Does the FAA still require visual contact?  With a mile range, it could not be seen even across an open field.  

unless you get a waiver, yes you (or your spotter) are required to keep vlos which means visual line of sight of your drone while it is flying.

The Saint Posted at 9-4 14:37
unless you get a waiver, yes you (or your spotter) are required to keep vlos which means visual line of sight of your drone while it is flying.

But do you do that?  When a mile away, how does one accomplish that?  I can see it for RC airplanes whose range was quite short.  If I simply set my drone down and walked a mile away, i doubt that anyone could see it even with a small telescope.  I understand the rule is that right now... but is it rational or possible to do?  

bob37 Posted at 9-4 16:51
But do you do that?  When a mile away, how does one accomplish that?  I can see it for RC airplanes whose range was quite short.  If I simply set my drone down and walked a mile away, i doubt that anyone could see it even with a small telescope.  I understand the rule is that right now... but is it rational or possible to do?

I'm sure a lot don't including me haha FAA requires that you keep visual on your drone. Most of the time I'm (taking close footage (my preference) of certain locations but there those times where I fly over water at a low altitude for over a mile in open waters keeping a close eye on the monitor.  

You're completely responsible should anything go wrong.

For example, some pilots fly the drone into a City behind buildings over say 1.5 mile away and expect that they will have control over their drone.....NNNNOOOOOO it's not going to happen.

It's just plain stupid to do that.

Use common sense and you'll ....anybody for that matter will be ok.


I'll flown thousands and thousands of miles of flight time and I would never ever fly behind a building.  You're bound to lose connection with the drone and lose it, and God only knows what will happen next.


Always have an open area in which you plan to fly. There should not be any obstacles in between the drone and controller.

Cars in the USA can only legally travel at 80 mph or less in most areas. But my American-made car is designed to do 150 mph. What does that tell you ;-)

Hi there. Hope that you could get the best recommendation from our fellow DJI Pilots here in Forum. In addition, with regards to the local laws and regulations, you may coordinate this with your local authorities to make sure you have an accurate resolution. Thank you for your valued support!

Cars in the USA can only legally travel at 80 mph or less in most areas. But my American-made car is designed to do 150 mph. What does that tell you ;-)

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Nice analogy.  

If you think about it carefully you'll see that VLOS was instituted for safety reasons.  Happy flying.

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https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreati ... ledge_test_updates/

Heck, it was really easy to pass, and I am in Canada, where our test is ridiculously hard.

bob37 Posted at 9-4 16:51
But do you do that?  When a mile away, how does one accomplish that?  I can see it for RC airplanes whose range was quite short.  If I simply set my drone down and walked a mile away, i doubt that anyone could see it even with a small telescope.  I understand the rule is that right now... but is it rational or possible to do?

i try to keep vlos as much as i can.  sometimes you have to look down at your screen and that's ok since vlos really means you can look up and see your drone and see the area all around it to avoid a collision.  you overestimate a mile, i've seen my drone at more than 2 miles....at night. ;)

there's a toll road in texas where the psl is 85.  i've been on that road and i don't mind saying it here, i've been 170 on it....for a tiny bit (same with my drone vlos).   but i trying to keep it around 100 which brings me to 2 points:

1.you have the law and then you stretch it just a little bit and from time to time, you might not fully comply; drone pilots are not always perfect.  sometimes you simply can't see your drone and it takes some time to "find" it even though it's nearby.
2.the law is the law until the law is changed.  i remember when the psl was 55.  then it went to 65.  and when the 70/75s came along, everybody said "that's not ok." now it's 80 and in one place at least 85...and it's ok.  and one day it will be 90....95....100.   vlos is the law until it isn't and bvlos will be ok and everybody will be ok with it.  because by then...it just "works."  from a safety perspective of course.