Flying Etiquette when you're not the first drone at the point of interest

Clipper707 · Mar 8, 2017

Flying at a lighthouse on the California coast yesterday. My P3 was in the air and my friend's Mavic was up. We talk while we fly so as to maintain different altitudes.

At the last minute before sunset, a vehicle pulls up and two guys haul *** to launch an Inspire about 100 meters from us. There's only one lighthouse so the skies seemed crowded with 3 drones orbiting it. Though the odds of a mid-air are pretty slim, they just got higher. I was watching my FPV display during one of my return flights from the lighthouse, when I saw the Inspire go winging by overhead.

A little bit later, one of the guys walks up to see what we were flying. He said they were noobs with a new I2. I suggested next time they should launched within talking distance of other operators in order to keep altitudes sorted out. He was friendly and took it constructively.

I hadn't thought about this before, but with more folks getting drones, I think it's a practice I'm going to follow.

ob1415 · Mar 8, 2017

IMO, proper etiquette would also include staying out of other people's shots who were up before you were.

ShaunMac · Mar 8, 2017

We should all communicate and work together on this. I agree we should establish some kind of ethics and protocol. Proper consideration is needed.

Phil56 · Mar 8, 2017

Hey Clipper good info. But I can't get the vid to work

jwmcgrath · Mar 8, 2017

Phil56 said:
Hey Clipper good info. But I can't get the vid to work

+1...

And I was going to be supremely disappointed had this post not included a video!

Othan1 · Mar 8, 2017

ob1415 said:
IMO, proper etiquette would also include staying out of other people's shots who were up before you were.

Yeah, that fly-by was just down-right rude. What if that was a professional who just lost income over that? I mean, editing, sure, but that's more time and expense that might not be in the budget.

Anyway, last time I encountered another drone pilot, I hovered in place over my location, looked for the operator and made sure I kept both in view. Kept my flight away from him and his. He seemed to do the same.

jwmcgrath · Mar 8, 2017

Not to repeat the beating of the dead horse, but it's like anything else... some people are going to use etiquette, some are not, some people are going to be polite, some people are not.

Just as much as hold a door, signal lane changes, move aside at a puddle on a sidewalk or pass the salt before using it.

It's almost as hard to teach etiquette as it is common sense.

Every situation is unique... sounds like you handled that as perfectly as could be expected and had a positive result. Nice to hear.

But the next one may not go so well whether we establish an IRCPaEC or not!

I just made that up. Internationally Recognized Correct Protocol and Etiquette Criteria.

jwmcgrath · Mar 8, 2017

Othan1 said:
Yeah, that fly-by was just down-right rude. What if that was a professional who just lost income over that? I mean, editing, sure, but that's more time and expense that might not be in the budget.

I empathize, but it's no different than photobombing a wedding shoot. There are all kinds of people in the world.

With The Birds · Mar 8, 2017

On the rare occasion someone has their AC in the air when I arrive I just stay well clear, luckily I have a spotter with me to help with that (it has only happened on three occasions). Once I didn't launch at all, it seemed the other operator was on his first flight given the erratic nature of the AC movements. As to being in someone's shot, nothing they can't fix with a content aware tool in editing. The guys with tripods are huddled around like stranded rats in most of the locations I fly at sunrise.

42FrankZ · Mar 8, 2017

Bring cheap throw away drones. Then if they get in your way you can get to ramming speed and poof problem solved...

Mako79 · Mar 8, 2017

I say battle of the batteries!! who ever stays up longest or have the xxxx to fly till the second battery warning kicks in..

Clipper707 · Mar 8, 2017

It seems the video has a quite a few views. I trust it's working now?

blackcrusader · Mar 8, 2017

I was flying with a friend at same location at 10200ft altitude in the mountains. In first video at beginning of vid you can see him on right as a speck up in the distance and also at end of video. In the second video we he did a pass at speed. We were in full communication and at different heights. Third video was a sunrise we did together. Always fun.

jwmcgrath · Mar 8, 2017

Clipper707 said:
It seems the video has a quite a few views. I trust it's working now?

That's all I get.

Clipper707 · Mar 8, 2017

jwmcgrath said:
That's all I get.

Are you on an Android device? Is this link relevant?
YouTube Videos Not Playing on Android Devices

jwmcgrath · Mar 8, 2017

Clipper707 said:
Are you on an Android device? Is this link relevant?
YouTube Videos Not Playing on Android Devices

iPhone 6. That's the first vid on here I've had any kind of problem with.

Clipper707 · Mar 8, 2017

jwmcgrath said:
iPhone 6. That's the first vid on here I've had any kind of problem with.

No idea. Is it a setting on my youtube?

jwmcgrath · Mar 8, 2017

Clipper707 said:
No idea. Is it a setting on my youtube?

I'm not sure... I see the preview:

...but when I tap on it, all I get is 15 seconds of green screen.

Heyyyyyyyy... maybe it's all staged! Maybe it IS green screen Hollywood CGI and I just figured it out! [emoji12]