Christine96 Posted at 2018-8-24 18:21
I never suggested drone flying is about to end.  I merely suggested that it may be heading for stricter regulation due to irresponsible behavior.  I do hope I'm proven wrong.

You asked is the hobby in serious trouble and used a video titled The End For Hobbyists?
The source material that video is based on is seriously flawed as is shown in the material I pointed to.

Christine96 Posted at 2018-8-24 17:45
You just contradicted your own statement.  You said drones are not easy to fly and then you admitted DJI drones and a few others are.  So I guess according to YOU no BS or lies where told.

What you fail to realize, is controlling the direction of travel with a DJI Phantom, is not flying. Haha

If you think you can fly, pick up a different type of drone. As “most” others don’t have stability control, nor GPS.

Contradict nothing. Go fly em. Then come back and tell me how easy it was. If you do.


RedHotPoker

RedHotPoker Posted at 2018-8-24 08:25
Did you RTFM. Hahaha

[view_image]

Is it a Bird?...  Is it a Plane?.... No its a Kite Drone!!!!

RedHotPoker Posted at 2018-8-23 17:54
Like I said, take away DJI tech, and most rc fliers here would be taking the crashing course...

Very true ... take any of my other Multi Rotors or models and you get very short life if you are not proficient with them !!

But here we are discussing on a DJI site .. so emphasis is on the DJI models that do actually make it an "idiots" flying machine ...

Nigel

Cetacean Posted at 2018-8-23 18:01
Aloha Christine,

     Unfortunately, your pessimism is warranted regarding the behavior of some new consumer drone owners.  But the FAA is working with fliers, manufacturers, model airplane & mUAV clubs and state and local officials to resolve some of these irresponsible behaviors you noted.  DJI is on the panels that are developing solutions.  But the solutions DJI develops are not necessarily adopted like some try to say, particularly on this Forum.  Available technology allows solutions, FAA regulation is needed to require specific solutions.  

But don't forget that FAA has repeatedly stepped outside of its limitations and imposed Regs on Model Flyers including Drones. Public pressure and representations to Senators / Congressman as well as AMA had most of them nullified.

AMA I believe has even been ignored and not invited to some of the discussions held by FAA.

I'm not a US Resident - but we get info fed to us over here to look at and evaluate for our recc'ds to EU body.

Nigel

Christine96 Posted at 2018-8-24 17:45
You just contradicted your own statement.  You said drones are not easy to fly and then you admitted DJI drones and a few others are.  So I guess according to YOU no BS or lies where told.

RHP was in fact correct.

DJi Drones are easy to fly because of the programming and Flight Controller designed to create a stable camera platform.

But most other Drones ... I do hate that word ... they are Multi Rotors actually ... do not have such sophisticated Flight Controller / Programming.

Go try fly a SYMA ... or Echine .... any of the other makes that abound ... you will soon realise that ATTI mode on a DJI is even better than they have !!

I was a Reviewer and Tester for a number of brands .... believe em when I say - some of them made me seriously think about giving up !! I've been model flying for over 55 yrs ....

Nigel

Christine96 Posted at 2018-8-24 18:21
I never suggested drone flying is about to end.  I merely suggested that it may be heading for stricter regulation due to irresponsible behavior.  I do hope I'm proven wrong.

Stricter regulation is inevitable .....

That's a fact.

Moaning about it will do nothing to stop it.

Whatever National body in whatever country will only at best water it down ...

Nigel

solentlife Posted at 2018-8-25 03:50
But don't forget that FAA has repeatedly stepped outside of its limitations and imposed Regs on Model Flyers including Drones. Public pressure and representations to Senators / Congressman as well as AMA had most of them nullified.

AMA I believe has even been ignored and not invited to some of the discussions held by FAA.

don't forget that FAA has repeatedly stepped outside of its limitations and imposed Regs on Model Flyers including Drones.

