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It's not commercial if it's free right?

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Hi there, new drone pilot and new to this site. I've had my bebop 2 "power" for a few months now and I've gotten pretty comfortable flying and editing videos, I even stumbled across Pix4Dcapture to make stunning 3D models of buildings.

I'm wondering though, if I offered to take realty photos and videos for free, either commercial businesses or residential (in exchange I only get the experience and the video for my portfolio) would that still be within FAA regulations? I want to fly, and I want to take cool videos with my new drone but locations can be limited. I figured this would be the best way to get permission to fly around otherwise restricted areas but I don't want to push the limits of the law.

Quick thanks to all of the users on here, this is my first stop for all my drone questions and you've all been a great help getting started!
 
Any video you offer for free if used by that person to help out their business is considered commercial so no you cannot do that. Now if you have a photo posted someplace and 5 or 6 months later hallmark comes along and asks you if they can buy it from you that is just fine as your intent when taking that photo at the time was just recreational.
 
That's exactly what I was looking for! I have zero intentions of making money with this right now. This would all be for practice and a change of scenery. I'll probably stick with residential only, and put a water mark that states it can't be used for marketing.

I intend to get my commercial license eventually, but for now I just want to have fun and get better.
 
Also, if you are flying in restricted airspace, it is important that you get a LAANC authorization via an app such as Kittyhawk or Airmap.
 
I was under the impression that only commercial pilots could request temporary authorizations. I thought, for me, restricted was restricted. Thank you!
 
There are so many definitions of airspace that restricted has several meanings. There is military restricted airspace, temporary restricted airspace for fires, natural disasters, etc. Forget about getting authorization to fly in those. What you are talking about is mostly controlled airspace, like the five mile circle around airports with control towers and much larger controlled airspace near big cities.
Recreational pilots can get authorization for specific Flight Plans in controlled airspace via LAANC, usually near the edges of such. You could TRY to get authorization for a drone flight directly under final approach into DFW, but don't hold your breath! ?‍♂️

Learn more here: UAS Data Exchange (LAANC)


Here is a good place to find the controlled airspace near you: SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts

And a tutorial on how to read the sectional charts for airspace:

By the time you have sufficient knowledge to fly in controlled airspace with a temporary authorization you will know half of what it takes to get a Part 107 license. It's all about airspace....more airspace,......and nothing but airspace. As a pilot for 45 years and now retired I can STILL mis-identify local airspace.
 
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That's exactly what I was looking for! I have zero intentions of making money with this right now. This would all be for practice and a change of scenery. I'll probably stick with residential only, and put a water mark that states it can't be used for marketing.

I intend to get my commercial license eventually, but for now I just want to have fun and get better.

Easy: Just get friends and neighbors to agree to let you try videoing their homes and give them the footage with the understanding that ONLY they get a link to the footage and may not ever sell it. (No posting) Now, I did have to use YouTube to give them a link to the large files, but I only gave that link to the homeowner, then deleted the (Unlisted) footage after a week or so. I got in touch with some local non-profits and offered to do whatever they wanted for free. THAT was quite a learning experience! I had never tried to film a meandering creek from 80 feet before, and I learned quickly that it was much smoother to use Flight Plan.
 
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Easy: Just get friends and neighbors to agree to let you try videoing their homes and give them the footage with the understanding that ONLY they get a link to the footage and may not ever sell it. (No posting) Now, I did have to use YouTube to give them a link to the large files, but I only gave that link to the homeowner, then deleted the (Unlisted) footage after a week or so. I got in touch with some local non-profits and offered to do whatever they wanted for free. THAT was quite a learning experience! I had never tried to film a meandering creek from 80 feet before, and I learned quickly that it was much smoother to use Flight Plan.
Actually for all of the examples you gave there, you are required to have Part 107. Only way you can fly as a hobbyist is when you fly for your own personal enjoyment. Even if there is no monetary exchange, you are doing it for the bennefit of others. Part 107 doesn't exacly mean commercial. It's a common misconception.
 
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But it IS for my own personal enjoyment! Just because I make a gift of the footage to someone later shouldn't change the noncommercial nature of my flights. When I was doing aerial photography from my plane I charged for the mounted photos and I had a commercial license. I gave a few of them away over the years and I didn't think of that as a commercial operation.....but we all know the FAA has some very strange ideas about definitions, and they change all the time. I still have a commercial aircraft license, but I can't use it because I have not taken a Flight Review in ten years, nor do I have a current medical.

I can easily pass the Part 107 written, after all I taught this stuff for 30 years, I just get angry because they now charge a whopping $150 and I have to travel to a "Written Test Center", which is 80 miles away for another $50 or so. It used to be free at any FSDO. :mad:
 
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Actually for all of the examples you gave there, you are required to have Part 107. Only way you can fly as a hobbyist is when you fly for your own personal enjoyment. Even if there is no monetary exchange, you are doing it for the bennefit of others. Part 107 doesn't exacly mean commercial. It's a common misconception.
Do you have any legislation to support this? Or know of someone that has gotten in trouble for it when they legitimately did it for nothing in return? Like I mentioned earlier I'm checking on this to cover my a$$, all I'm looking for is experience and the videos. I even considered water marking the video to say it's for non commercial purposes only.
 
