Comment Re:Make darn sure the Feds don't mind! (Score 2, Informative) 259
What he's describing is more complex than R/C but there won't be much additional regulation to comply with and the "Feds" won't be interested unless he does something that violates the existing laws.
There are no existing laws or regulations that allow UAVs to fly in US airspace. There are, however, specific exemptions for hobby aircraft -- the essential difference under the current regulations is hobby vs commercial. A hobby UAV is allowed, but a commercial UAV is not allowed.
My company designs small UAV helicopters and flight control computers -- technically, we break the law every time we have a flight test. Luckily, the FAA are under a mandate to develop draft regulations in the next 6-9 months that specifically describe categories for allowable UAV flight in the US (and since their funding is dependent on this requirement, you can expect to see new laws very soon). We flew at a recent FAA demo where they were taking notes to draft the new regulations, so the ball is rolling.