Are you sure about that?
They have a piece of legislation called SEC. 336. SPECIAL RULE FOR MODEL AIRCRAFT.
Sec 336 states:
Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to the incorporation of
unmanned aircraft systems into Federal Aviation Administration plans and policies, including
this subtitle, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may not promulgate any
rule or regulation regarding a model aircraft, or an aircraft being developed as a model aircraft,
if--
(1) the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use
etc, etc

Christine96 Posted at 2018-8-24 18:21
I never suggested drone flying is about to end.  I merely suggested that it may be heading for stricter regulation due to irresponsible behavior.  I do hope I'm proven wrong.

Yeah Christine96.  I hope you are wrong too.
I believe that the drone scene has taken off (in OZ) sooo fast it has a left a lot of authorities in its' wake.  That causes them to panic a little IMHO.
I know when I talk to various departments in WA (That's Western Australia not Washington !) they almost,  just almost,  admit their legislation & requirements for permits is battling to keep pace.
The paranoia amongst the public is laughable too.  Mention drones & there is immediate suspicion about what or who you may be  taking pics of.    However you can walk around all day taking pics with your phone or other device & nobody cares -  Pathetic.
We'll be good if we all do the right thing - hopefully

Greg - TheHuski Posted at 2018-8-25 03:38
Is it a Bird?...  Is it a Plane?.... No its a Kite Drone!!!!

Hahaha, that’s hilarious. Too funny.




RedHotPoker

Labroides Posted at 2018-8-25 05:03
don't forget that FAA has repeatedly stepped outside of its limitations and imposed Regs on Model Flyers including Drones.

Are you sure about that?

That is the Law that got various FAA rules thrown out ...

If you look back through the last 3 yrs or so ... there has been Compulsory Registration that got scrapped as one example ...

It was not until the Community Body clause was introduced that FAA backed down on various.

I stand by my comment ... and I am sure many USA flyers will support the statement ..... judging by the heat that was generated over on RCGroups and various forums by FAA actions that basically ignored the 336 rule.

Nigel

solentlife Posted at 2018-8-25 03:50
But don't forget that FAA has repeatedly stepped outside of its limitations and imposed Regs on Model Flyers including Drones. Public pressure and representations to Senators / Congressman as well as AMA had most of them nullified.

AMA I believe has even been ignored and not invited to some of the discussions held by FAA.

Aloha Nigel,

     Yes, and they have been pressured to do so.  Then when they have overstepped their authority, due to this pressure, they have been challenged in court and lost.  In many ways the FAA is a pawn of autocrat wannabes but are limited in the resistance they can provide.  That is why the balance of power in the US system (currently being severely tested) is a good thing.

     See Labroides reference to the AMA comment in his Post #39;

https://phantompilots.com/thread ... n-usa.137061/page-2

Page 2, Post #22

That is the type of activity I am used to seeing from the AMA and I understand what the FAA is going through.  But, the FAA is doing what it can to fulfill its mandate.

     Aloha and Drone On!

I see it as BIG MONEY ….Amazon..UPS..Walmart..FedX….on and on want the air space for drone delivery or what ever they want to use it for.  When corporations get involved It is ALWAYS $$$$$$$.

$$$----1(?)
hobbyist----- 0(?)

  

RedHotPoker Posted at 2018-8-25 07:57
Hahaha, that’s hilarious. Too funny.

[view_image]

it's all part of the service..

Greg - TheHuski Posted at 2018-8-26 01:44
it's all part of the service..

Yes, we both do our part...


RedHotPoker

solentlife Posted at 2018-8-25 03:56
RHP was in fact correct.

DJi Drones are easy to fly because of the programming and Flight Controller designed to create a stable camera platform.

