AP/AVideography Licenses Requirements

[Stock Footage]

Hi All- Just thought I would come out of the shadows and join in. I have a question for y'all.

Here me and my gal were flying our F-550 taking in some glorious sunset videos at the beach, and some guy frantically approaches us. I thought something was wrong and asked if I could help him. He started asking me "Are you licensed to operate that drone". I thought he was a kook, so I told him yes, I have a business license, I am an LLC and I am bonded and insured. He tells me that I needed "special" licenses from the government to take stock photographs from a drone. I tried to educate him, but he had nothing to do with that. Figured him to be mental or something. I asked him to leave us alone, then I got the interrogation on the way home .

So since I must not have answered his nor my gals questions with the correct answers, I am here to ask you. And that is:

In the Northwest states of the United States, what is required for me to have while I partake in using my copter to take some stock photographs? Would this be the same for video use. I understand the complication of copyright and having model releases and such, but what federal or if you know, state requirements must I have?

I would be glad to check it out if I knew which direction to go.

Thanks a lot in advance.

SF

[Mapoff]

Right now as far as I know, hobby for funzies photography is clearly ok.

There is huge debate about commercial use. What I've read sounds more like a please don't do that for commercial than a hard rule. Lookup Trappy UVA. He flew like a maniac and recklessly through a university for money, and the FAA lost. The president told the FAA to actually create some rules and I believe we will see real rules that make it nearly impossible to do it for commercial. That guy sounded like someone who hates "drones". It's a freaking helicopter with a gopro on it probably. It's not shooting missiles. I want to use the word kook as well, but he just has a very negative opinion of RC flying anything. Too bad you weren't flying some multirotor. He would have needed a straight jacket.

[R_Lefebvre]

There is no permit system to legally allow you to do this. There are also no laws which make it illegal. The only laws that apply would be the same privacy laws that prevent you taking pictures of people and property if you were standing on a ladder.

Actually, you have even more freedom now. If you stand on a ladder to take pictures in their bedroom window, you are trespassing. If you hover outside their bedroom window, but you are standing on the street, you are not trespassing.

Somebody is going to have to do something about the situation FAST. They've been rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic for 7 years.

[Goldenhour]

I remember Washington last month passed a "drone" law. I pulled this up first on Google. But after a bill passes the house doesn't it have to pass the Senate and then the Governors' final signature and then a few months pass?
http://www.livescience.com/43492-was...rone-laws.html

Its my gut feeling that had the man actually known what he was talking about he would have approached you with more tact and diplomacy. I agree he was a nut case with not only control issues but anger management issues. Like me sometimes

[ImRich]

I think the person approaching the OP was just an misinformed person.

But don't forget to check your state and local laws, not just the federal laws. A lot of states have started placing their own laws on the books. And local towns and cities could also create their own laws.

There is a lot of 'drone mania' going around!

[Stock Footage]

Hi Guys, I got word back from all of the regulating agencies in the area I was in, and not one told me it was illegal. In fact, one of them told me about the judge ruling on the FAA advisory.

I am going to chalk it up to a pot head on a bad trip and just keep on keeping on till I get my letter from the FAA

Take Care!!!!

[wingbreaker]

It is not illegal, it is not advised. They can make you halt but cannot arrest you for doing it commercially.

[SurfSloper]

It's non-stop with that crap, for me. I live and film on the northern Oregon coast, and am constantly barated by kooky Portland tourists. I always wear a smile and try to point out all the positive roles they play, enforce the term UAV, but it is hard sometimes. It's like they have been grinding their teeth for months, driving themselves crazy on the drone issue, and when they see you flying, it all comes out; They feel they need to educate you.

My favorite question so far was "do you work for the government?"

As everyone else already stated, YES, you have everything in order to be flying.

If you really want to ease any tension and live in a rural community like I do, go talk to your sheriff and explain what you will be doing. I bet they will be very curiuos to see a drone , as they have probably been fighting endlessly to get one for search and rescue.