10,000 ft has to be above or near the "service ceiling" of what a quad copter is even capable of. As altitude increases, air density decreases. The copter will have to work very hard, and will have less control force available. I think you're over-estimating the available power of a quad copter.

I think it's a certainty that one would/should have a video system for operating without line-of-sight. Video systems are common in high-end equipment.

>Personally I put most of the sightings into the mass-hysteria camp. I know there are idiots out there flying in controlled space, but I also think things are being blown way out of proportion.

Yeah. Agreed.

>>I found a site that did the speed/climd rate calculations. My numbers are bit off. The DJI, a common platform, could hit 3km in about 5.5 minutes and a 250 racing quad could do it in about 5. With about 20 minutes of battery power that leaves maybe 5-10 minutes of loiter time.

10,000 ft seems right at the edge of what the things can even do. They aren't going to be stable or easy to fly/land like a fixed wing aircraft would.

edit: forgot part of my post.

>I'd really love to see the math on the probability of a tiny quad intersecting the flight path of a firefighting aircraft at 3km altitude though. They are small and that's a LOT of open space.

"Big Sky" theory doesn't give me as much comfort as it ought to.

>I can barely spot one against the open sky at a few hundred feet up. If these guys spotted one they must have amazing superhuman vision or amazing luck to have come within a very close distance.

This. I have a difficult time spotting full-sized aircraft in the air, and I have pretty good vision.