I would wholeheartedly agree with you there. I am currently trying to learn to fly, yes learn to fly, an Eachine racing drone. A looooong way harder than flying my DJI drones. An awful lot less money too. But there are idiots out there as we all know, who are jeapardising our hobby, by  flying like idiots. indeed a number examples are seen in this forum. Sadly, as much as we good pilots see, and I know that the vast majority of us on here are good pilots, rarely do we criticise or even report illegal and dangerous flying. In some instances, and certainly on other forums, such stunts are praised.
So yes Christine you are right to be worried about all these added regulations that increasingly limit where and how we can fly, but I would argue that some of the rules need tightening further to protect our futures.

solentlife Posted at 2018-8-25 03:56
RHP was in fact correct.

DJi Drones are easy to fly because of the programming and Flight Controller designed to create a stable camera platform.

"Most"?  No.  Some?  Yes.  But you know people are going to gravitate towards easy and it only takes a few yoyo's to ruin it for everyone else.  So I'm standing firm.

Christine96 Posted at 2018-8-26 05:19
"Most"?  No.  Some?  Yes.  But you know people are going to gravitate towards easy and it only takes a few yoyo's to ruin it for everyone else.  So I'm standing firm.

each is entitled to own opinion. Let me expand on my side and I think RHP will agree :

RHP was in fact correct.

DJi Drones are easy to fly because of the programming and Flight Controller designed to create a stable camera platform.

DJI have spent time and trouble to go further than most multi-rotor producers to create a stable literally autonomous flying machine. It dos not take Einstein intelligence to go fly one.

But most other Drones ... I do hate that word ... they are Multi Rotors actually ... do not have such sophisticated Flight Controller / Programming.
Go try fly a SYMA ... or Echine .... any of the other makes that abound ... you will soon realise that ATTI mode on a DJI is even better than they have !!

They have 6 axis on many even the cheap toy grades - BUT they are hard to fly and crash so often its amazing they keep going. Go into any Toy Shop and have a look .. the packaging is alluring to the kids ... they imply they are easy to fly and safe ... no wonder Parents shell out $30 .. $50 ... $100 or so on this crap ... but they are still part of 'our' hobby and every incident they have impacts on us.

I was a Reviewer and Tester for a number of brands .... believe me when I say - some of them made me seriously think about giving up !! I've been model flying for over 55 yrs ....


I fly / boat / drive many different models from large gasoline powered down to small electric stuff as well as various Multi Rotors from palm sized up to the Phantoms ... out of all (current hangar is over 55 models all ready to fly) - I can safely say the DJi Phantom is the most easy to fly  and boring model I have.
I have passed controller to friends who have absolutely no idea of flying a model and within a few secs of me telling what sticks do - are flying a circuit. Try that with any lesser drone or other type model ...

Nigel

@Christine96, Give you any of my regular drones to do a few maneuvers...

Now if you succeed, you can keep it. Simple enough?


Drones are easy to fly... grin


RedHotPoker

I did think it was important to contact my representatives, so I used his links and sent the letter to them.... it only took a few minutes

Alvaro L Posted at 2018-8-22 23:30
Nothing is going to stop the drone industry but in some years it will be a very different story in my opinion. Celular networks will be used to track every drone in flight, so enjoy your long distance BLOS flying while you can because that will be history. At the end and as a result of several accidents and bad acting, the same security culture of the traditional aviation industry will be forced upon us and our drones (> 250 grams > 20 metres height) will be tracked in real time by other air space operators using celular networks and 5G. And finally, with newer FAA/EASA certified models we will have the same percentage of human error versus malfunction in drone crashes like the in the traditional aviation, which is about 95% due to human error. Drones won't be allowed to fall from the sky like stones and manufactures will have to certify failure rates. In fact manned drones will be more secure and less prone to failure than manned aircrafts.

I like the idea of manned drones... I hope to fly my drone from the cock pit of a manned drone.... I also am a fan of a long battery life and my drone on a cellular network... a bit of a load carry... something like lunch deliveries... oh, the dreams

yarik83 Posted at 2018-8-23 06:10
I don't know what you mean by "hobby is still going strong".

