Our biggest story this week is about a Philadelphia drone pilot and YouTuber, Mikey. FAA’s decision to slap a mammoth $185,000 fine (!) on Mikey for his 123 infractions has been met with disbelief and mixed reactions by industry stake-holders.

While there are some who feel that Mikey had it coming after blatanty ignoring FAA’s many warnings, there are yet others who feel that this fine is too harsh.

Whichever side of the fence that you are on, this incident again highlights how our current system is setting up our drone pilots for massive failure. A drone can be bought online or from a store just like any other smartphone or camera, and it does not come up with a list of do’s and don’ts.

FAA’s failure to properly educate pilots (and especially first-time flyers) means that there are many who are unaware of what all they need do to fly legally without fiouting any laws.

Our next story is about flying drones in NYC. A while back we had published this detailed guide which revealed all there is to know about NYC drone laws. As many of you might be aware, an old avigation law prohibits drone pilots from taking off and landing in NYC. Inspite of persistent efforts by drone proponents, we have, so far, been unable to do away with this regressive law.

However, in a latest development, authorities have woken up to the fact that using drones for calculating property taxes can result in significant cost savings. With NYC collecting $27 billion in property taxes every year, this is certainly a very strong case for overturning this old law. Watch this space for more updates!

Other topics discussed in today’s show include DJI’s new FPV drone and using drones for historical reconstruction. Enjoy!

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Timestamps

• [01:13] FAA slaps a $185,000 fine on a Philadelphia drone pilot
• [03:29] An open and shut case has compounded Mikey’s troubles
• [04:56] Can Mikey fight back and get his fines reduced?
• [06:14] Do you need a Part 107 license if you are posting your footage on social media?
• [10:00] How a lack of education is setting up drone pilots for failure
• [13:03] Is there any real need to distinguish between commercial and hobby pilots?
• [14:08] What should you do if you are contacted by the FAA?
• [16:47] NYC Drone Laws – how a 1948 avigation law prevents drones from taking off and landing in NYC
• [18:15] Will financial considerations finally convince the FAA to reconsider their stance?
• [24:54] Drones for good – Data shows that drones have been instrumental in saving over 500 lives!
• [25:52] As a token of our appreciation, we are giving away our search and rescue class to public safety officials
• [26:52] DJI releases a teaser video which hints at a Christmas release for their FPV drone
• [29:53] Historians plan to digitally recreate pre-historic drawings discoverd in the Amazon using drones