A federal judge just ruled DJI will stay on the Pentagon’s list of companies tied to China’s military. That does not ban them outright, but it blocks U.S. contracts and puts a big red flag on their name. DJI makes more than half the drones sold in this country and they have lobbied hard to keep the market open. Most of those drones weigh under 250 grams, the very size the FAA says does not need Remote ID.
The real danger is in helicopter territory, the air under 400 feet. Tankers on fire runs. Helicopters dropping into hospital pads. Crop dusters and ultralights working fields. These pilots already fight wires, weather, and terrain. Now they face swarms of drones no one can see.
The FAA calls sub-250 gram drones too light to matter. Tell that to a windshield. A baseball weighs 145 grams and at 80 miles an hour will crack glass or bone. A drone with a battery and spinning props can do worse.
And pilots are told to “see and avoid.” See what? Too small to pick out against the ground. No squawk. No transponder. No Remote ID. Nothing on the cockpit screen. Low-level pilots carry the risk blind while drones buzz around free.
The fix is not rocket science. In Europe and the U.K. even ultralights carry small beacons like SkyEcho to make themselves visible. If a one-seat flyer can broadcast with a $600 unit, a hobby drone with GPS already built in can do it too.
The 250 gram carveout is the biggest hole in FAA drone policy. These drones are not toys. They are aircraft. Remote ID for all drones. No exceptions.
One sky. One standard. The tools exist. The danger is clear. The time to act is now.
Raf – as usual, well said!
Unintended Consequence- the Radio Control aircraft sport hobby already got lumped into this category.
Severe impacts to the hobby that many of us first started our flight path. Drones are a very different impact and not a legacy threat. That’s already been binned and wascvery poorly handled by its main group/lobby/voice.
Remote ID on my sub 250 gram foamy, all I now fly.
No. It’ll join the bin.
Criminals, the enemy and the ignorant do not follow laws or regulations.
Yes, but not having laws and regulations gives permission to the law abiding to do the same. How many times have you heard the phrase, “there’s no law against…”
People with the intent to do harm or blatant disregard for the consequences of their actions usually do not mind laws or regulations. Not one bit. The ship on sensible drone regulation has long sailed. I am afraid we’re going to need stronger windshields.
i once saw a larger-than-250g drone in flight at 2000 or 3000 AGL while flying a practice approach over a VOR near a Class-D airport. At first I thought it was a regular aircraft some distance away, until I realized it was actually a drone maybe 100 yards away. My point being, even if you *can* see a drone in flight, by the time you realize what it is and its actual proximity to you, it may be too late to avoid.
And now the FAA wants to punish manned aircraft that don’t have ADS-B Out (and are flying in airspace where this is legal) by making *them* avoid drones that are near-to-impossible to see.
“…carry small beacons like SkyEcho to make themselves visible.”
That won’t happen until the FAA comes up with sufficiently obtuse pretzel logic to explain why certified aircraft had to equip with multi-thousand dollar ADS-B units but drones (and ultralights) would be allowed to use cheap, arguably portable devices.
A thoughtful article RAF. Thank you for posting it. I think we have a bigger bear in the woods to also think about right now and that is the FAA FAR Part 108 proposed rule now open for comment. This rule covers drone operations Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) below 400’ AGL. A thorny issue in the rule comments right now is the requirement for drones (these drones can be the size of a Light Sport Aircraft and weigh up to 1320 pounds) to be able to see and avoid manned aircraft that don’t have ADS-B. The GA organizations are saying this is the drone manufacturer’s responsibility and the drone manufacturers are saying it is hard to do and that all manned aircraft should become ADS-B or EQ (Electronic Conspicuity – Portable short range ADS-B that is <$1,000) equipped.
My personal opinion is that drone manufacturers and operators need to come up with a more robust solution for BVLOS operations than just ADS-B (it doesn't work all the time) for detection of GA aircraft and to avoid manned aircraft that are not equipped with it. I think that camera’s RADAR, and LIDAR options should be pursued as well for BVLOS operations. Why? Because drone technology is growing like crazy, there is tons of money in their development and application, and drones will become so useful in the long run that they will eventually dominate the low level airspace. Also the technology that comes from robust detect and avoid systems will have broad aviation applications in the long run and will improve safety overall. To comment on the rule you can go to:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/07/2025-14992/normalizing-unmanned-aircraft-systems-beyond-visual-line-of-sight-operations
I think it’s time for GA Electronic Counter Measures (ECM). Those drones don’t have an infinite number of frequencies that they communicate with. There oughta be a way for a GA airplane to broadcast an ECM signal to ‘force’ the drone to go into self-defense mode and just land. Anything with a human in it ought to have priority over all drones. This is just a way to force all airplanes to have ADS-B which may or may not work. I’ve seen what a goose hitting a C150 wing root will do … damn near took the wing off. Had it hit the windscreen, it’d have been all over for that pilot.
I would like to be able to legitimately shout, “We’re too close for missiles! Switching to guns!”
Is there any coherent reason why human-carrying vehicles should be expected to “see and avoid” (good luck with either of them) a small, non-sentient device? Even here is the good ol’ US of A, anyone who launches small pieces of metal from his Second Amendment “drone launcher” is responsible for the damage (or death) it causes. How is this any different?