There is a 80% chance you are not allowed to fly where you want to fly. That includes just about anywhere and everywhere. I travel a lot and see no drone signs EVERYWHERE. DJI competition - out of business. FPV racing is a small niche where they fly within 100-200ft of themselves like 3 ft off the ground so that does not count. Hobby is not growing. It is shrinking because people buying drones can't fly them where they want to, crash them and too expensive to replace. Sky is not falling but demand for drones is on natural decline.

Somewhat in agreement... my local advertisers just hobbied the drone reg.. submitted commercial footage... I refuse to give up... I look for the children as they are riding their bikes... playing off in the distance ... local convenience stores are trapping pigeons and letting them die in cages where nobody sees... ... I keep getting some band players wanting the fly by angles.. and it’s really been helping on site with structure squareness... roof leaks and compare /contrast situations... hopefully it will turn into more... farmers are wanting to see if newborn cattle are dropped in the fields...helping them see the need for me is the trick...just got to get them to offer up a bit more $::: I so want to get up in the matrice range

Christine96 Posted at 2018-8-26 05:19
"Most"?  No.  Some?  Yes.  But you know people are going to gravitate towards easy and it only takes a few yoyo's to ruin it for everyone else.  So I'm standing firm.

Please do keep standing firm.  Each time I see stupid flying, or dangerously taken pictures being praised, I question the money I spent on getting my PfCO here in the UK. Little change out of around $4000.  Whilst the 'hobby' part can continue, it may well become so regulated that few will be bother. On the commercial side, the increasing number of regulations spawned by reckless flyers will certainly be a limiting factor. For me I will continue to fly as long as I can as my physical limitations will stop me flying more quickly than any new regulations.

I don't think the SKY IS FALLING but I do believe that it will CLOUD UP AND RAIN ALL OVER US HOBBIEST.

Edward J Smith Posted at 2018-8-28 16:45
I don't think the SKY IS FALLING but I do believe that it will CLOUD UP AND RAIN ALL OVER US HOBBIEST.

Yeah.


Big Brother will always be watching over us...

RedHotPoker

I am not a pessimist. I am a realist. In fact I am both a hobbyist and a commercial drone pilot so I got both angles there.

#1 commercial drone industry is simply cost prohibitive. Case in point.

You can not get engineering spec aerial topo surveys from a drone. You can not cover enough land as you would from a Cessna plane equipped with lidar sensors and image sensors. Software like Pix4D take FOREVER to process your imagery which to be even remotely "engineering ballpark" also require using survey grade trimble gps units. By that point you are sitting pretty with a $1,500-40,000 drone, $6,000 Pix4D software. $10,000 ESRI software to process imagery, Professional geographer/photogrammetrist, not to mention liability insurance requirements, access constraints, licensing, deliverables etc.... so your project to fly say 250 acres costs $5,000 1 week turnaround using a conventional method of professional survey company using a plane or $1,000 using a drone with no engineering spec. Mind you that is from a standpoint of industry insider where company would rather pay $5,000 than $1,000.

You can't be a Joe off the street flying your phantom offering aerials/topo to sell despite the fact that your phantom can fly and get the aerials and extrapolate gibberish topography after 11 hours of crunching the darn pix4d, which average Joe can't afford anyways or afford a GIS/CAD program to process and produce a decent deliverable. Even using Microsoft ICE to stitch aerials for free does not pass the smell test considering 90% of the time you can purchase or get aerial imagery for free. Not to mention having necessity to obtain things like MSHA/OSHA/high liability insurance/be approved as a vendor to companies etc.

Our company has a Matrice which I have never seen but they used it for thermal imagery at the plant a couple few times. $40,000... perpetually brakes.... downtime 99% despite all efforts to make use of it. Our phantom that we use has 99.9% downtime.

And then there is the recreational aspect.

