First run in with neighbor.....and the law

I wouldn't mess with LEOs. They can arrest you even though you are perfectly within your rights, and then you have to sort it all out later. Not worth it.
 

I feel a flaming bag of poo would be best :)
 
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And this is exactly why I only fly within the confines of my backyard if I'm doing any testing, and never initiate long flights from home. I will simply not leave my property in case some nitwit tries something like this. The convenience of flying out of your backyard gets quickly eclipsed by angry, unreasonable nutballs and uninformed LEOs.
 
I haven't flown my P4 in weeks because it's too dang hot. I installed the last firmware update and took it out for 9 minutes until the battery was low. As I landed, a strange guy pulled up and looked curious and asked how far that goes. I said it can go around 3 miles on a good day and I started to approach him thinking he was friendly and was going to talk. He immediately revved away from me and got all sketch so I backed up. He took his phone out and started looking for my address obviously. I said my address is XYZ, I'm not doing anything illegal. He was recording me and said so are you recording people? You ar huh? And then took off. This was around 8:30pm.

I literally flew straight down my street block. I live on a hill/mountain so I have an excellent view and clear line of sight. I probably didn't get much more than 1/2 mile away. I live in a community that basically backs up to a wash and wide open desert but have to pass a few houses to get ther, so I really don't fly over any houses and when I rarely do its at about 350' and long enough to fly over.

At about 10:30pm I get a knock on the door which wakes my 2 and 4 year old kids up. It was the police. Dude called 911 and reported me. The cop was pretty cool and said he had to just take my information down and give me a warning. He said it would be best not to fly around there again because if they got called back, they would have to wrte me up for disorderly conduct and it would be up to the prosecutor if they wanted to pursue it. I told him that it's just a case of his word against mine, what if the guy just starts calling. Also, how is he or even you going to be abl to identify a small object 300+ feet in the sky moving 20+ mph as mine?

The guy claimed I was hovering over his house for 5 minutes taking pictures and video at 50' above his house. Mind you, my entire flight was not even 10 minutes, I did zero hovering, I never hover over houses, and I wasn't even cording that flight.

I can't believe I was told if they get called again I am getting a ticket.


im not sure how a flight breaking no laws counts as disorderly conduct? wierd, what am i missing?would a hot air balloon or kite flying count as disorderly conduct?
 
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im not sure how a flight breaking no laws counts as disorderly conduct? wierd, what am i missing?would a hot air balloon or kite flying count as disorderly conduct?

Look at it this way, all a cop has to do is say you're being disorderly, impound your Phantom and put you in cuffs. Then you get to deal with the ugly aftermath.
 
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I joined my local town's facebook community group. Many of the 4'200 members are people who have moved all around the world.

So I make videos (with my P4) of the beautiful countryside and hills surrounding our town and post them on the FB webpage.

I get lots of nice comments, and a few yotube subscribers as well.

If anyone calls the police on me, I will be pointing them to the service I have been providing free of charge to my local town.

Moral in the story, offer your services to your community in some way.
 
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im not sure how a flight breaking no laws counts as disorderly conduct? wierd, what am i missing?would a hot air balloon or kite flying count as disorderly conduct?

The LEO said it would be pushing the bounds, but the definition of disorderly conduct in az is below. Bullet 1 is where they getcha, or bullt 2.

A. A person commits disorderly conduct if, with intent to disturb the peace or quiet of a neighborhood, family or person, or with knowledge of doing so, such person:

1. Engages in fighting, violent or seriously disruptive behavior; or

2. Makes unreasonable noise; or

3. Uses abusive or offensive language or gestures to any person present in a manner likely to provoke immediate physical retaliation by such person; or

4. Makes any protracted commotion, utterance or display with the intent to prevent the transaction of the business of a lawful meeting, gathering or procession; or

5. Refuses to obey a lawful order to disperse issued to maintain public safety in dangerous proximity to a fire, a hazard or any other emergency; or

6. Recklessly handles, displays or discharges a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument.

B. Disorderly conduct under subsection A, paragraph 6 is a class 6 felony. Disorderly conduct under subsection A, paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 is a class 1 misdemeanor.
 
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After each and every flight, download your flight log(s).
Offer to show it to the nice PO's evidence that you are not flying like the knucklehead says you are.
 
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The noise item in the disorderly conduct would be a breeze to win in court.

I have fought and won disturbing the peace because of noise. Everything regarding the law is based from decibels. You have to have measurement.
 
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Easy to fix the problem!
- be in a place away from home with other people
- find the address of your neighbor
- ask a friend to fly over his house a few times
- when LEO comes again, file harassment charges against neighbor
- drive in front of his house playing loud "we are the champions"
:)
 
Just don't fly near other people's houses. I always fly where are no houses or people.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 

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