Can lost Phantoms be traced back to their owner?

[russianfront]

Let's say I suffer a flyaway and my Phantom crashes into a driving car and causes an accident. The police and victims want to know who's drone it is. There is no owner ID on it.
Is there any way to trace it back?
I know a lot of people mark their quads with their contract info just in case it flies away. On the other hand if it causes harm they are coming after you quick.
What says you?

 

[Zinnware]

What says you?

Being responsible and taking responsibility. I put my name and contact information on mine.

 

[Great Pumpkin]

+1

 

[Mori55]

Did this happen to you ?

 

[PhantomFanatic]

I would assume that law enforcement could use a serial number, etc. to track it back to you. I hope so, if you intend to shirk off your responsibilities as an owner.

I suggest the opposite, mark it with your name and phone number and a reward offered. This and a GPS tracker, will let you find a fly away. I can suggest one, but that doesn't appear to be your focus.

I would first, check with your insurance agent, to see if you need an add on policy. I would start with your homeowner's insurance.

 

[TimmyG94]

Sooner or later, some criminal is going to do something with his drone that will make national news and I'm sure a forensic team will be looking at pieces of a blown-up Phantom under a microscope to find serial numbers on computer chips and other board components that might help identify who bought the quad.

I used to put my cell # on a sticker that was on top of my P2 Vision+ but replaced it with a message "If found, please email me at X". That way, I can escape the possibility of being sued if my Phantom flies onto some guy's new Mercedes and causes a few hundred bucks worth of damage. It also allows me to get my bird back if it simply flies away and lands in somebody's back yard. I think just putting an email address on your bird is the best idea because it gives you the most options depending on what happens during a flyaway event.

 

[MonsieurAnon]

TimmyG94, it already happened in Australia. They got caught and put in jail.

I cannot believe how sensitive so many of you are about your property. I understand that these aircraft are not cheap, but if you see it disappearing, out of control, kill the motors. If you don't, you may end up seriously hurting someone, and there's no excuse for deliberately making that choice.

 

[crash1sttime]

In the UK we have something called the British model flying agency, for £32 a year they offer a public liability insurance scheme that will protect you against any damage done by your drone, accidental or otherwise.

But yes i put my name and phone number on the quad, if its found i want a quick way for someone to contact me.

 

[p fandango]

In the UK we have something called the British model flying agency, for £32 a year they offer a public liability insurance scheme that will protect you against any damage done by your drone, accidental or otherwise.

fpvuk.co.uk do it for £15.80 a year

 

[Hughie]

In the UK we have something called the British model flying agency, for £32 a year they offer a public liability insurance scheme that will protect you against any damage done by your drone, accidental or otherwise.

fpvuk.co.uk do it for £15.80 a year

Yes I use fpvuk too.

 

[Hughie]

Let's say I suffer a flyaway and my Phantom crashes into a driving car and causes an accident. The police and victims want to know who's drone it is. There is no owner ID on it.
Is there any way to trace it back?
I know a lot of people mark their quads with their contract info just in case it flies away. On the other hand if it causes harm they are coming after you quick.
What says you?

I say
"With freedom comes responsibility"

― Eleanor Roosevelt,

 

[Hughie]

Sooner or later, some criminal is going to do something with his drone that will make national news and I'm sure a forensic team will be looking at pieces of a blown-up Phantom under a microscope to find serial numbers on computer chips and other board components that might help identify who bought the quad.

I used to put my cell # on a sticker that was on top of my P2 Vision+ but replaced it with a message "If found, please email me at X". That way, I can escape the possibility of being sued if my Phantom flies onto some guy's new Mercedes and causes a few hundred bucks worth of damage. It also allows me to get my bird back if it simply flies away and lands in somebody's back yard. I think just putting an email address on your bird is the best idea because it gives you the most options depending on what happens during a flyaway event.

Right. Good one. And you can't be traced from an email address can't you ?

 

[J.James]

Not much chance of them tracking it back by ser number inless you registered it or they wanted to go to every vender there was and TRY to see or hope they have records to who they shipped it to if they got lucky enought to find the place that sold it.

