Welcome Inspire Pilots!
Join our free DJI Inspire community today!
Sign up

USA Are YouTube Stars drone flights considered Commerical?

Joined
Dec 10, 2016
Messages
130
Reaction score
38
Age
61
If YouTube stars make money off of their video postings, and some of them make a number of postings from done related photography, are these commercial flights?

Just thinking............
 
If YouTube stars make money off of their video postings, and some of them make a number of postings from done related photography, are these commercial flights?

Just thinking............
Yes, since they are receiving valuable 'consideration' for the videos.
(That's how it would be viewed in the UK - I don't see why the US should see it differently but who knows) :)
 
Yes, isn't this one of the reasons for changing the term 'Permission for Aerial Work (PFAW)' to 'Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO)' in order to make it more explicit that it's about commercial gain?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
Yes it is classified as commercial even if YouTube doesn't pay you because your footage is promoting you which can lead to future projects.


Sent from my iPhone using InspirePilots
 
Can someone clarify this on the CAA website?

"The CAA does not investigate complaints of drone misuse."

And then

If you have any concerns about drones being used in your area, either from a safety or privacy perspective, contact your local police on 101.

So have the CAA given the ghost or something?

I don't see the police being that effective at this stuff.
 
Hey x5yo

If you look in the CAA regulations it clearly states that there cannot be any gain or it is classified as commercial. Trading the footage is commercial even giving the footage to a film maker or corporate company who uses it also classifies it as commercial. No one can use the footage in a commercial environment without an (SFOC) Special Flight Operation Certificate. Transport Canada can impose a fine of up to 25k to any body or company that uses drone footage without an SFOC and the pilot is also subject to a 5k fine and these are of course Canada's regulations.
 
Can someone clarify this on the CAA website?

"The CAA does not investigate complaints of drone misuse."

And then

If you have any concerns about drones being used in your area, either from a safety or privacy perspective, contact your local police on 101.

So have the CAA given the ghost or something?

I don't see the police being that effective at this stuff.
My understanding is that CAA generate the regulations but that they are enforced by the police. Part of the reason was that CAA don't have a resource to investigate and arrest etc.
 
My understanding is that CAA generate the regulations but that they are enforced by the police. Part of the reason was that CAA don't have a resource to investigate and arrest etc.
So if I fly over a stadium take a video and upload it online, who exactly is going to come after me if nothing bad nothings, and I simply get the content?

Am I really going to get a knock on the door, arrested and prosecuted?
 
Last edited:
That would be the police if you were reported. They want to stop unsafe flying and over a stadium is usually considered unsafe as it is nearly always going to be over a gathering of 1000+ people which is a real no-no. Why? Because the pilot would be endangering lives with an aircraft. The OP is asking about whether or not YouTube postings which have adverts attached (so they are effectively being paid for the footage) are considered commercial and the answer is a definite unequivocal yes. Who would enforce if it was reported? The police.
 
So if I fly over a stadium take a video and upload it online, who exactly is going to come after me if nothing bad nothings, and I simply get the content?

Am I really going to get a knock on the door, arrested and prosecuted?
You might want to have a look at this:

Man fined after flying drones over Premier League stadiums - Man fined after flying drones over Premier League stadiums - BBC News

It may be unlikely, but they have hammered this guy so that should be some warning to you, not to mention you not wanting to endanger people in the first place.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
You guys can debate commercial monetization on youtube all day and nothing will bwcome of it. I know from experience the FAA is not enforcing any thing based on it being nearly impossible to get Google to release the evidence they need to substantiate a violation...financial records. I spent 5 months campaigning in writting for Casey Neistat to be prosecuted for safety and 333 violations...FAA informed me they will be taking no action against him other than a informative letter requesting he fly safely...all ignored.
 
You guys can debate commercial monetization on youtube all day and nothing will bwcome of it. I know from experience the FAA is not enforcing any thing based on it being nearly impossible to get Google to release the evidence they need to substantiate a violation...financial records. I spent 5 months campaigning in writting for Casey Neistat to be prosecuted for safety and 333 violations...FAA informed me they will be taking no action against him other than a informative letter requesting he fly safely...all ignored.
There will always be those irresponsible twits who flaunt the law and the rest of us who do not. Such is life.
 
There will always be those irresponsible twits who flaunt the law and the rest of us who do not. Such is life.
10 cents on the dollar...the FAA really is a joke. I'd love to be in a situation with them as I have unlimited legal representation to grind them down to nothing.
 
The only people I know with"unlimited legal representation" are BIll Gates, George Soros and the US government. But you are welcome to try.

Tomorrow over Washington DC would be a good time to begin...
Yeah...DC...I am not stupid but won't tolerate being harassed for flying in my own community.
 

New Posts

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
22,290
Messages
210,728
Members
34,483
Latest member
cruzamikayla