Had Been Selling Personal Photographs Taken With His UAV

The FAA has told a UAV pilot in Maine to take down a personal website because he was selling photographs he had taken using his aircraft. And according to the FAA, that's a "commercial use" and prohibited.

 But beyond telling him to stop selling, he was told to take the entire site down.

Steve Girard is the pilot and photographer. He said he took some pictures of areas near his house with his UAV which he has been flying since September and posted them on a website. He told motherboard.vice.com that he had gotten several comments on the photos, so he started selling them for $2 each on his site. And "I only sold a couple," he said.

The website has fewer than 500 views, yet Girard said Bobby Reed from the FAA's Portland Flight Standards District Office called him to say “We’re looking at your website and an investigator will be in touch with you regarding the limitations which you may be exceeding with regard to advertising drones and aerial footage that puts you outside the limitations of a hobby,” Reed said. “They’ll be looking for you to pull down the website. You can operate as a hobby, but there are serious implications, and there are fines and penalties associated with [commercial] activity.”

Yes, they said take down a legal website.

Girard said he has stopped selling his photographs on the website, but he will not take it down. He added that he's tried to communicate with the FAA, but when he called he "sat on hold for 40 minutes" and his emails asking for documentation of the rules have not been returned.

(Image from YouTube video posted to Girard's website)

FMI: www.extremeaerialview.com