I got an email from DJI today talking about their live stream on ESPN from the Rose Bowl.   Do you think ESPN or DJI will hear from the FAA?   

Here is the video:  http://youtu.be/55sovF6J1Hw

Tom

Any of us (myself included) who use our drones in relation with a web site or writing or books - and then have income from those efforts - are commercial also. Apparently the FAA only goes after easy targets...they know DJI and ESPN will give them bad press and load of lawyers letters.

According to the FAA, and as seen in reality, the FAA only goes after people if there are complaints. The FAA is not an enforcement agency. You can use a drone to do whatever you want and unless someone brings it to the FAA's attention they won't do anything. Now if the DJI drone at the Rose Bowl happens to crash into a crowd of people, DJI can expect there to be an investigation and probably a big fine.

Why would DJI not be a commercial operator?  You don't think they did all the paperwork before filming at such an event?

Al...

aladrian@gmail. Posted at 2015-4-1 00:04
Why would DJI not be a commercial operator?  You don't think they did all the paperwork before filmi ...

I don't know...
Chances are they have the permission of the network, etc. - but all airspace is FAA controlled.....who knows, maybe airspace within a structure (like inside your home or up to the upper level of a stadium) is not FAA?

All they have to do is hire one of the local companies with a 333 exemption.  I doubt DJI will try to get around the rules in place.  That would be dumb.