Says Ads On Videos Constitute A Commercial Use

The FAA has sent a letter to an undisclosed number of YouTube users who have posted videos captured with UAVs saying that their vids may be commercial even if they were shot by hobbyists.

PC Magazine relays a report from Vice's Motherboard Magazine saying that the letter was directed to hobbyists who have posted videos but who also allow commercials to be shown before the footage is viewed. YouTube allows such commercials to be toggled on and off by the individual users.

One user who received such a letter is Jayson Hanes. "This office has received a complaint regarding your use of an unmanned aerial vehicle (aka drone) for commercial purposes referencing your video on the website youtube.com as evidence," reads a letter from FAA aviation inspector Michael Singleton. "After a review of your website, it does appear that the complaint is valid."

But the FAA is reportedly not trolling YouTube for such videos. According to the report, Hanes was turned in by an anonymous tip to the FAA's Tampa office.

Hanes told television station WTVT that he has never accepted a payment from Google or YouTube for his videos, and he is not selling anything. "If anything, it's YouTube trying to recover costs for hosting the content and making it available," he said.

The FAA is reportedly studying how to include language concerning commercials into the letters it sends to amateur UAV videographers.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.faa.gov