![]() ![]() Kofsky learned to fly inside his home, weaving a $90 drone in figure eights through the holiday decorations draped from his ceiling. It's a good idea to start out with a cheap model, says Michael Kofsky, a video producer who has worked on projects for Consumer Reports and is based in Los Angeles. According to flight data saved in the cloud and reviewed later by the manufacturer, the problem was due to "a compass error of undetermined origin," which could mean "a faulty compass, failure to calibrate the compass before flight," or "electromagnetic interference." CR testers lost a $400 DJI Spark that zipped off on its own beyond the range of its controller-a mishap cited by other drone owners online. Today's drones are designed with automated flying features and built-in safeguards. You begin to notice tree branches, power lines, light poles, and all sorts of hazards looming overhead, he says. (For more restrictions, see below.)įlying a drone for a living teaches you to see the world differently, says Travis Jack, who runs Flyboy Photo & Media with wife Megan in Raleigh, N.C. That's why the FAA requires drone pilots to notify airports before flying within 5 miles of such facilities. According to FAA computer simulations, a high-speed collision with a passenger jet could damage the jet's engines, stabilizers, or wings. A drone that drifts out of view can hurt bystanders and personal property.ĭrones also can threaten larger aircraft. Hazardous crashes are fairly routine, especially among inexperienced pilots. Last November, Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization division of Consumer Reports, wrote to members of Congress (PDF) to request greater oversight-even from the FAA-to better ensure that drones are built to be safe. And the FAA, for its part, generally provides guidance for where recreational drones can be flown. The Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn't have the authority to set safety standards or oversee recalls for aircraft. ![]() Many models have guards that shield fingers from rotors and also come with low-battery warnings to alert the operator to land the drone before it falls from the sky. ![]()
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