RE: FAA Policy for UAS Operations
JugFlier,
I talked to a guy recently in Nashville who does this type of work with a heli. He uses an electric version with a very large high discharge NiMH if I remember correctly. He converted the heli himself and told me he gets flight times of around 12 minutes which is plenty for what he is doing. With the light wieght cameras which are available there is no limit to what will be available in the future which these types of platforms.
AS to a business venture, my guess is that it will be pretty simple in the future to get the FAA to certify these, especially since they already have a pretty well documented history. Of course it may take them a while to get some type of "license" made up for AUV types of operators, but I am only speculating since this all appears to be a new issue which we were alerted to a year or so ago by those in the know. If you do a search you will see where we were all being warned that it was coming. Like you said the king is going to get his, and any where there is potential for you to make a dollar, the government is going to intrude to make sure they and the insurance company gets their cur. Don't foget also the local business licenses which will find their way into your pocketbook.
I am sure your son though would be able to handle the heli project, I have seen him fly, he has good hand and eye coordination and should have no problems making a go of it.
Tommy