I just came back from a 1700 mile roundtrip rv trip. Florida-Georgia-Tennessee-North Carolina-South Carolina. Every single place we went to has no drone signs. Ohh yeah the hobby is doing great. Here, let me fly one of my drones at a local soccer field. Cop shows up... tells me I can't fly there despite being only person there. Can't fly on a beach, at a state or county parks, not in national parks, not in hiking areas, not locally and dji app is kicking and screaming every time someone has a grass airfield in 5 mile radius, can't register or update drone but forced to update while connected to wifi which I do not have because I am so remote so no cell signal.

Price of drones plummeted off a cliff. Wallmart sells phantoms for $399 which is a disaster for hobby and commercial use drone market.

Sky is not falling but the ripple effect of drone hysteria took its ultimate toll. My recent trip to smokey national park. drone signs plastered all over. Can't fly. Hike up the alum cave bluff which is one of best hikes in the park... some metrosexual instagram model is flying a drone ruining for people like US. Ranger was called by some old geezer who sprinted down the mountain like a gazelle on way back from La Conte peak and started picking a fight with the person flying a drone. Ranger was hiking up the mountain, trouble ensued etc etc.

Real estate drone photography is also a bust. Just about every subdivision with HOA banned drones and what few drone pictures make their way into realtor websites are cost prohibitive for realtors to hire a drone pilot rather than buying a drone and doing it themselves.

This is the reality. I do not care about AMA, never did, never will. I do not care about CAA and FAA and all sorts of things that rhyme with AA. I just see reality for what it is. Much like gopro that created all this buzz and all that jazz... people eventually started using it a lot less and switching to dslr to vlog and whatever. Drones are no different. Only people profiting from drones are those that make and sell them. I am all for R&D and utilization but when you can't fly. ....

Interesting.  I have yet to see a no drone zone sign except in a jpg.  I'm sure they're around, but for some reason I haven't seen one.  I was in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and on the Blue Ridge Parkway two weeks ago for quite a bit and didn't see a sign.  Not that it matters.  Everybody knows you don't fly in a national park.  Did quite a bit of hiking.  It's quiet.  It's nice.  I did hear a small plane overhead during the end of one of the hikes, but other than that, it was dead quiet except for the sound of running brooks.  I understand why they don't want drones there.  

Not a problem.  You don't need a national park to find a good place to fly.  The national forests are amazing and you can fly all you want.  Jones Knob?  What a crazy-ass cool place to fly a drone!  

https://tinyurl.com/y94c8jk3

Pretty Place is another nice launch location.

https://www.google.com/search?rl ... i8i7i30.BwCXTXfV_Dw

Bored yet?  How about just launch from the side of a road?  



The beauty beyond those trees ahead is immeasurable and infinite.

Re the AMA, if you do some research you might realize the reason we have the liberties we do when flying recreationally is due to the AMA's lobbying efforts.  Is there a country on this planet that has more freedom than the US regarding hobby flying?  I don't think so.  Who do you thank?  You thank the AMA.

And this is what I fundamentally disagree with.

Just about every single non first world country has more flying freedoms than USA. I can say that with reasonable confidence because I travel quite a bit.

Only areas around the non first world where drones are restricted are areas heavily trafficked by first world tourists.

yarik83 Posted at 2018-9-12 05:07
And this is what I fundamentally disagree with.

Just about every single non first world country has more flying freedoms than USA. I can say that with reasonable confidence because I travel quite a bit.

Yeah but we have toilets that flush and electricity.  Can you name a few countries that have more drone freedoms than USA but that also have toilets that flush and electricity?  Thanks

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-9-12 05:20
Yeah but we have toilets that flush and electricity.  Can you name a few countries that have more drone freedoms than USA but that also have toilets that flush and electricity?  Thanks

Exactly how far "in the stone age" do you think the rest of the world is?

Allow me to demonstrate.

I just came back from Smokey National Park/Blue Ridge Parkway/Tallulah Gorge/ETC.

ZERO cell signal and no electricity in campgrounds unless you consider light bulbs in public toilet.

Speaking of toilets... at the blue ridge parkway, many NPS stops have a a toilet that is nothing but a hole in the ground.

