Interesting
Good write up, Nick.
-Carl
Probably stating the obvious, but
If an inspector is using a drone while performing a fee paid inspection, they are breaking the law?
Seems as though I’ve read about a number of inspectors doing just that.
Another interesting article on Forbes regarding the use of drones in the Real Estate industry.
“…Forbes has learned that the FAA’s investigations have succeeded in intimidating NRT —the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company — into advising their members to not only cease flying drones as part of their work, but to also cease using drone footage.”
FAA Intimidates Coldwell Banker And Other Realtors Into Shunning Drone Photography
Nick you should take up the fight to use Drones for commercial use instead of hiding in a bunker in Co. We need a voice against the silly FAA rule banning Drone use. I am thinking of turning over a new leaf and need a drone for its implementation 
We’ve been. We want everything under 80’ to be unregulated.
Wow, those flight times are terrible.
Thanks for the article Nick, it’s really informative.
Change that to 80’ above rooftop (or however many feet above the rooftop is sane).
Think Condo.
-Carl
Nick, I agree with the rooftop concept: some 80 ft above rooftop is plenty. General aviation is not supposed to be below 1000 ft. of the tallest building within 2000 ft. of horizontal airspace anyway. Commercial aviation flies low only upon take offs and landings, so a certain distance from an airport is an area where special care should be used if flying drones.
I would not be adverse to applying to the FAA for some special permit to fly drones as part of inspections.
80’ is a bit short for what I do I was @ 140’ to capture a 38,000 SQ FT roof in one shoot
Almost nothing in this article is true.
There are absolutely NO Federal regulations, NO Federal statutes, and NO case law that in any way regulates the operation of RCMA (Remote Controlled Model Aircraft). NONE!
Just because the FAA claims they have banned something, doesn’t mean that they have. Until it is in the regulations, they are just blowing smoke. And, I don’t like smoke.
Please refer to the following article while I go fly my drone for profit…up to and including flying them as part of my home inspections. 
http://dronelawjournal.com/
The article you quote basically takes the stance that something isn’t illegal unless there is a specific body of law making it illegal. Agencies that govern activities create “rules” that aren’t laws. Home inspection licensing boards do it all the time. They even go as far as authoring Standards that they then demand every inspector in their state follow.
Licensing boards govern people who are licensed for a specified set of activities. This does not fall into that category. In this instance, there absolutely has to be a regulation or a statute in order to dictate what you can and can’t do with a drone. They are threatening legal action with no legal substance. That is not how it works. They are basically using intimidation to keep people from using drones for commercial purposes. And, unfortunately, it’s working. I know several home inspectors and others who almost bought drones and then didn’t just because of the FAA’s empty threat. That’s nonsense, if you ask me.
I understand both sides on these articles but any time a gov agency decides for what ever reason that someone is in violation of anything you will have to defend your self in a court of law and that requires money from your pocket. I am just in the research stage of purchasing a drone for my commercial business and I don’t want to spend any profits on attorney fees after purchasing a drone.
The way I see this goes back to the old saying he who has the gold makes the rules. We have drone users taking pics for clients using drones that cost $2000,00 and no license competing for business with helicopter owners that spent a million dollars for a aircraft and training whom do you suppose the FAA is going to make rules in favor of. There may be no present laws or rules controlling unmanned drones but I would wager its forthcoming
Corporations are using drones for marketing because drones are more flexible and cheaper than helicopters. Corporations own the politicians. I shouldn’t have to explain that one any further.
No explanation needed I understand fully how our gov works. He who has the gold makes the rules. I have no big problem in just investing a couple of thousand dollars in a drone system and then not be able to fly it commercially, but I am
considering a bit larger investment than just a drone so a little caution is required on my part.