Police Chief vows to deploy an unmanned aerial vehicle despite contentions

On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:48:11 GMT, "Blueskies"
wrote:

As long as they maintain visual contact with it at all times and the
pilot is a member of AMA, they should be fine.

If not - good luck. FAA will stomp on them.

AMA membership is NOT required to fly an RC aircraft, most folks join so they comply with a club's requirements and for
the AMA provided insurance coverage...

FAA can try to stomp, but this 'small' aircraft will be flying ~400' high and will be within sight of the operator, not
real different from a plain ol' RC airplane. Sounds like it would be an interesting test case at least.

When you consider that 12-year-old kids can go to Wal-Mart and buy an electric
RC plane...complete with camera...for $150, this is going to be an interesting
problem to try and squash.

Here's a couple I took last Friday, flying one of those.

http://www.wanttaja.com/rcpix.jpg
http://www.wanttaja.com/rcpix2.jpg

Plane supposedly can go to 1,000 feet, and fly for ten minutes on a NiMH battery
pack (the camera is powered by two "button" cells). I suppose for another
$29,850, the cops'll have one that'll fly longer and have better resolution.

Ron "My wife buys me neat toys for Christmas" Wanttaja