Does the FAA not see that they are expecting all human-carrying aircraft to buy (and wear at all times) a bullet-proof vest? How well do they think that mandate would go down with the citizens of cities with a gun-violence problem? Is there any FAA “thinking” involved at all, or is that truly an oxymoron?
As usual when it comes to our government, Deep Throat nailed it.
Honestly I’m far more concerned about paramotors than 250-gram drones.
We, not the UAV, will either be ADSB-Out OR carry the Electronic Conspicuity SkyEcho type device. The UAV, part 108 is only one small part, beyond line of sight/BVLOS. They will mostly be commercial, pilotless, point to point or point to duty point to recovery- autonomous. They will be monitored, not flown. The will have to see and avoid us. There is not enough bandwidth/volume available on 1090 or 978 for them to be the out device to our in, we won’t see them on a screen.
Unless, in whatever airspace, we are not EC/out, then magically we lose right of way to the new money.
Undrift, this news is from the CA drone grounding the fire attack turboprop. Separate issue. More regs/riules/gummint to keep killing the RC hobby as an unintended consequence.
Part 108 is fully intended to start bringing you neighbor home in an air taxi, anywhere, anytime. Waymo can can’t hit me in a crosswalk on foot but eHang, Joby and Archer need this.
The rest of the industries threatened by UAVs are up to competing against them- helicopters, delivery services, aerial applicators/crop dusters, etc.
Non Electrical planes, gliders, ultralights, balloons- get out of the way! New money is coming and not handing out free SkyNet, oh, I mean SkyEchos.
Nowhere is a pilot facing of “swarms of drones”.
We have airplanes that both have ADSB in and out that are having midairs. I am much more worried about the large drones, paramotors, turkey vultures, guy in cub with no electrics than the sub 250 gram drones.
Hi Raf,
First, I have not seen swarms of drones except during commercial professional displays done under the commercial drone regs. The 250 gram micro drones are used indoors and mostly at ground level to 100 feet. They lack the battery capacity to go far or high. Over the last few years there has been an enormous amount of education poured out into the drone community about how to properly operate and where and where not to fly. You hear less and less about the radical moron drone pilot. The drone industry had boomed before the FAA and the AMA even realized it had a new type of hobbyist. The drone operators for the most part, who had not been required to go through the normal R/C learning curve and rule book indoctrination, did not know what they didn’t know. So here comes the enormous blind bureaucracy playing wack a mole on an entire industry and hobby that millions have been involved with for close to 95 years. It started with simple free flight models and has very safely and steadily grown to what it is today.
You didn’t mention that the FAA lumped in one of the best entry points of getting people interested in becoming a pilot or ancillary jobs and that is Line of sight Radio Control flying models or simply R/C. R/C models have coexisted with full scale since May of 1937 on the Kalamazoo, Michigan airport. R/C flying due to it’s visually controlled nature keeps it confined to a small area and has an excellent safety record. I know personally of at least 12 airports that either have R/C clubs operating year round and/or hosted major R/C events on the airport grounds. I believe all the scare talk and knee jerk reactions need to stop. One should be aware that DARPA and the commercial drone companies do not want competition or complications in their plans and operations. So a bunch of scary news reports appear and uninformed lawmakers get pressure to do something. Here comes the giant hammer.
The drone issue got a lot of “press” attention……now think about how often the “press” gets its facts straight on any subject much less about our beloved aviation activities. I dare say that just as the R/C hobby is dying under all the erroneous legislation and regulation, General Aviation will be next. To sort of paraphrase – If we don’t stand up now for the least of us in the pursuit of aeronautical knowledge and the love of flight who will be there when they come to literally and figuratively crush our much loved professions, family shared aviation activity’s and dreams, along with our ultralight, homebuilt Pitts, J-3, C-172, Baron, T-6, L-39 or whatever is in your hanger.
Raf a better way of fixing things would be to get involved in your local AMA flying club. Make an effort to learn about an excellent hobby. You would not fear the boogeyman and his hobby. You could help to educate the R/C pilot as well as the full scale pilot on operation and deal with real facts that help education, co-operation, and help to better educate the model pilots, full scale pilots, and help to bring smarter, less steamroller like legislation to all of us.
Thanks, Harry. I respect the safe record of RC flying at AMA fields and that is not what I am talking about. The issue is conspicuity. FAA counts about 1.8 million recreational drones in the U.S. now, projected to top 2 million within a few years. Most are under 250 grams with no reg or Remote ID. DJI gets the headlines, but plenty of other manufacturers are in the mix too, all selling into that same exemption. The result is more than two million small drones flying invisible in the same low air used by tankers, medevac, ag, recreational and commercial helicopter ops, and weekend pilots.
You’re right Raf–the problem is the operators of these basically invisible things not knowing what they need to know or ignoring safe operation or both.
The biggest problem is that the powers that Be have condemned the R/C modeler without understanding that line of sight is self limiting. The Aeromodeling community has historically been protected up until the point that huge corporations wanted to use the Aeromodeling’s set aside airspace. None of the drone issues being applied broad brush to the R/C community are warranted.