Take backwards 3rd world country like Honduras. I fly to Roatan every couple of years. Cliffs and amazing scenery - check, electricity check, working toilets, also check. police roll up to me armed to the teeth and make sure I do not get robbed and giggle like little girls when looking at my ipad as drone captures stunning video.

Cayman Brac has a stunning cliff. Not one sign on the island about drones, fly all you want.

I used to fly my drone in national parks, state parks, county parks etc parks here in USA...beaches, mountains etc.... nobody cared.

And then legislation happened because liberal propaganda machine and conservative doomsday sky is falling conglomerate made it all about spying on someone's wife in the bathroom shower.

It is amazing how you can be in ohh I don't know uzbekibekibekistanstanstan and fly a drone but heaven forbid you live within 1 inch of Washington dc no fly radius... where it takes you 2 hours to get to actual Washington dc.

Lobbying and all this hoopla is not about giving you freedoms but about clawing back to get freedoms you used to have while heavily regulated.

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-9-12 05:20
...Can you name a few countries that have more drone freedoms than USA but that also have toilets that flush and electricity?  Thanks

Waiting...

yarik83 Posted at 2018-9-12 05:07
And this is what I fundamentally disagree with.

Just about every single non first world country has more flying freedoms than USA. I can say that with reasonable confidence because I travel quite a bit.

What is this "non first world country" ...... I have seen more 'hick' villages / towns in USA than many countries I have travelled ... and its easier for me to count how many I have NOT visited than how many I have !

Sorry to say this - but reason USA has generally more restrictive flight rules for Model Aircraft than others is down to numbers. Being a large population - you have more 'idiots' that cross the line of the 'ambulance chasing' style of legal reps .... creating a litigious society that is renowned for its over-reactionaility.
Why do you think many of USA regulations do not carry over to be enacted in other countries ? But believe me ... as an active member of LARPAS .. Latvian group advising Latvian CAA - we debate and analyse other countries regs as whether useful ....

Nigel

yarik83 Posted at 2018-9-12 04:20
I am not a pessimist. I am a realist. In fact I am both a hobbyist and a commercial drone pilot so I got both angles there.

#1 commercial drone industry is simply cost prohibitive. Case in point.

When you can't fly, only pirates will have drones.

Faced that problem back in the 1970s.. couldn't legally put a radio station on the air--the industry is locked up by a cartel, with the FCC as its strongarm enforcer. Finally, I said screw that and put my own unlicensed station on the air.

When government makes it near impossible to live legally, many will live illegally. It's a fact of life. Libertarian/anarchists are ungovernable. The key to killing off government regulations when the ballot box fails, is to become ungovernable. ;)

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-9-12 04:48
Interesting.  I have yet to see a no drone zone sign except in a jpg.  I'm sure they're around, but for some reason I haven't seen one.  I was in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and on the Blue Ridge Parkway two weeks ago for quite a bit and didn't see a sign.  Not that it matters.  Everybody knows you don't fly in a national park.  Did quite a bit of hiking.  It's quiet.  It's nice.  I did hear a small plane overhead during the end of one of the hikes, but other than that, it was dead quiet except for the sound of running brooks.  I understand why they don't want drones there.  

Not a problem.  You don't need a national park to find a good place to fly.  The national forests are amazing and you can fly all you want.  Jones Knob?  What a crazy-ass cool place to fly a drone!  

Japan currently has no drone regulations or registration requirements. We're in the process of moving to Japan (Hokkaido for us) and planning our next trip for real estate purchase there.

I have yet to be arrested for photography in Japan. Unlike post 9/11 New York, they are not paranoid of cameras.

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-9-12 05:20
Yeah but we have toilets that flush and electricity.  Can you name a few countries that have more drone freedoms than USA but that also have toilets that flush and electricity?  Thanks

Australia for one. We have far fewer no-fly zones, great flushing toilets and bugger all guns. What more would any sane person want.

