Why Military FPV Goggle Training Challenges Crewed Flight Intuition
An Army instructor explains why flying through goggles lacks vestibular feedback, presenting a hurdle for crewed pilots. A training observation, not a new syllabus....
Author Profile
Ray Richardson
Part 107 Commercial UAS Operator, former manned aviation journalist, and Editor-in-Chief of The Drone Pilot Brief. Specializing in regulatory workflows, GIS mapping telemetry, and advanced fleet operations.
Part 108 BVLOS Rule Advances to OIRA Review: What It Means Today
The draft Part 108 BVLOS final rule is under OIRA review under RIN 2120-AL82. It is not currently operative law. Part 107 still governs ordinary commercial small-UAS work, plus whatever waiver you actually hold. Part 135 carriers stay on that certificate until a published Part 108 rule actually applies to them....
Matternet Adds Beeline UAS to Part 135 Network for California Expansion
Matternet partnered with Beeline UAS under Beeline’s Part 135 certificate to target Bay Area and LA BVLOS delivery. A capacity partnership, not a new FAA regulation....
FAA Section 2209 Critical Infrastructure NPRM: Comment Period Closes
Public comments on FAA Docket FAA-2026-4558 closed on 5 August 2026. Closing comments did not create new no-fly zones. Operators must plan against active airspace rules....
FAA and EASA Global Alignment Session: Conference Discussion Status
The Commercial UAV Expo keynote panel concluded on 1–3 September 2026. Conference discussions do not alter sovereign flight rules or establish bilateral reciprocity....
DJI Publishes SAIL III Declarations for Dock 3 and Matrice 4D Series
DJI published manufacturer declarations for design-related OSOs under EASA SAIL III. These are manufacturer claims, not an EASA operational approval or U.S. authorization....
Field Guide to Flying Night Operations Natively
Operating in the dark requires more than three-mile strobes. Learn to combat autokinesis, flickering, and depth illusions....
Drone delivery you see overhead is Part 135. It is not Part 108 — and not your Part 107 ticket.
FAA’s own delivery path today is Part 135 plus case-specific approvals — not a finished Part 108 rulebook. Part 108 remains at OIRA under RIN 2120-AL82. A carrier’s OpSpecs do not transfer to ordinary Part 107 work....
BVLOS ARC Report: The Rulemaking Chronology Behind Part 108
The BVLOS ARC report was submitted on 10 March 2022. It led to the Part 108 NPRM on 7 August 2025 and OIRA review on 10 July 2026. ARC recommendations are not operative law....
LiDAR vs Photogrammetry for Volumetric Stockpile Audits
Selecting the right payload for stockpile audits requires balancing initial equipment cost, processing speed, and site canopy constraints....
Cold Weather Flight Checklist & LiPo Management
Keep your batteries warm and your sensors calibrated. Preflight checks for sub-freezing commercial missions....
Understanding ND Filters for Smooth Cinematic Motion
Learn how to calculate filter density and maintain the 180-degree shutter rule during bright daylight flights....
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