What the Heck Are the Real Rules?

I have been canvasing anything that says UAV and not Boeing, Lockheed or General Atomics for several years now. One thing that I have noticed is that few if any sites even mention much less brag about Special Airworthiness Certificates or even Experimental Flight Airworthiness qualifications for their UAS. Knowing that they seem pretty tough to get still, I would think that they would happily brag about the fact theirs received one.

So how are they making money? Is this some sort of strange smoke and mirrors game? If you do not have a certification you are not allowed to fly in the United States' airspace. So how are they doing it? I know way back when in 1998 they flew from New Foundland to Ireland, major props for that. Back then noone really cared or probably knew to care. What about now? As I read it on DIY drones and other places the rules are pretty clear, no commercial and LOS. I get it, it seems like a good idea to film the kids' soccer game with your UAV. It does right up to the part when the LiPo packs overdraw and now you have a really cool shot on goal.

As a matter of fact, it took me a few minutes to come up with that example. Most of mine were far more brutal, but that seemed to be a happy medium. Little Jimmy running away as dad's new rc plane which was an ARF and still took him two weeks to build catches on fire. Mom's new HD camcorder and all comes down in a ball of wicked fire streaking toward the goal. Oh no, Gahd'zee'ra. Always have to have the monster movie reference when a flaming anything streaks across the sky. Mothra could not shoot flames.

Does anyone have any ideas how these companies stay afloat? Is it just a better marketing face than balance sheet? I can say that I am intrigued how you can be much bigger than a room in the garage sized company under the current regime. I guess maybe there is a private property application here, maybe that is enough to keep you afloat. At least in the , what they do not know, will not hurt them ballpark.