A lot of hate towards "drones"

[Djrichone]

So I was flying my quad last night after sunset and all of a sudden I get a pissed off neighbor yelling at me over my backyard fence why am I flying it over their yard. When they did that I was hovering about 4 ft off the ground in my back yard. Before that I was cruising around at 150-300 ft. I never fly lower than 100 ft as there are lots of Palm trees in my neighborhood. This is the second time I get a neighbor pissed. First time it was while I was flying my Hubsan X4 and Proto X at night just zipping around.
I apologized both times trying to explain it's just a 'toy' but decided I should stop flying around at night to stop freaking out my neighbors and avoid any more confrontations with them.
My concerns were that law enforcement would be called and I would have to go through a bunch of BS explaining. Not that this concerns me as I have many attorney friends that would help me, but I do t want to go thru all that for my 'toy'.
So for now I grounded myself unless I fly somewhere different.
Any similar situations you have encountered?

 

[ATOMSK]

I've had two neighbors come by and tell me how cool the copter was. One made jokes about how cool it would be if it could do lawn work

 

[bergenfelter]

I have had a lot of neighbor kids stop by and check it out - some of the neighbors come down to watch but nobody gets upset. Sounds like a pretty high strung neighborhood. Maybe if your drone crapped $5 bills in their yards they might not mind.

 

[MapMaker53]

I warned the two neighbors I'm friendly with that I would be doing some practice flying with it and to not worry that I was spying on them. To be honest, I'd rather launch from a relatively deserted park because line of sight from my back yard is rather limited.

 

[jaxbert]

When I fly in my neighborhood, I attract at least a dozen kids that want to try controlling it, and sometimes an adult comes and checks it out, because it's cool and they want one.

I also happen to be the president of my HOA. A few weeks ago I got a call from an angry neighbor that said, "DID YOU KNOW SOME A$$HOLE IS FLYING ONE OF THOSE DRONES AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD?"

Then they got into calling police, FAA regs, etc.

I of course played stupid, I said I didn't see any harm in it, blah blah blah.

I don't fly it in my neighborhood as much as I did when I first got it... and if I do fly, I keep it high.

 

[ilovecoffee]

Narcissistic neighbours think everyone wants to spy on them, but it's because they're the type of individuals who like to poke around in other people's business so it makes sense to them.

Personally I hate that they are called drones when it has a connotation with military usage and spying. These are really just like pro hobby aircraft.

 

[Jetfixer]

I tell my neighbors that I'm not spying on them, but that there IS a law that if a drone flies up to an attractive female they must flash their goodies to it. :geek:

 

[skyhighdiver]

I took a few shots of the homes around me and printed them out 5 dollar investment
and then gave them to them explaining where I got them .Some wanted to see it others just thought it was cool
Have never had a complaint !

Good thing or Id have to complain about there **** dogs that bark at all hours of the day harshing my mello

 

[ToThePoint]

I had a idiot that drove all the way down the road in his car with burning tires here to state his mind.
I just bought the bird and was range testing @ some 200-250ft hight.
It hovered nearly above my home but it had to pass his to get here.
Anyway i had a flashlight hanging under it aside the camera.
He arrived when it just got back and foam was already on his beak.
The flashlight faced him and he goes, " is that a flashlight ".
I acted deluded and confused from the beginning and sayed, " yep a flashlight ".
Then he toke his car and drove back.
Now its a good thing he did state his mind, when something happens when the use of the bird is required he's into a surprise !
I don't deal with that kinda idiots ( only proves there are 2 ) nor shall they ever limit my freedom.
After all what do they have to hide ?
Are they really thinking there interesting enough that i would spy on them ?
As all is a reflection of the inner state of being, it actually states they spy on others !
That kinda people are to be avoided @ all time !
They only drain your happiness away and they think if they can pull it of that they are important.
For me they are retarded egocentric energy draining vampires.

 

[flyNfrank]

I have had the police to my house 2 times from ignorant neighbors. The neighbors get so pissed off when the police goes to their house 1st and explains to them the guy they're calling about is not breaking any laws, and all they can do is ask me to be courteous to my neighborhood.

The #1 thing to always keep in mind is to 1st keep the name Drone out of your vocabulary. For those here in the US we have news every night where they mention unmanned drones were used today to...blah blah. People hear this stuff and think right away what we fly is some how associated with military drones that are used in war.

Had I not been approached by the police here in my own neighborhood I would have without a doubt bought a Walkera Tali H500. But due to it having 6 motors buzzing I'm sure it would draw more attention when launching it.

Btw. it seems multi rotor problems in neighborhoods pick up when the outside temps are cooled down to where people open their doors and windows more often. I also found to have less or no issues if I first climb to 400ft altitude so neighbors don't hear or see it as easily.

 

[rbhamilton]

It's a bit like the reaction some people have towards my Google Glass. "Are you recording me???" Ya... because random people on the street are SOOOO interesting that I'm going to waste all 12 minutes of battery life recording them. Yeesh.

Maybe people think we have zoom on our drones and from 500 feet up we can look down and around corners into their bedroom windows or something. *sigh*

 

[Hovtech]

My new neighbor across the street came out to me in my driveway and told me not to fly over his house anymore. I said OK.

 

[SpikeFinch]

My drug dealing next door neighbor yells at me every time I fly it.
He even told me he was going to shoot it down.

I am still waiting for the day he tries anything so the police can start their report in his backyard.. That will be a funny day.

People tend to fear what they don't understand.

 

[Great Pumpkin]

http://www.dronefly.com/product-p/red-led-ufo.htm

This comes in red or blue. Put it on your Phantom, fly over your neighborhood some night, and then be accused of flying a nasty UFO!

 

[UKFlyer]

http://www.dronefly.com/product-p/red-led-ufo.htm

This comes in red or blue. Put it on your Phantom, fly over your neighborhood some night, and then be accused of flying a nasty UFO!

This is true, whenever i put my extra leds on at night you do get a lot of "ufo" comments and looks of amazement, no talk of drones just "what is that!?" i hear in the distance.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czk8-Se7PbA[/youtube]

 

[Clipper707]

The #1 thing to always keep in mind is to 1st keep the name Drone out of your vocabulary. For those here in the US we have news every night where they mention unmanned drones were used today to...blah blah. People hear this stuff and think right away what we fly is some how associated with military drones that are used in war.

I disagree with this approach. We should embrace the name drone.

 

[moto phantom]

Missouri is trying to pass a bill outlawing drones, but the phantom falls into the class of "model aircraft" in the bill. That is what I have started calling the phantom when people ask me if it is a drone.

 

[Clipper707]

In order for Missouri to outlaw drones, they're going to have to define what drones are. Calling it a "model aircraft" won't affect the definition.

 

[Clipper707]

This is true, whenever i put my extra leds on at night you do get a lot of "ufo" comments and looks of amazement, no talk of drones just "what is that!?" i hear in the distance.

UKFlyer, I guess technically it is a UFO to them. And it is amazing. I like the blinkers in the rear. Are they heavy?

 

[detholm]

I live on the east coast and was flying off of a beach over the ocean. Of course all the kids came up to see it. then all of a sudden i had a wicked (for Boston folk) pissed off mom come tell me that if I didn't land and leave now she would start throwing rocks at the phantom and me! I was so startled i almost lost track of my phantom out over the ocean.

I'm not the best at confrontations like this so I landed and left. But that hostility towards me is something that will linger when i pull this phantom out for some time.