Not illegal to buy them but illegal to use them - microcopters

It's a TurboAce Matrix-E with Gyrox5 gimbal but a different controller, RX100m3 shooting 60fps XAVC-S HD That's why I can shoot UP. The shots above the roof and trees were stabilized a bit (not too much, about 102% increased crop), and the shots in the forest are not.

Very nice video Gene. Looks like you know what you are doing with that quad!
Can see how DJI does so well with selling quad copters after looking at that Turbo-Ace website though . . .
so many options and have to assemble yourself. perfect for enthusiasts but for anyone starting out
its quite confusing. Or maybe I'm just getting to old and can't be bothered figuring it out lol

Thanks Mark, I appreciate that. I'm getting better, sure, but "know what I'm doing"? Not quite yet.... Yes, this thing eats Phantoms for lunch, but it's been a real fight. I bought it RTF (ready to fly) and it did, but only very recently have I been getting decent video from it. And you know I'm picky. The company falls real short at customer service after the sale....the big problem is I had to modify mine to give me videos that look good full screen, which, of course, is what I'm after. It does have DJI brains, which is not a problem, as I never use GPS, but keeping big slow powerful prop vibrations out of the gimbal is another story. If I was to do it again (and I will) I'd probably recommend the Inspire1 -- lots of folks having good times with those, and the 4K is at least good for stellar HD. Just can't point the cam UP like I do under the trees, and might not be as stable in real wind...but still. It's a good craft to fly - reliable and strong, responsive and tough.

But yes, it is confusing, which is why it's always good to start smaller, and move up. As one learns it's better. I recommend it...there's nothing like flying cameras!

Well I'm starting with a Syma X5C which is a fairly rugged little toy quadcopter which I have been using to train myself in the controls. Getting better with experience but may be too big a step up from there to an Inspire. May have to go the Phantom way and give DJI sometime to fix some of the issues with the Inspire(seems a few people have had issues with it "flying away" and never being seen again)

This is so funny. Even CNN started to pickup on DJI fly aways finally. DJI is rushing to try to stay ahead of the competition and doesn't fully test before release. With so many options their almost monopoly is no longer. Many other manufacturers also use the DJI controllers so who knows what will happen.

The Drone Interceptor MP200, or Rapere (which is Latin for ‘abduct’), has been developed by the French in order to stop people spying on their nuclear power sites.

http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/10/this-drone-interceptor-uses-a-net-to-take-out-smaller-weaker-drones-and-we-want-one-5057012/

READ:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-14/small-drones-to-provide-significant-benefits-faa-says

"The FAA said for the first time it is also considering creating a category of “micro” drones with less regulation.

These drones would weigh less than 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) and be made of soft materials that wouldn’t hurt people in a collision, the FAA said. The FAA said it is considering allowing pilots to fly these less risky drones without having to take the knowledge test. "

Is plastic soft material or does it need to be made of foam?

A DJI Phantom with a gopro weights less than 3.4 pounds. Some good news here. Surely plastic applies. they are not going to take all of those Phantoms out of the skies. Those with aluminum chassis may have a problem.

Makes more sense than trying to regulate the tens of thousands that are flying already. Believe me a 4.4 pond duck will go through the cockpit window easily still. It would be impossible to make all the dji machines illegal after the fact. And enforcement would be all but impossible.