Arrested and jailed 13 days in Cuba for flying a drone

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Sorry if it is redundant, I searched for it and didn't find it, so I post it now:
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This poor guy tell his unbelievable story. really sad actually !
 
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This guy needs maxxrange and a battery mod to fly uber far away from spotters
 
So that's it? 206 views, 1 answer ?
The guy, a Canadian tourist has been jailed 13 days, no trial, nothing, for flying a P4 in Habana, Cuba and no comment? Usually when a zealous cop is playing stupid there are much more reactions. This is way bigger and nothing? Wow...
 
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Now seriously. This guy deserved it. He was lucky he was only 13 days. Assume an arab looking guy is flying a drone in a US city, they certainly would not allow him to drive with his own rental car to the police station.
 
Now seriously. This guy deserved it. He was lucky he was only 13 days. Assume an arab looking guy is flying a drone in a US city, they certainly would not allow him to drive with his own rental car to the police station.
"they certainly would not allow him to drive with his own rental car to the police station."...this guy

Edit: yup it's messed up, but at least he got out.
 
I am in the USAF and I did a trip to Cuba for when the President was visiting. My only experience was being allowed into the airport terminal to buy cigars so I can't say much about what is like outside the airport. The most important take-away is that it still is a communist country and they can do whatever they want to anyone visiting. It would probably be the same scenario, or worse, if you went to visit North Korea and flew a quadcopter.
 
I am in the USAF and I did a trip to Cuba for when the President was visiting. My only experience was being allowed into the airport terminal to buy cigars so I can't say much about what is like outside the airport. The most important take-away is that it still is a communist country and they can do whatever they want to anyone visiting. It would probably be the same scenario, or worse, if you went to visit North Korea and flew a quadcopter.
lol.......Fly a drone in North Korea........someone live stream that on Youtube.
 
He's lucky that's all he got. You can't go to another country and expect to get the same kind of lack luster treatment you "deserve" here. Other countries enforce their laws and sometimes to an extreme degree.

He admits he goes into places that are dangerous and potentially deadly so you'd think he would have done some research on Drone Use etc before jumping out and filming in that sensitive area.

Live and learn (if you're lucky).
 
Is it right to say this is like if someone were flying a drone over the pentagon? Would raise some eyebrows, plus communism.... yeah. He's lucky he didn't die in that prison. Lot's of people disappear in places like that.
 
...so you'd think he would have done some research on Drone Use etc before jumping out and filming in that sensitive area...

Thank you!
I watched and kept waiting for the part where he asked someone if it was okay to fly. Seems like his 'friend' would have said something.
But, no.
He's lucky to be home at all.
 
I just got back Cuba. Before I went, I tried through every agency channel to get permission to bring my P3P. Long story short, I was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be allowed to bring the quad. When in another country it is ill advised to live by the maxim "better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission". The guy was very lucky to get only 13 days.
 
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He seems to have got at least a few seconds of great footage despite the very obvious foolish risk. So why is he whining?
 
Sorry if it is redundant, I searched for it and didn't find it, so I post it now:

Thanks for posting the video - about all I can say is YIKES - lucky dude - as in, lucky he still isn't there considering he was flying a drone with a camera and recording in a communist country and not on some resort but right out there amongst the locals and in heavily populated areas with traffic etc. That's breaking the law alone in any country - but Cuba - is he is very naïve, dumb, doesn't care or has big ba**s!

In my mind "Drone, Camera & Communist Cuba" ---- hmmm they just don't mix too well and for me and I am sure most on here - that spells trouble - big trouble.

Despite being told he is welcome back anytime (without a drone) - my gut would say, no thanks just in case some zealous immigration guy at the airport decides to carry out another investigation based on his recent history and arrest. They don't need a reason to arrest you or investigate you (so he says) - so why risk giving them one by visiting again - ever!
 
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The most important take-away is that it still is a communist country...
I am a Cold-War veteran, once bought into that "communist" bit. Has nothing to do with Communism, and Cuba has never been a "communist" state, which would be a state in which the workers owned the means of production, if there had ever been such a state, which there has not. Cuba is just a garden-variety totalitarian state, albeit an advanced one in some ways (compare the infant mortality rate to that in the U.S.A., e.g.)

So the issue with the drone is that totalitarian states tend to be paranoid. Why anyone would think of flying a drone there without a written permit is beyond my ken.
 
I am a Cold-War veteran, once bought into that "communist" bit. Has nothing to do with Communism, and Cuba has never been a "communist" state, which would be a state in which the workers owned the means of production, if there had ever been such a state, which there has not. Cuba is just a garden-variety totalitarian state, albeit an advanced one in some ways (compare the infant mortality rate to that in the U.S.A., e.g.)

Thanks for the clarification "davoud" - always good to have that for any subject matter.
 
I am a Cold-War veteran, once bought into that "communist" bit. Has nothing to do with Communism, and Cuba has never been a "communist" state, which would be a state in which the workers owned the means of production, if there had ever been such a state, which there has not. Cuba is just a garden-variety totalitarian state, albeit an advanced one in some ways (compare the infant mortality rate to that in the U.S.A., e.g.)