Most of the 250 gram drones that get counted are mostly a pieces of junk that are sold in the box stores or on Temu as a drone but hardly flies and fails quickly. Mostly junk that just hurts your wallet. The size and mass of the 250g drones restrict the battery capacity as they still have to carry all the components the larger drones require. Minimum payload and range keep them low and close. Plus it gets boring if you get above the tree line. I was taught and also taught my students that if you hear an aircraft in your vicinity to get on the ground as fast as possible and that aircraft with no exceptions had the right of way. Even if you had to lose the model to get out of the way. I think 99.9% feel this way when operating R/C or drones. I believe a lot of the drone reports are a lot of false flag reports brought out by the commercial drone lobby. There have truly been some bad actors who have been charged and punished. People are far more aware nowadays as to the rules and regs of drone operation. This has helped immensely in the curbing of drone violations. Technically advances allowed to develop without panic driven higher costs will bring about a safer and lower cost solutions.
I personally think that after all the dust settles the commercial drone idea will prove to be an impractical money pit. It looks good in a theoretical vacuum but the world is a way more complicated and dirty place.
Raf and Tom,
I am willing to bet that neither of you had a clue of the regulations when you first got interested in aviation. Education is the best medicine for this situation. I have read thousands of accounts of pilots who have made bad calls, made really illegal flight operations, low level buzzing, low level aerobatics, over grossed and out of balance flights. Some learned from it but most end up at the bottom a very avoidable smoking hole. What is the answer? Education and mentorship. Get past the paralyzed in fear stage and start reacting in a positive manner for safety.
Have you gone out to a hobby shop and looked at a 250g or smaller drone or quad? They have them well down below 250g.It might even be a good idea to buy one and learn to fly it in your house or back yard. It may help you to see how they are used and what limitations they have. And have load of fun learning something new.
The notion that any or all of the areas of air activity you list have 100’s to thousands of drones operator’s and a drone apiece popping up in some random spot and creating a swarm of death, hell, and dismemberment is a bit of a stretch. If that is happening it’s your government because people just don’t have the black ops budget to produce swarms. Now remember that the huge number of very short duration, small load capacity 250g drones would need to be transported to within a football field or closer to the location. Oh, and each operator will need a car to arrive at these swarms so now that is 100 or more cars arriving within a minute or so to a random location. Now imagine the swarm of thousands of drones logistical issues. That’s a Hollywood movie story board fantasy.
Well, how about ground school? Did someone let you loose in a cub or 150 without a decent understanding of the big picture? I didn’t think so. Yet now you can buy these things online and fly them with basic motor skills (human) and no exposure to the inherent dangers they pose to other aviators. I wonder about the effect a collision of one of these drones would have on the survivability of rotor blades of a helicopter. Basic education, registration and licensing seems mandatory for drone operators. Are you allowed to carry switchblade knives today? A drone collision could be life altering in just seconds. You can’t outlaw stupidity but you can educate folks.
“Are you allowed to carry switchblade knives today?”
In most of the U.S, yes – albeit with potential restrictions based on your local laws. California, for example, limits blade length to two inches statewide.
See: https://www.akti.org/state-laws-regarding-automatics/ for general info on auto knives in general; or https://www.bladehq.com/cat–California-Legal-Auto–325 for a collection of CA legal blades.
The overlapping news blitz likely kills the real lesson chance.
A US hobby got killed by drones broad scope regulations- RC flying..
You are next.
Larry, Moose, the AMA has not been the problem. They have about 195,000 members, 2,500 fields, and no record of mid-air collisions with manned aircraft. For 90 years they have flown under their own strict oversight, and they have proven how structure and discipline work. I get it, the FAA corralled the AMA into the same net meant for consumer drones, perhaps unfairly.
The concern is outside those fields. The U.S. has about 240,000 active manned aircraft. There are roughly 3 million sub-250 g drones in circulation, about 15 times the AMA base and more than 12 times the manned fleet. Unlike AMA flying, most of these drones operate with no oversight or visibility. A rogue Mini can reach 13,000 ft, fly 35 mph, and stay up 30 min in the same airspace as everyone else, from light singles to heavies. The gap is not AMA. It is the millions of undetectable drones in the system.
I agree, education and more people putting energy into positive measures rather than simply destroying others hobbies and jobs….after awhile everyone is a target and your interest becomes the target of bureaucratic fears and elimination.
On the positive side, there are now many organizations and web sites that are actively working the ground schools and teaching drone newcomers the rules of the road.
Don’t forget seaplanes on the list of aircraft that may be effected by drones flying under 400′. Seaplanes operate in and out of lakes where drone operators may be operating as well. Many of these aircraft are also operating without ADSb in or out as well, beacons on drones will not fully mitigate the risk they pose to manned aircraft.
You are correct, Steve. Especially around the Great Lakes it is one sky shared by two countries. Seaplanes, tour flights, and drones all mix in the same low airspace. Glare, water, and split regulations make it harder to stay clear. Without U.S. and Canadian coordination, luck is all that keeps them apart.