Mark Weiss Posted at 2018-9-12 11:55
Japan currently has no drone regulations or registration requirements. We're in the process of moving to Japan (Hokkaido for us) and planning our next trip for real estate purchase there.

I have yet to be arrested for photography in Japan. Unlike post 9/11 New York, they are not paranoid of cameras.

Japan currently has no drone regulations or registration requirements.
Is there some sort of problem that prevents Google working in your part of the world?
It took me 5 seconds to find this: http://dronelawjapan.com/
That indicates pretty clearly that there are drone regulations in Japan.

So do these:
https://uavcoach.com/drone-laws-in-japan/
http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/koku/uas.html
https://www.tomstechtime.com/japan
https://drone-traveller.com/drone-laws-japan/
https://dronelife.com/2018/01/05/japan-eyes-tougher-rules-drones-people-candy-drone-crash/
etc, etc

Let's not turn this thread into bashing of each other thread.

I am not going to list countries simply because it is like a whack a mole. Countries all around the world may have some rules, guidance's, legislation or expectations but enforcement and public perception of there of are completely different.

On my recent trip to Russia for example, I was literally the only person with the camera there. The word "gopro" is not even in their collective vocabulary. Nobody running about with DSLR cameras. take a phone out, snap a quick tasteful picture, put it away. Not like here in USA where everyone is an instagram star.

Even if the country has a law regulating drones, it is how public sees it. You are not going to encounter "you can't fly here crowd" and you are not going to have self appointed "volunteer Nazis" telling you what you can and can not do.

After visiting 34 countries and 19 states, I can tell you that USA, at least in my experience has some of the nastiest rudest self centered conniving people imaginable. The word "good citizen" does not apply to most that live in USA because it is part of the culture.

Take Japan for example, since you mentioned it. UNCONDITIONAL respect for the elder/older, people take off shoes and bow and cover their face when sick and generally have an apologetic demeanor while being world innovator in technology. The guys are like 50 years ahead of us in technical age. Do they have rules and laws? Of course.

Also. Please stop thinking that USA is #1. It is not, never has been, never will be. Saying it does not make it so.

Medical/pharmaceutical/vehicular leaders are Germany
Technological and electronic are singapour, japan and malasia.
Vehiclular culture (ie car racing) is UK
Alcohol/wine/etc is france
Fragnances france

Do I really need to continue?

USA has hotspots of stuff like silicone valley and Disney but it is a whole bunch of nothing significant in between. Heck, even landscape sucks.

I live in Florida where 90% of it looks the same. Same flora and fauna, same buildings and stores, no culture to speak of unless you count people of walmart.

Irrespective of actual laws... I think it really boils down to how tolerant people are. People in USA are largely intolerant, I can tell you that much with confidence.

"On my recent trip to Russia for example, I was literally the only person with the camera there. The word "gopro" is not even in their collective vocabulary. Nobody running about with DSLR cameras. take a phone out, snap a quick tasteful picture, put it away. " ...

Strange ... I have actually asked many people to NOT take photos with me in frame in RUSSIA ... I am married to Russian, live in a predominantly Russian Community in Latvia (Former Soviet State) .. I travel extensively in Russia and former soviet states. Unless you go out to villages - you will see latest Smartphones along with designer clothes etc.
GoPro ? Is well known and used by many Russians ... strange !

Of course if you are in close proximity to Govt buildings or Military - then you will not see camera's snapping photos because of the rules against photographing such. But get away from such - and snap snap snap !!

Nigel

Japan still doesn't require registration and most of the country, outside of cities (for good reason) is wide open, with common sense rules. Much better place to fly a drone than much of the US, which is government owned land and automatically off-limits.

Yarik83 pointed out just some of the reasons why my wife and I are in the process of relocating to Japan. We can't stand the taxation without representation that has become a joke here in the US. And the cops in Japan don't walk into your apartment, thinking it is theirs and then shoot you for being in your own apartment. ;)

Just fly and enjoy it