck

I. P. Freely Posted at 2015-5-12 06:22
I believe you can fly an ultralight without a license.  Is that correct?

Need to be a sport or recreational certificate from the FAA. Still have to do Ground school and have a CFI sign off on you to get it.

So every one that has applied for the 333 and has been approved has a pilot license..

shakyamunifilms Posted at 2015-5-12 10:37
A sports pilot will not do. FAA is requiring a Private Pilots license, unfortunately.
I've applied ...

This is no longer correct.  Here is current language from a recent 333 exemption:

Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport, commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate.  The PIC must also hold a current FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license issued by a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal government.  The PIC must also meet the flight review requirements specified in 14 CFR § 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or her pilot certificate.

The FAA absolutely will NOT waive pilot certification until they have a drone operator program, because at the moment only pilot training courses provide the instruction the FAA considers important with regard to understanding flight operations, airspace classification, weather, and other safety-related issues.  You might know them without specialized training, but the FAA wants you to be CERTIFIED in a program they have approved.  At the moment that's limited to pilot training.  Two years or so from now when they have passed regulations to approve and certify drone operator courses it will be different.

The bigger problem I see with 333 exemptions involves this language:

All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures unless:
   a. Barriers or structures are present that sufficiently protect nonparticipating persons from the UA and/or debris in the event of an accident.  The operator must ensure that nonparticipating persons remain under such protection.  If a situation arises where nonparticipating persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of the UA, flight operations must cease immediately in a manner insuring the safety of nonparticipating persons; and
   b. The owner/controller of any vessels, vehicles or structures has granted permission for operating closer to those objects and the PIC has made a safety assessment of the risk of operating closer to those objects and determined that it does not present an undue hazard.

For the overwhelming majority of UAS operators this is impossible to achieve.  500 feet is a VERY long lateral distance.  Most properties are well within 500 feet of each other.  Chances are, every time you launch a UAS, you are within 500 feet of multiple other people, buildings, cars, etc.  Under a 333 exemption you are prohibited from taking off under those circumstances unless you construct some sort of physical barrier - one that won't wreck your shot and is adequate according to FAA standards as complete protection outside the shooting area.  Good luck with that.

Current Part 333 Authorizations may be reviewed at this site: https://www.faa.gov/uas/legislat ... 333_authorizations/  You will find that most of them follow a pattern.  If you're lucky enough that YOUR UAS operations can be conducted 500' or more from any other persons, buildings, roadways, vehicles, etc., and you have a pilot's license, you may want to consider filing an application that is substantially similar to one of the successful ones at the above website.  Just adapt the language to yourself or your company.  The FAA is now granting "summary exemptions," which means if your application is the same as one they've already granted to someone else, they will fast track it.  You can find out more information about summary review at https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=82485  But remember: you can NOT get summary review if you ask to not be required to have a pilot's license or to be closer than 500' from others.  That will still get a full review which will take months, and will almost inevitably be denied.

Thanks for the clarification.  I know it is hard to keep up with the ever evolving FAA Requirements.  The good news for now is that the requirements seem be trending towards being more reasonable.  Lets just hope that trend continues.  I think I'll be forced to go the route of getting a 333 exemption so I can use UAV technology at my day job, I'll post back as the process unfolds.

Latest info I've seen below, 159 certs issued to date.

http://www.ccim.com/cire-magazin ... 2015/05/drones-take

PeteGould Posted at 2015-5-13 00:07
This is no longer correct.  Here is current language from a recent 333 exemption:
The FAA absolutely ...

Mine restricts me to max altitude of 200', can't fly near Disney Resorts and required to submit monthly report, even if zero flights