But depending on what sort of thing happened if it was just some minor thing where no one was killed or maimed the police would not put any more time in to it then they would if any other property crime happened which is either next to nothing to nothing at all, other then just take a report. Tho if it were some thing major were they actually wanted to put there donuts down and find who owned it. Its possible by a few means. Such as the video could be looked over for clues to were it took off from or even if the owner is on the video. or for identifying meta data on the sd card and files. If that failed they also would have finger prints and even dna all over it if you ever touched it. which could be used to track some one down if they thought it was worth it. But even most things less then murder or a high value burglary they do not even take finger prints except for on TV and definitely not at any thing that dont get the forensics unit called out to the scene. and dna they dont bother taking swabs on for petty things. and even if they did inless some one already has a dna profile on record its still not going to tell them its who ever it is and is only proof it is you if they have you as a suspect and want to use the dna to confirm it belonged to who ever. But in the real world police are not like they try to make it seem to every one that they always get there man or any of that stuff and even as a long time murder investigator even said to me THATS ALL just a big phyops to make the general public scared to commit crimes thinking the cops will catch them. When in fact they catch very few people % wise. and usually only the dumb ones that left all sorts of clues behind or if its just totally obvious who did it. Or the biggest way is when some one else calls in a tip. Such as if some one caused some thing that was big enough to make the news with some thing that happened with a drop they will get 100s of calls from any one that even knows some one with one and just dont like the person and will say "hey the guy up the street has on of them things" and you could get a knock on your door from the cops if they have some evidence that can possibly link it to being yours Tho they cant just come to your door and accuse you or make you prove it was not you will out some thing to reasonably collaborate a called in tip. I know if a phantom ever crashed and caused any thing that the cops had to be called out for I already know I would be about one of only 3 people they would even wonder if it belonged to in my city being word spreads and only My self and a fire man at the fire house and one other guy a few blocks away have one. When I was flying one night and some freak called the cops to report a space ship invading they put 2 and 2 together and drove right to my house first and then were going to go to the fire house next to see if it was just one of us out flying. lol They just said oh ok its not a ufo and basically said ok well have fun sorry to bother you. and also mentioned how cool it was and that one of there buddys at the fire house has one.

 

[Hughie]

Not much chance of them tracking it back by ser number inless you registered it or they wanted to go to every vender there was and TRY to see or hope they have records to who they shipped it to if they got lucky enought to find the place that sold it.

But depending on what sort of thing happened if it was just some minor thing where no one was killed or maimed the police would not put any more time in to it then they would if any other property crime happened which is either next to nothing to nothing at all, other then just take a report. Tho if it were some thing major were they actually wanted to put there donuts down and find who owned it. Its possible by a few means. Such as the video could be looked over for clues to were it took off from or even if the owner is on the video. or for identifying meta data on the sd card and files. If that failed they also would have finger prints and even dna all over it if you ever touched it. which could be used to track some one down if they thought it was worth it. But even most things less then murder or a high value burglary they do not even take finger prints except for on TV and definitely not at any thing that dont get the forensics unit called out to the scene. and dna they dont bother taking swabs on for petty things. and even if they did inless some one already has a dna profile on record its still not going to tell them its who ever it is and is only proof it is you if they have you as a suspect and want to use the dna to confirm it belonged to who ever. But in the real world police are not like they try to make it seem to every one that they always get there man or any of that stuff and even as a long time murder investigator even said to me THATS ALL just a big phyops to make the general public scared to commit crimes thinking the cops will catch them. When in fact they catch very few people % wise. and usually only the dumb ones that left all sorts of clues behind or if its just totally obvious who did it. Or the biggest way is when some one else calls in a tip. Such as if some one caused some thing that was big enough to make the news with some thing that happened with a drop they will get 100s of calls from any one that even knows some one with one and just dont like the person and will say "hey the guy up the street has on of them things" and you could get a knock on your door from the cops if they have some evidence that can possibly link it to being yours Tho they cant just come to your door and accuse you or make you prove it was not you will out some thing to reasonably collaborate a called in tip. I know if a phantom ever crashed and caused any thing that the cops had to be called out for I already know I would be about one of only 3 people they would even wonder if it belonged to in my city being word spreads and only My self and a fire man at the fire house and one other guy a few blocks away have one. When I was flying one night and some freak called the cops to report a space ship invading they put 2 and 2 together and drove right to my house first and then were going to go to the fire house next to see if it was just one of us out flying. lol They just said oh ok its not a ufo and basically said ok well have fun sorry to bother you. and also mentioned how cool it was and that one of there buddys at the fire house has one.

aaannd.... breathe


I take your point about finite police resources, but you should not assume that the way the police operate in your own country is representative of how they work everywhere else. This is a global (planet) forum after all.

I had an electric drill stolen out of my garage a couple of years back. The police turned up and in turn called out a forensics guy who took dabs and took away a cigarette butt for analysis. Never heard anything of course, but at least they did show up and put the hours in.

 

[Mori55]

All that for a drill ?

 

[PhantomFanatic]

Sooner or later, some criminal is going to do something with his drone that will make national news and I'm sure a forensic team will be looking at pieces of a blown-up Phantom under a microscope to find serial numbers on computer chips and other board components that might help identify who bought the quad.

I used to put my cell # on a sticker that was on top of my P2 Vision+ but replaced it with a message "If found, please email me at X". That way, I can escape the possibility of being sued if my Phantom flies onto some guy's new Mercedes and causes a few hundred bucks worth of damage. It also allows me to get my bird back if it simply flies away and lands in somebody's back yard. I think just putting an email address on your bird is the best idea because it gives you the most options depending on what happens during a flyaway event.

Unless an elderly couple find it in their yard! I doubt they have a computer.

Also, how does just putting your email address, on it, keep you from being sued? An email is enough for law enforcement to find you. This is only creating more bad press, if we don't honor our responsibilities.

 

[TimmyG94]

Also, how does just putting your email address, on it, keep you from being sued? An email is enough for law enforcement to find you.

It's not that hard to sign up for free email from Google or Yahoo! and then only check it from public WiFi hotspots around town using a prepaid phone that doesnt have your ID attached to your data plan. How would law enforcement ever know who you are?

And please don't say they will catch somebody on camera inside Starbucks using their WiFi. That kind of easy-peezy rapid crime solving only happens in the movies!

 

[GoodnNuff]

Also, how does just putting your email address, on it, keep you from being sued? An email is enough for law enforcement to find you.

It's not that hard to sign up for free email from Google or Yahoo! and then only check it from public WiFi hotspots around town using a prepaid phone that doesnt have your ID attached to your data plan. How would law enforcement ever know who you are?

And please don't say they will catch somebody on camera inside Starbucks using their WiFi. That kind of easy-peezy rapid crime solving only happens in the movies!

Very clever Timmy. Let's hope you aren't outwitted though.
Should a drone drop from the sky and hit my property causing damage, and I should find nothing but a non-identifying email address on it, I'll be sure to contact you.
I'll send a note to that email stating that your drone was found in my south yard and seems to be intact. I wouldn't be naïve enough to mention the damage you are liable for. I'll save that until after I get your contact information or when you arrive to pick up the drone and the police are waiting with me.
Some of us Timmy, have been riding the rodeo for a while now.

 

[Hughie]

Right. Good one. And you can't be traced from an email address can't you ?

That's really naive.

It would be very easy to use a free email address that you only access anonymously.

"really naive" ?
Thanks
If you used a different anonymous form of access each time you check your mail (and when you set it up) you can slow down the triangulation of data which leads back to you, so you are right in concept. However given enough time and enough accesses on the mailbox and given sufficient will of agencies wanting to track you, you will be caught. I was part of a team which developed a software system 15 years ago to do this for email and web traffic so call me wrong by all means, but naive I think not :roll:

 

[N017RW]

I'd do exactly what GoodnNuff said but I'd also have the police standing by.