FAA Requirement For A PPL For UAV Operation 'Absurd' Says Commentator | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Mon, Jan 12, 2015

FAA Requirement For A PPL For UAV Operation 'Absurd' Says Commentator

Forbes Contributor Calls FAA's Stipulation 'Ludicrous'

A recent FAA decision to allow a real estate developer to use UAVs to photograph properties ... a commercial use ... carries the stipulation that the operator of the aircraft hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate.

That requirement, at least according to one commentator, is "ludicrous."

Writing in an Op-Ed piece for Forbes, contributor John Goglia said that to require a person to hold a PPL and a third-class medical certificate to fly an aircraft that weighs under three pounds is "absurd."

Goglia points out that the control interfaces of the Phantom 2+ Vision authorized by the FAA and a small airplane have nothing in common, and that learning to control an airplane would not give the UAV operator any insight into how to safely fly his or her small UAV. And, he writes, Ultralight pilots are not required to have any kind of pilot certificate, Sport Pilots don't need a medical certificate to fly, and students working towards a private pilot certificate are not required to have a license to fly solo.

Goglia suggests that if the FAA is insistent on some kind of training for UAV operation, they could have picked something less burdensome ... such as basic ground school and a student pilot certificate so that the operator has some basic knowledge of airspace operations.

We tend to agree.

FMI: www.faa.gov

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Final Report: Aviat A1

Airplane Bounced About 3 Ft Then Touched Back Down And Then, With No Brakes Applied, The Airplane Began Veering To The Left Analysis: The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.08.25)

Aero Linx: British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) The primary focus within all aviation activity is SAFETY. In all aspects of our sport SAFETY must come first, whether it b>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: Fly Corvair’s Reliable Engine Alternative

From SnF25 (YouTube Edition): William Wynne Builds Practical Aircraft Engines on the Corvair Platform Seeking an affordable alternative to the traditional aircraft engine options, >[...]

ANN FAQ: Contributing To Aero-TV

How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: CiES Fuel-Quantity and e-Throttle Systems Praised

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Bridge of CiES CiES Inc. is a Bend, Oregon-based designer and manufacturer of modular embedded aircraft systems and sensors. The company’s fuel-l>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC