We encourage everyone to fly UAVs for fun. If you’re a hobbyist, this article does not apply to you. Stop reading, go outside and get some amazing photographs!
Benefiting = Commercial
Anyone who “benefits” from UAV services that are created by an unlicensed pilot is subject to huge fines from the FAA. If one benefits in any way, the use of the drone is considered a commercial service. One cannot fly a commercial UAV service without a pilots license from the FAA. Even if the work is done for free and given to a real estate agent to use in a list, the agent “benefits” from the service. If the pilot receives football tickets instead of money, the pilot “benefits” from the service. Be careful out there because the FAA is cracking down on some very well meaning folks. There is a good article on the subject in Dronelife.
If you want some help in getting your pilot’s license there are some great resources on the web that can help you do just that. Perhaps in future articles we can highlight some resources that you can use to get your FAA certification.
It’s not that difficult to get into the business, there’s enough business to go around, and we’d love to see the work you’re doing.
Hiring A Hobbyist May Be A Federal Crime
I’m not a lawyer but here’s an article by a lawyer about the topic.
