FPV for whoops

The first broach exemption application for FPV should likely be for whoops, since they are the lowest-risk class of FPV flying imaginable.

We would note, in the risk analysis, that:

• with very low mass, and the relatively low maximum speed, the maximum impact energy is well below that of a firmly struck cricket ball, soccer ball, frisbee or other common recreational toy. Hence the risk of momentum based injury to person or property is so low as to be irrelevant, in a practical sense.
• with enclosed propellers, and the absence of sharp points generally, combined with the low speed and light weight, the risk of skin laceration or eye injury is extremely small, even with full speed impacts
• low mass and the very low maximum altitude restriction greatly reduces the risk to other airspace users; risk of damge from impact is far less than that of a 1kg bat or 250g bird, for instance
• maximum free-fall speed is low
• The risk of error flying FPV is less than LOS due to lack of spatial cues when flying LOS with such a small drone
• by not permitting autonomous flight, flyaways are unlikely
• by having FPV specific checks and procedures, the safety of FPV greatly enhanced over not having defined procedures
• The noise of the drone is far less than of larger drones.
• The risk of fire from a tiny drone is miniscule since the impact energy is insufficient to breach the lipo and the heat to surface area ratio of these tiny lipos is very low.

The application could include videos of impacts of whoops vs various objects, comparing a whoop to a cricket ball, demonstrate sufficient visibility at night, demonstrating inability to harm people or damage property.

We may end up with a set of restrictions, perhaps something like this:

The drone itself:

• AUW < 100g
• FPV camera physcially fixed (no gimbal), must point forward, and must not point downward
• prop tips must be enclosed so they cannot cause skin laceration on impact
• autonomous flight not permitted (eg, no auto return to home, no auto manouevres)
• automatic full motor disarm after loss of Rx for 1s or longer
• battery voltage and Rx signal strenght indication, with alarm, in the OSD

Flight procedures:

• additional FPV specific pre-flight safety checks and procedures as set out in the application must be followed
• must not fly above 100 feet AGL
• no spotter is required (due to trivial risk of impact with other persons, and the overall low risk of such events)
• separation from other people/proprty of 5m (not 30m) since is intrinsically far less hazardous than much larger drones even at 30m.
• may be flown at night provided that the area and the drone are illuminated well enough that the pilot's FPV view is as good as daylight, and the drone can be by other people at least as well as in daylight.