US Mavic pilots, please know the FAA rules before you fly.  I see many Mavic users posting video on social media clearly in violation of the rules. If your caught violating the rules (now matter how ridiculous some may seem) you can be fined $10,000 per each violation (see this article for an example of the type of fines: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/a ... al-flights-iy1ufqkr).  Also, know the FAA does search social media for violators.  Below is a quick summary of the major rules for anyone not aware. There's also a plethora of material out there online, including mobile apps, like Googleplay's UAS107 (link: https://play.google.com/store/ap ... nrobotix.labs&hl=en).  By following the rules, you can avoid an incident, and you can help keep the FAA from imposing more restrictions.  Please know before you fly!

Also, know the FAA does search social media for violators.

Can you provide a cite to support this statement?

DroneFlying Posted at 2017-4-15 05:49
Also, know the FAA does search social media for violators.

Can you provide a cite to back up this claim? I'm not a big fan of the videos you're talking about, but I don't believe that the FAA has anyone combing through them looking for violators.

Here are a few links:

Summary of rules: https://www.openrobotixlabs.com/faa-summary
FAA's stie: https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/

Fines vary based on the violation and can be more the $10k.  The FAA fined one company $1.9 millions dollars. See below from legal firm: https://jrupprechtlaw.com/tfr-violation

DJISenord Posted at 2017-4-15 06:17
Here are a few links:

Summary of rules: https://www.openrobotixlabs.com/faa-summary

Thanks, but none of those says anything about the FAA searching social media for violations.

DroneFlying Posted at 2017-4-15 05:49
Also, know the FAA does search social media for violators.

Can you provide a cite to support this statement?

Not 100% sure, but I have seen several Youtube videos where the FAA contacted people from out of the blue after posting drone videos. Other government agencies as well, like California Dept of Fish and Wildlife, since they say a video of someone flying in a protected area.

DroneFlying Posted at 2017-4-15 06:19
Thanks, but none of those says anything about the FAA searching social media for violations.

The FAA uses reports from viewers of social media sites.  So they may not actually have a task force, but with assistance from local law enforcement who are combing sites, they are catching violators as far back as 2015.  See the below article.
http://dronelife.com/2015/12/28/ ... nregistered-drones/
Better safe than sorry!

DJISenord Posted at 2017-4-15 06:26
The FAA uses reports from viewers of social media sites.  So they may not actually have a task force, but with assistance from local law enforcement who are combing sites, they are catching violators as far back as 2015.  See the below article.
http://dronelife.com/2015/12/28/ ... nregistered-drones/
Better safe than sorry!

That one also doesn't say anything about the FAA scanning social media.

dbsanders Posted at 2017-4-15 06:26
Not 100% sure, but I have seen several Youtube videos where the FAA contacted people from out of the blue after posting drone videos. Other government agencies as well, like California Dept of Fish and Wildlife, since they say a video of someone flying in a protected area.

Yeah,  I don't think they have task force ( they may), but posters of illegal video fail to realize that FAA officers use social media sights like any other person; and if they come across an illegal video, then you can be in big trouble.

DJISenord Posted at 2017-4-15 06:31
Yeah,  I don't think they have task force ( they may), but posters of illegal video fail to realize that FAA officers use social media sights like any other person; and if they come across an illegal video, then you can be in big trouble.

Ok, thanks anyway. Like you said, better safe than sorry.