EU in favour of uav's?

[red-panda]

Not into building uav's myself, but regularly check this thread to see what's going on. Thought you guys might be interested in this bit of European news.
www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/29/eda_friendly_skies_for_flying_robots/

chris

[workshop]

Ouch!

Shame on you FAA! Please get your act together soon. We are ALL tired of waiting and the lost opportunity cost to tax paying Americans must be in the billions of dollars by now.

Jeff W. Parisse
Director, kVA Effects
www.teslacoil.com
310-748-5893

[macboffin]

Some sensational tabloid type news items there, but not very realistic.
Very serious UK and European UAV manufacturers associations have been trying for many years to come up with operating systems acceptable to air traffic controllers, licensing authorities,pilots etc for operating UAVs in the same airspace,(ie ALL airspace) used by general aviation and Military users for commercial and civil authority users such as Police, Customs, etc. Not much progress so far.The headline grabbing quadcopters etc are little more than toys, (although expensive ones) and unlikely to cause much damage if they fall on someones head. However, those who fly the usual sort of R/C model are well aware of what happens when they hit someone, or a car.
(BMFA insurance claim statistics say greatest number of claims involve models hitting cars.) A three pound seagull can bring down a Harrier jet,(this has happened several times) and no full-size pilot wants to meet, say, a twenty pound aircraft doing fifty knots or more; too small to be seen in time to avoid.Don't expect UAVs to be using general airspace very soon!

[macboffin]

Ouch!

Shame on you FAA! Please get your act together soon. We are ALL tired of waiting and the lost opportunity cost to tax paying Americans must be in the billions of dollars by now.

Jeff W. Parisse
Director, kVA Effects
www.teslacoil.com
310-748-5893 What opportunities did you have in mind?

[workshop]

Automated Low Altitude Crop Photography
Automated Low Altitude Fence Line Inspection
Automated Low Altitude Power Line Thermal Inspection
Automated Low Altitude Petroleum Pipe Inspection
Automated Low Altitude Livestock Management
Automated Low Altitude Golf Course Plant Management
Automated Low Altitude Coastline Survey & Rescue
Automated Low Altitude Factory Fire Observation
Automated Low Altitude Air Quality Inspection
Automated Low Altitude At Sea Search and Rescue
etc., I'm getting bored... I could go on forever. :)

Venture capitalists can contact me via www.teslacoil.com (Contact Section).

Jeff

[macboffin]

Automated Low Altitude Crop Photography
Automated Low Altitude Fence Line Inspection
Automated Low Altitude Power Line Thermal Inspection
Automated Low Altitude Petroleum Pipe Inspection
Automated Low Altitude Livestock Management
Automated Low Altitude Golf Course Plant Management
Automated Low Altitude Coastline Survey & Rescue
Automated Low Altitude Factory Fire Observation
Automated Low Altitude Air Quality Inspection
Automated Low Altitude At Sea Search and Rescue
etc., I'm getting bored... I could go on forever. :)

Venture capitalists can contact me via www.teslacoil.com (Contact Section).

Jeff All of which are done here already,by "Model planes" of course!

[workshop]

Ah... that dry English wit... We love you Brits! :)

Jeff

[red-panda]

I agree with the comment on tabloid news, if you regularly read El Reg, you'll know this is their approach, and if you work in IT, this will either be amusing, a terrible reflection on the state of IT, or completely misleading. If you wish to check this furthur, either read the BOFH section, or search for "black helicopters", and don't forget your tinfoil hat. This link, from the page in question, to the EDA makes me think there may be some serious thought back in Europe. www.eda.europa.eu/newsitem.aspx?id=209

chris

Sorry, forgot to mention, ex-pat European, (or as some would have it, English)

[macboffin]

I agree with the comment on tabloid news, if you regularly read El Reg, you'll know this is their approach, and if you work in IT, this will either be amusing, a terrible reflection on the state of IT, or completely misleading. If you wish to check this furthur, either read the BOFH section, or search for "black helicopters", and don't forget your tinfoil hat. This link, from the page in question, to the EDA makes me think there may be some serious thought back in Europe. www.eda.europa.eu/newsitem.aspx?id=209

chris

Sorry, forgot to mention, ex-pat European, (or as some would have it, English) Also a Brit; or rather, Scot.Recently 4 years in London Ontario, following 4 years Texas.(Lil ole place called Bandera in the Hill country.)