What will happen when the NEW FAA regulations kick in

[DJIBILL]

What will happen to my Sparks when the new FAA regulations start for remote ID. I ave about $1000 invested and it's my Hobby

 

[SPark_South_Oz]

It's not going to be fully implemented until Sept 2023, but DJI has a press release here with tidbits . . .

FAA Remote ID: What it Means for You and Your DJI Drone

As drones became more common, governments around the world have developed rules to encourage safe and productive drone flights while protecting airplanes and helicopters in the air as well as people and property on the ground. Now, a big part of the new era of drone regulation is about to take...

viewpoints.dji.com

It might be these add on modules are possible to put on any of the earlier drones.

"Since the FAA will allow drone pilots to satisfy Remote ID requirements with a separate add-on module, we anticipate every DJI drone – even the oldest ones, long out of production – will have a pathway to compliance for anyone still operating them."

Mind you, in a bit under 2 years time, how many Sparks will still be flying ?
Will SparkPilots just be active for the annual online reunion of stubborn, Spark loving folk ?

edit- I do remember some threads on MavicPilots that said you can still fly non compliant drones, but the limitation are so draconian it wouldn't be worth it.
Think along the lines of really close, really low.

 

[twickers14]

Good to read although all quite concerning. My dear Spark is sitting in its “hanger” and my new MA2 is waiting for a break in the weather. I need to find out whether my MA2 has ADS-B etc plus whatever else will be needed to be activated for flying in the US from Sept 23.

 

[SPark_South_Oz]

Good to read although all quite concerning. My dear Spark is sitting in its “hanger” and my new MA2 is waiting for a break in the weather. I need to find out whether my MA2 has ADS-B etc plus whatever else will be needed to be activated for flying in the US from Sept 23.

I expect every almost every country that has an airspace regulator will eventually head the way of the US and FAA system, it will just be a matter of time.

 

[twickers14]

I expect every almost every country that has an airspace regulator will eventually head the way of the US and FAA system, it will just be a matter of time.

Agree. Just depends on how soon we jump here.

 

[SPark_South_Oz]

Agree. Just depends on how soon we jump here.

I would say almost for sure UK will be next to do RID, with past 'incidents' etc in recent years creating an atmosphere of drone hysteria almost.

Many say it's the idiots flying without knowledge of rules, or those that simply don't care and break them, that have casued these new rules / systems to be brought in by airspace authorities, but really, it was only a matter of time with more risks in the air increasing year on year.

Things may possibly go overboard, GOVCOS seem to overreach at times, and in the past 2 years they have been on a power trips in many places, bringing in totalitarian (almost communist type) measures to deal with 'covid issues'.
Once our freedoms are gone / taken, we won't get them back easily, if at all.

It seems Sparks and other models might be usable after any of this happens, at a cost for some sort of module, no doubt DJI will have a new market / product to cater for, among some smaller corps that manage to work out simple cheap systems.

 

[DJIBILL]

I think what did it for the USA is someone landed a drone on the White House lawn. to start with I wanted to video and take pictures of my neighborhood and my neighbors houses from the air. I bought a Spark a little over 3 years ago and then i found that i can't even fly the drone in my house let alone my yard because i live in Md in the 10 mile exclusion zone around the white house. Now the FAA wants to do away with older drones from what i hear to make way for delivery drones. So most of my drone flying is way out in the country will the mystery device still work in the country if they make one. The FAA wants to open drone parks where you can go up and down and fly around in circles .....ooooooh nice, probably have to wait in line for a few hours just to fly 15 minutes. every year EVERYTHING gets more and more restrictive. The next thing is gas powered leaf blowers and well all gas powered yard equipment. If I might digress for a moment I collect and repair small engines I take all the orphaned mowers/weed wackers/leaf blowers people take to the curb. Thats my other hobby besides drones. I have several Sparks 1 i bought new the other 2 i bought wrecked and repaired have several controllers I repaired a 2,000NITS laptop, with 4 hawks antenna, so i have close to $1,000 invested and the FAA says i can't fly what a bunch of krap.
right now I am taking as many Drone videos with my Sparks as i can....maybe to last a life time

 

[SPark_South_Oz]

It's certainly going to be an interesting time.
Perhaps the DJI module can be retro fitted to the Spark and other such drones, will have to wait and see.
The article linked above certainly suggests this.

I think the drone industry was always going to have more compliance, it's simply boomed over the past 5 years or so, particularly since DJI release their consumer drones.

I guess enjoy the next 46 months or so with the Spark until compliance kicks in finally, by then you will know if you have a module you can use on it, or might be up for a nice new drone anyway.
The big question is, will anyone have decent batteries still usable by then ???