"I will put a brick through your drone!"

[DDW]

The one negative experience I have had while flying my P3P was at the beach (very late in the day, very few people) when a couple of walkers in their 70s came by and one of the older ladies said "I don't like those things. I wish I had a baseball bat." I just ignored her though I would have liked to have tried out the baseball bat on her stupid old biddy skull. But on every other occasion people have been positive and supportive (especially anyone with kids). I always let them see the FPV and I land it so they can look at it up close. They are almost universally curious more than anything else. Very few people understand that a recreational-type drone cannot "spy" on people from 100-300' and I agree with the others that "spying" is by far the biggest concern among the general public.

I don't have the quote handy, but the California legislator who introduced SB 142 (all drones must fly over private property above 350' or are subject to civil trespass lawsuit) said something to the effect of "I was sitting in my backyard and saw a drone and decided that I didn't want those things looking through my window." As if a drone flying at 350' could look into ANYTHING.

 

[JohnK]

The one negative experience I have had while flying my P3P was at the beach (very late in the day, very few people) when a couple of walkers in their 70s came by and one of the older ladies said "I don't like those things. I wish I had a baseball bat." I just ignored her though I would have liked to have tried out the baseball bat on her stupid old biddy skull. But on every other occasion people have been positive and supportive (especially anyone with kids). I always let them see the FPV and I land it so they can look at it up close. They are almost universally curious more than anything else. Very few people understand that a recreational-type drone cannot "spy" on people from 100-300' and I agree with the others that "spying" is by far the biggest concern among the general public.

I don't have the quote handy, but the California legislator who introduced SB 142 (all drones must fly over private property above 350' or are subject to civil trespass lawsuit) said something to the effect of "I was sitting in my backyard and saw a drone and decided that I didn't want those things looking through my window." As if a drone flying at 350' could look into ANYTHING.

Agreed. We live increasingly in a society of fearful, PC weenies. Here in NY it's not yet terrible - I joked with two cops who watched me set up to fly, for example. I think we should be more proactive in being ambassadors for our hobby. Invite kids over to view the FPV screen. Fly the drone back in a bit closer so they can see the stability of the camera, etc. Most people are reasonable after a real-life experience, I think.

 

[JohnK]

You think that's tough? We are only allowed to fly up to 60m in Singapore. And since Singapore is such a small country, almost every other place is within a 5km radius of an aerodrome. Furthermore, you can't fly more than 15m when you are in the vicinity of a restricted area(government buildings, education ministries etc)

View attachment 29744

We all end up flying at the few same locations and also end up with very similar videos as our airspace is so limited. 150m is great so appreciate it!

I will be in your part of world in the early part of 2016. At this point, I am leaning toward just leaving the drone at home rather than risk it. What a shame.

 

[johan]

Before opining about, criticizing, or making judgmental statements about ANYTHING, it should be incumbent on the individual to know something about the subject. I realize that not everyone agrees with that (or even recognizes it as an issue), which is why we have these problems.

I don't know you but if I were a betting man I'd be willing to lay money that you yourself do not take the time to educate yourself on every single subject you bother to form an opinion about. And if you do, you are most definitely the exception, not the rule.

And that's my point. We can all sit here and commiserate about how we think things should be, or we talk about what we can all do to better the hobbies public perception considering how things really are. People think drones are for spying because when they first learned the word drone, that's what drones were for. We can get mad at them for being ignorant or we can expect them to be ignorant and make the effort to change their perception in a positive way when given the opportunity. Obviously we're never going to reach nor convince everyone. But if we make the effort to reach a bunch, it will make a difference.

 

[JohnK]

I don't know you but if I were a betting man I'd be willing to lay money that you yourself do not take the time to educate yourself on every single subject you bother to form an opinion about.

