BVLOS - FVLOS LOGIC TEST
I'm coming to the realization that NOT allowing BVLOS really has . . in a very practical sense . . become just a "feel good exercise" for regulators and law makers. There is little Flight Safety value over watching the UAVs data and camera displays if you are staying below 300-400ft and away from airdromes. The Mavic display and data capture is far more accurate and relevant to flight safety than the ability to see a "dot in the sky". A pair of "Mark 1 Eyeballs" have practically NO depth perception on such an object beyond a few hundred feet, so recognizing a potential course conflict with a larger aircraft in the area, is equally impossible and of little value. The display would tell you far more about a potential mid-air than your eyes. How far can you see a small drone?
I would argue that, operating Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS), below 300-400ft, using flight data is safer than eyeballs as long as you are not stretching the telemetry capabilities of the machine you are flying. . .(as long as you can see a normal size aircraft or helicopter in the same area (ie VFR conditions) . . . Here a safe margin for range might be "50% of the manufactures recommended, tested and demonstrated max range". For Mavic that's about 10,000ft or 2 miles. That should be fine for all but the pioneer record setters in the tribe. . . and those folks should be voted OFF the Island. Having a forward observer in the operating area, in communication with the one doing the flying, is a good "Best Practice" non-the-less, to act as an additional safety look-out.
I would recommend that the rules require you to maintain VLOS whether or not you can actually visually resolve your own UAV/drone. That means not going behind obstacles, buildings or hills etc. . . as long as you don't exceed a safe telemetry limit and you can see larger flight risks like other aircraft in the same airspace that you know you are operating in. More on BVLOS BEST PRACTICES here
UNDER CURRENT RULES - THIS RAISES SOME VLOS QUESTIONS
Extending VLOS to FVLOS (Forward Visual Line of Sight) can be done by an observer in the forward area and by adding flashing Strobe lights. Are you still in visual contact (VLOS) when you or the Observer can only see the drone flashes 50% of the time . . 20% of the time? . . . every 30 seconds?
If you can safely go behind a tree or building for a few seconds, how many seconds is safely "a few" if you can see where you are going (First Person View) and that there are no other aerial hazards around you?
If you or your observer/spotter lose sight of the UAV, how long should you safely continue the flight when neither can see it, before hitting RTL (Return To Launch) or activating a CSC (Combines Stick Command) and trashing your bird?
BUT YOU SAY . . . .
Ok so, you are out at say a couple of miles (as many are) getting a shot of whatever you might be getting a shot of at two miles away from your take off point and at that distance you have no aural sense and at max 94 degrees field of view so no peripheral vision.
An ambulance helicopter is approaching behind your mavic but you may have absolutely no idea it is there since you can't hear it.
You are small so it doesn't see you (and in any case an aircraft carrying souls takes precedence over a plastic UAV) and passes by and your Mavic passes thru the canopy or strikes the tail rotor of said helicopter.
That's a fair comment . . .I'd say first . . chances of a mid-air are way more remote in that situation, than a helicopter flying at or near any airport . but regardless of that risk it is significantly further reduced because . . .you should be looking in the direction of your machine . . . off and on . . scanning the skies for other aircraft in your sector of the sky (below 500feet) . . and so you would have noticed the helicopter long before it got close to you . . but . . You can only tell the angle roughly and you will unable to accurately gauge the range or altitude relative to where you UAV is . . what you are seeing on your controller is far more relevant . . with depth perception being of little value . . You can still relate where you are visually with the camera and the map display to where this conflicting helicopter is in VLOS. So you might decide to reduce altitude until the chopper departs the area or you might decide to just hover temporarily. If the helo departs then you can resume. If it does not, then find a safe spot and land . . and go get it. Those are the hazards of operating your drone BVLOS while still being VLOS or FVLOS. You might have to go get it. Also, if you are operating safely . . .you have a forward observer to keep track of both your machine and other hazards in the area . . and the Forward Observer would retrieve your drone for you if you decided you needed to land for the safety of the helicopter passengers or crew.
I would argue that, operating Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS), below 300-400ft, using flight data is safer than eyeballs as long as you are not stretching the telemetry capabilities of the machine you are flying. . .(as long as you can see a normal size aircraft or helicopter in the same area (ie VFR conditions) . . . Here a safe margin for range might be "50% of the manufactures recommended, tested and demonstrated max range". For Mavic that's about 10,000ft or 2 miles. That should be fine for all but the pioneer record setters in the tribe. . . and those folks should be voted OFF the Island. Having a forward observer in the operating area, in communication with the one doing the flying, is a good "Best Practice" non-the-less, to act as an additional safety look-out.
I would recommend that the rules require you to maintain VLOS whether or not you can actually visually resolve your own UAV/drone. That means not going behind obstacles, buildings or hills etc. . . as long as you don't exceed a safe telemetry limit and you can see larger flight risks like other aircraft in the same airspace that you know you are operating in. More on BVLOS BEST PRACTICES here
UNDER CURRENT RULES - THIS RAISES SOME VLOS QUESTIONS
Extending VLOS to FVLOS (Forward Visual Line of Sight) can be done by an observer in the forward area and by adding flashing Strobe lights. Are you still in visual contact (VLOS) when you or the Observer can only see the drone flashes 50% of the time . . 20% of the time? . . . every 30 seconds?
If you can safely go behind a tree or building for a few seconds, how many seconds is safely "a few" if you can see where you are going (First Person View) and that there are no other aerial hazards around you?
If you or your observer/spotter lose sight of the UAV, how long should you safely continue the flight when neither can see it, before hitting RTL (Return To Launch) or activating a CSC (Combines Stick Command) and trashing your bird?
BUT YOU SAY . . . .
Ok so, you are out at say a couple of miles (as many are) getting a shot of whatever you might be getting a shot of at two miles away from your take off point and at that distance you have no aural sense and at max 94 degrees field of view so no peripheral vision.
An ambulance helicopter is approaching behind your mavic but you may have absolutely no idea it is there since you can't hear it.
You are small so it doesn't see you (and in any case an aircraft carrying souls takes precedence over a plastic UAV) and passes by and your Mavic passes thru the canopy or strikes the tail rotor of said helicopter.
That's a fair comment . . .I'd say first . . chances of a mid-air are way more remote in that situation, than a helicopter flying at or near any airport . but regardless of that risk it is significantly further reduced because . . .you should be looking in the direction of your machine . . . off and on . . scanning the skies for other aircraft in your sector of the sky (below 500feet) . . and so you would have noticed the helicopter long before it got close to you . . but . . You can only tell the angle roughly and you will unable to accurately gauge the range or altitude relative to where you UAV is . . what you are seeing on your controller is far more relevant . . with depth perception being of little value . . You can still relate where you are visually with the camera and the map display to where this conflicting helicopter is in VLOS. So you might decide to reduce altitude until the chopper departs the area or you might decide to just hover temporarily. If the helo departs then you can resume. If it does not, then find a safe spot and land . . and go get it. Those are the hazards of operating your drone BVLOS while still being VLOS or FVLOS. You might have to go get it. Also, if you are operating safely . . .you have a forward observer to keep track of both your machine and other hazards in the area . . and the Forward Observer would retrieve your drone for you if you decided you needed to land for the safety of the helicopter passengers or crew.