A Curved Ball From CASA!
Some days you get thrown a curved ball, and you can be left wondering what the heck to do, get depressed, angry or..
Last year, in one of the latest episodes in my history of being a serial expert I bought a couple of drones, one of them very upmarket and able to shoot 4k video as well as taking high resolution photos.
All well and good, but before I could legally use them commercially I needed a license from CASA (Aussie version of FAA) which would cost between $4,000.00 – $9,000.00, depending on where I wanted to sit in the pecking order!
So off I went and to a flight training school, spent the money, paid accommodation, travel etc, and came away as one of Australia’s select group of 5,000 legally qualified commercial UAV pilots. Great!
And then recently comes the news that it was all in vain (seemingly) because the rules have changed.
You don’t need a license now, subject to certain restrictions.
Did I kick myself? Get upset? Get depressed? Get angry? Yes to all of the above, for a half day!
But then I did some research, and some thinking.
This actually gives me an advantage, because my license gives me a direct line to air traffic control, and the authority to talk to “real pilots” in the air when operating near an airfield, or other areas where I may get in their way.
It also gives me a marketing advantage, as well as cheaper insurance costs.
If you were to hire someone to do work for you, in what ever field, would you prefer someone who is trained, licensed and insured, who knows what they are doing?
Or a kid who has just bought a tool from Ebay or a local store, and has decided to make a bit of money with it?
I know which one I’d choose!
So here I am now in my sixties, wondering what I’m going to do when I grow up! Retire? I don’t think so…
Good point all round. Sometimes we can turn what appears to be a negative around for good.
My attitude has been not to depend on the government for anything – be it a work contract, a pension, or even the ability to work. They keep changing the goal posts, which is one reason for not wanting to retire. Policy can change at the stroke of a pen.
As frustrating as the change may be, as stated by you policy changes happen frequently. As soon as an unlicensed UAV operator injures guests or property at an event (only a matter of time) the government will reintroduce the requirement to appease public opinion and you will be ahead of the curve.
Thanks Les, frustrating indeed it is, as Yoda might say, but it’s not all bad.
I had one person tell me that the sky was falling in, but in reality, I think that it will be a relatively small number of people that take advantage of this.
Can you imagine many 40+ farmers who have acreages to run suddenly learning to read infra red maps and 3D modelling, let alone learn to fly these things?
Thanks for dropping by, great to hear from you again!