bare in mind the FAA has or will be implementing laws that make it illegal to fly drones out of the controllers sight.

Good note... FAA still has their thumbs up their proverbial. I'm okay with keeping line of sight, these things are expensive ! :tup:

Oh it is going to much more unfortunately.
You might be required to get a license to fly one over a certain size/weight (which most are unless it is a childs toy), more restrictions on where you can fly are being enforced, but final rules are still 6-12 months away I hear.

License ehh? That sounds expensive.

New regs were supposed to be in place for the new year, but ya know... moving at the speed of Government.

So initial rules are going to be for commercial drone pilots, and once they are in place they will review 'other' possibles. Most recent news I found, end of last year:

When I'm flying planes I usually keep current on one of the flying associations dues. Some of them give you a really good insurance policy if you happen to crash into a house/car/ or worse a person

That's a REALLY good idea. Imma look into that if i get an outdoor drone.

FAA regulations currently have drones categorized into 55 lbs or less. Which is a wicked difference in drone technology.

They were discussing having a 3lbs or less drone law, which would be FAR less restrictive than the 55lb drone.

I totally agree with you that a lot of these laws are going to change and rapidly. But, on the issue of weight from my experience flying rc helicopters and planes, if you are planning to do photography with this or use it for business purpose I would get the heaviest one you can afford. I've got some super light Helis and foam planes that are a blast to fly, but I can only fly them a few times a year in our area. The wind is just too strong all the time to safely fly them.

Truth. Although you can get a hella drone under the 3lb limit they're discussing. Current best = DJI or Parrot imho

I love my Phantom II.. No major issues so far except I don't use it enough..

Federal rules regarding drones updated as of 2/13/15:

The FAA proposal would allow drones weighing up to 55 pounds to fly within sight of their remote pilots during daylight hours. The aircraft must stay below 500 feet in the air and fly less than 100 mph.

People flying drones would need to be at least 17 years old, pass an aeronautics test and be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration, but a certificate wouldn't require the flight hours or medical rating of a private pilot's license.

NOTE: These are the preliminary rules regarding UAV. The final regs have yet to be submitted.

And for security reasons......
As some of you know, flying drones over DC area is forbidden since Sep. 11 2001. I understand the safety reasons behind it and I have seen a few drones modified with better batteries and upgraded motors thus giving the capabilities of transporting a few pounds worth of explosives. I'm sure that many areas will follow DC as we are turning into a nanny state (many areas already are nanny state).
If you look at the following video, what makes you think that a person with the wrong intentions can not harm others? All is needed is a little money and some basic knowledge of flying rc models. Nowadays rc models comes with GPS and basically self-flying capabilities which makes the hobby more enjoyable.
FYI: I know the guy in the video is being certified (in Germany certifications are required for everything, even to make sausages) and he is doing it for the correct reasons. You can skip to the 9:00 minute mark to see it in action if you don't want to see the entire video. Cheers!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW98VqJ4u18

The case for not banning drone flights in the Washington area - The Washington Post

Drone Maker Disables Flights Over Washington After White House Crash

As with guns and other things, IMO these laws, requirements and regulations apply only to responsible and law abiding citizens. But my thinking is about the ones that want to fly drones for the wrong reasons. If I were to fly a drone/rc plane with the intentions to harm and/or kill, I would easily buy what I want, test it, and modify it to my needs. Would I get involved in obtaining permits or following the rules? Heck No! So in the end all the government effort and imposing limitations only affects most of us, the responsible citizens, but laws are not required for criminal acts.

Despite the regulatory oversight... i'm gonna get one anyway lol...

I'm thinking this is pretty spectacular:

http://static.bhphoto.com/images/mul...IMG_485455.jpg

Lol gotta get a gyrocopter like the dude in DC, but instead of dropping of angry letters to congress, you can take your camera with you!