But it IS for my own personal enjoyment! Just because I make a gift of the footage to someone later shouldn't change the noncommercial nature of my flights. When I was doing aerial photography from my plane I charged for the mounted photos and I had a commercial license. I gave a few of them away over the years and I didn't think of that as a commercial operation.....but we all know the FAA has some very strange ideas about definitions, and they change all the time.
That's exactly how I see it! @Agustine earlier gave the example that so long as you took the video with no intentions of ever selling it or of a business benefiting from it, you were in the clear.
 
There are so many definitions of airspace that restricted has several meanings. There is military restricted airspace, temporary restricted airspace for fires, natural disasters, etc. Forget about getting authorization to fly in those. What you are talking about is mostly controlled airspace, like the five mile circle around airports with control towers and much larger controlled airspace near big cities.
Recreational pilots can get authorization for specific Flight Plans in controlled airspace via LAANC, usually near the edges of such. You could TRY to get authorization for a drone flight directly under final approach into DFW, but don't hold your breath! ?‍♂️

Learn more here: UAS Data Exchange (LAANC)


Here is a good place to find the controlled airspace near you: SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts

And a tutorial on how to read the sectional charts for airspace:

By the time you have sufficient knowledge to fly in controlled airspace with a temporary authorization you will know half of what it takes to get a Part 107 license. It's all about airspace....more airspace,......and nothing but airspace. As a pilot for 45 years and now retired I can STILL mis-identify local airspace.
Thanks for all of the information and links! I'll definitely be visiting those sites to begin learning more about the different types of airspace.
 
But it IS for my own personal enjoyment! Just because I make a gift of the footage to someone later shouldn't change the noncommercial nature of my flights. When I was doing aerial photography from my plane I charged for the mounted photos and I had a commercial license. I gave a few of them away over the years and I didn't think of that as a commercial operation.....but we all know the FAA has some very strange ideas about definitions, and they change all the time. I still have a commercial aircraft license, but I can't use it because I have not taken a Flight Review in ten years, nor do I have a current medical.

I can easily pass the Part 107 written, after all I taught this stuff for 30 years, I just get angry because they now charge a whopping $150 and I have to travel to a "Written Test Center", which is 80 miles away for another $50 or so. It used to be free at any FSDO. :mad:
Te RePl test that is coming soon will be free. Things are changing really fast in the drone world and sometimes it's really hard to keep up. The FAA stance in Hoobyist vs Part 107 has turned black or white though. If you fly for your own amusement without any other motive (like flying an RC plane), then you are good to go. Anything else requires Part 107.

A simpler example which you will find dumb, but that's how it is, would be:

If you asked me to test out the Anafi's waypoint mission system and I do, it requires Part 107, because I have a motive other than flying for fun. It is a long stretch to prove and the FAA will not bother themselves against you, unless someone reports you, yeah....
 
Do you have any legislation to support this? Or know of someone that has gotten in trouble for it when they legitimately did it for nothing in return? Like I mentioned earlier I'm checking on this to cover my a$$, all I'm looking for is experience and the videos. I even considered water marking the video to say it's for non commercial purposes only.
I have relations with my local FSDO and have asked this question for the heck of it many times. They always give the same answer. Here are your local FSDO phone numbers.
Screenshot_20190806-223556_Chrome.jpg

You can record videos as a hobbyist, post them on youtube and tell people about it. There is no problem with that. Just make sure that when you record your video you did it while flying for fun and not because your neighbor asked you to.

In most cases the FAA will not bother with you, unless someone reports you. Just make sure to respect controlled airspace, TFRs, don't fly over people, low near properties (which will cause a report against you), always give way to manned aircrafts, etc. There are a few more, but it's late and my brain is shutting down.

Don't be scared and overwhelmed with the amount of information. Just ask around and people will help you out. In time you will learn them and be a knowledgeable and respectful pilot.

I do encourage you to take your Part 107 test. It will teach you most of what you need to know about safe flying and you won't be limited by all of this. It is a bit expensive, as @Rocky the FS pointed out, but well worth it in my opinion.
 
I do encourage you to take your Part 107 test. It will teach you most of what you need to know about safe flying and you won't be limited by all of this. It is a bit expensive, as @Rocky the FS pointed out, but well worth it in my opinion.
Heh. I am slowly being dragged kicking and screaming into the same attitude. It's the same reasoning why I got a concealed weapons permit 10 years ago. CYA!!! I just think it's outrageous that the FAA makes us prove it again.....and again.....and again.....It's not like keeping your piloting skills sharp, that's a whole different matter, and easily lost in just 6 months! This retesting of airspace knowledge could be tested online for pennies once a year.
 
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Heh. I am slowly being dragged kicking and screaming into the same attitude. It's the same reasoning why I got a concealed weapons permit 10 years ago. CYA!!! I just think it's outrageous that the FAA makes us prove it again.....and again.....and again.....It's not like keeping your piloting skills sharp, that's a whole different matter, and easily lost in just 6 months! This retesting of airspace knowledge could be tested online for pennies once a year.
The retest. You only take half the exam. Not the full thing. I may be talking out of my bum bum, but isn't it the same for pilots?

Btw I gave you a reply earlier, but the system marked it as spam. Waiting on moderators to release it. ?
 
I'm not sure. But I will definitely find out before forking over $150! AFAIK, you have to retest the whole thing every two years and it costs $150.

Airplane pilots still have to prove their knowledge and skills every two years ( Biennial Flight Review), but unless they let that lapse they do not have to re-take the written.
 
This is how the retest is distributed. As you can see, things like the weather or the airport sign sections are no longer there, unlike the first time you take the test.
recurrent.jpeg
 

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