So the issue with the drone is that totalitarian states tend to be paranoid. Why anyone would think of flying a drone there without a written permit is beyond my ken.
I wonder how one can be a Cold War veteran...Since I served in the French navy from 75 to 79 and called at Murmansk, USSR in 77, I guess I'm one too probably, But anyway... I say Cuba (been there recently by the way) is and stay officially a communist country, actually one of the last communist countries in the world with China, North Korea, Vietnam and Laos according to my opinion and any source of information available. It's a bit of a nonsense to affirm that Cuba as nothing to do with communism. It is also quite authoritarian apparently but I wouldn't say totalitarian. As sad as this story is, This guy has been unbelievably stupid to ignore where he was, and the basic rules that we all know (or should know) But it's difficult to conceive and scary to realise that you can be jailed just because you're an idiot...
 
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Okay all you world travelers. This guy said early on in his video that he has been to Cuba many times before. It seems that this time is the first time he has brought a P4. Maybe not, though. But, when he ended up in "Revolution Square", that is when he was arrested. If you check out "Revolution Square" in Wikipedia, Plaza de la Revolución - Wikipedia, you will find that, "The National Library, many government ministries, and other buildings are located in and around the Plaza. Located behind the memorial is the Palace of the Revolution, the seat of the Cuban government and Communist Party." This is a very important part of Cuba. Kinda like the White House area. We can't fly there either. Why should you be able to fly around their White House, or the seat of the Palace of the Revolution? This is why when a person can fly above the normal tourist with a standard or not so standard camera, that they think you are a spy. This is why he was jailed. The didn't know what he was up to. You will be arrested if you fly around the White House too. So, he was not stupid, he has been there many times before and he thought, cool, what a great place to put my drone in the air. Why should he do research on a place that he knew nothing about. He did not plan to go to that place. He just happened upon this "Square", only to find out later that this was a very important place where "The square is notable as being where many political rallies take place and Fidel Castro and other political figures address Cubans. Fidel Castro has addressed more than a million Cubans on many important occasions, such as 1 May and 26 July each year." This from Wikipedia. He didn't know! This is the communist seat of Cuba. Give me a break people. Put yourself in his place and you just happened upon this location and what a great place to fly your P4, right? We do the same thing at Santa Monica Pier, California and get hassled by the police. This is just a tourist spot in Santa Monica and a great place to put our drones in the air. Luckily, in America, they don't arrest us, they just tell us we cannot fly there. Makes you wonder about America, right? This isn't the White House, just a tourist spot. When we try to fly somewhere in America and then we get arrested, that is the time to worry. Might as well go to Cuba. Lol. Good for this guy for making his video and alerting all us drone pilots to the ways of other countries, especially communist countries. Beware, not all countries are free, or seemingly free. I'm free in America to fly according to the FAA with certain restraints. Yet, many communities who don't like drones or prefer to cater to their citizenship and say; I don't care what the FAA says, you can't fly here! Who is free? Thought provoking, yes. Think about it.
 
Okay all you world travelers. This guy said early on in his video that he has been to Cuba many times before. It seems that this time is the first time he has brought a P4. Maybe not, though. But, when he ended up in "Revolution Square", that is when he was arrested. If you check out "Revolution Square" in Wikipedia, Plaza de la Revolución - Wikipedia, you will find that, "The National Library, many government ministries, and other buildings are located in and around the Plaza. Located behind the memorial is the Palace of the Revolution, the seat of the Cuban government and Communist Party." This is a very important part of Cuba. Kinda like the White House area. We can't fly there either. Why should you be able to fly around their White House, or the seat of the Palace of the Revolution? This is why when a person can fly above the normal tourist with a standard or not so standard camera, that they think you are a spy. This is why he was jailed. The didn't know what he was up to. You will be arrested if you fly around the White House too. So, he was not stupid, he has been there many times before and he thought, cool, what a great place to put my drone in the air. Why should he do research on a place that he knew nothing about. He did not plan to go to that place. He just happened upon this "Square", only to find out later that this was a very important place where "The square is notable as being where many political rallies take place and Fidel Castro and other political figures address Cubans. Fidel Castro has addressed more than a million Cubans on many important occasions, such as 1 May and 26 July each year." This from Wikipedia. He didn't know! This is the communist seat of Cuba. Give me a break people. Put yourself in his place and you just happened upon this location and what a great place to fly your P4, right? We do the same thing at Santa Monica Pier, California and get hassled by the police. This is just a tourist spot in Santa Monica and a great place to put our drones in the air. Luckily, in America, they don't arrest us, they just tell us we cannot fly there. Makes you wonder about America, right? This isn't the White House, just a tourist spot. When we try to fly somewhere in America and then we get arrested, that is the time to worry. Might as well go to Cuba. Lol. Good for this guy for making his video and alerting all us drone pilots to the ways of other countries, especially communist countries. Beware, not all countries are free, or seemingly free. I'm free in America to fly according to the FAA with certain restraints. Yet, many communities who don't like drones or prefer to cater to their citizenship and say; I don't care what the FAA says, you can't fly here! Who is free? Thought provoking, yes. Think about it.
You cannot "not know" that this place is where the government buildings are located. This is a well known and toured place for tourist visits, advertised everywhere in the "what to do where to go" stuff. So simply by being there, he was aware what it was. The more I think to it, the more I wonder if he's more stupid or careless, he really did it on purpose, He probably wanted to get some kind of "strong pictures".. West bank or Medellin, Colombia are not exactly the place to do tourism either. What's the point? He's not even journalist. Adrenalin rush... when you have a wife and 2 kids. Yeah maybe he's just stupid finally! :)
 
Is it right to say this is like if someone were flying a drone over the pentagon? Would raise some eyebrows, plus communism.... yeah. He's lucky he didn't die in that prison. Lot's of people disappear in places like that.
you got that right.
 

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