And you would lose that bet. I spent 35 years as a public school teacher, university professor, and political activist, and I know the value of informed opinion (and lament its absence in the modern politics in the media today). Not patting myself on the back ... I learned by experience and having **** thrown in my face, and rightfully so. Working with literally 1000's of people in my career was both empowering and humbling and convinced me to try to know what the hell I was talking about before opening my mouth. You seem to make it sound hard to do. It's not hard at all (I might have been a slow learner, admitttedly.) Everything you want to check up on is a google search away.

You are absolutely correct in that we can educate people by example and by our contact with them. I have been saying that all along, and do so when possible each time I fly. Moreover, as a frequent traveler, I have come to realize that it is tourists who are the actual ambassadors to the world, and as such I do my best to counter the embarrassment of our politics nowadays, for example. It's therefore true on both the small and the large scale.

And it is a shame that I might be considered the exception and not the rule, and the shame is on those who don't make the effort to educate themselves. It's really not hard to do. Google. Mouse click. Read. Repeat as often as necessary.

 

[Farmer]

What about Malaysia? You could drive over border for the day?

 

[johan]

You seem to make it sound hard to do. It's not hard at all. Everything you want to check up on is a google search away.

I said nothing of how hard nor easy it is to do. And that was intentional. How hard or easy it is doesn't matter. What matters is that the public doesn't do it nor can they be expected to do it. The sooner we make our peace with that and accept it for what it is, the better off we'll be IMO.

 

[JohnK]

What about Malaysia? You could drive over border for the day?

Don't know if you meant me, but I plan to spend 4 months there next year, so Malaysia is naturally part of the plan. Will be looking for travel tips.

 

[JohnK]

nor can the be expected to do it.

And that is pathetic and inexcusable for adult human beings in the age of almost limitless info.

 

[johan]

And that is pathetic and inexcusable for adult human beings in the age of almost limitless info.

Again, do you want to talk about how you think things should be, or do you want to talk about how things actually are?

You are a university professor. Do you really believe we should hold John Q Barely-Finished-High-School to the same expectations as you hold yourself? If so, then quite frankly, you're in for a miserable existence and so, sucks being you.

Editing because I phased that poorly.

 

[JohnK]

Again, do you want to talk about how you think things should be, or do you want to talk about how things actually are?

You are a university professor. Do you really believe we should hold John Q Barely-Finished-High-School to the same expectations as you hold yourself? If so, then quite frankly, you're in for a miserable existence and so, sucks being you.

Editing because I phased that poorly.

Seems we are actually agreeing on this, albeit from different angles. I'm not saying it WILL happen (I'm not totally out of it at 58 years of age), I'm just saying there's no real excuse for why it doesn't happen. Two very different things.

Bottom line is this, IMO: people can and should try to inform themselves about issues, and excuses for their ignorance are not substitutes for that ignorance. Whether they will do so or not is not up to me, no more that I am responsible for mowing my neighbor's lawn. It remains a fact, however, that I am perfectly capable of doing so.

 

[johan]

No, I get it. And you're right. We do agree. Its a shame that these things are the way they are and for the most part, there's no excuse for it. Its frustrating.

 

[ELHEAPO]

150 metres in canada

That is very excessive 50metres can be tough enough to abide by but then again I suppose canada is a lot bigger in area to the UK so I don't know if that is a factor?

 

[Ezookiel]

A generally successful, and quite cheap $30 protection against these kinds of people, is a hi-vis vest with "CASA Certified UAV Pilot" (or "FAA", or "CAA", or whatever your country call it) in big letters across the back, and your photography company name on the front.
Now obviously, I actually AM licenced and certified, and you probably can't say you are if you're not, but there's no reason you couldn't invent a photography company name and put just "XYZ Photography" across it. It would still have much the same effect of announcing silently that you're not a pervert out spying, you're official and on some kind of job.

People see Hi-Vis and they immediately think you're some kind of authority. It's so daunting to them, that where I used to get interested onlookers would come right up to me on most flights, now they always stop a good distance away and watch from a distance, or just keep walking and don't stop at all. They seem to think they can't come close because some kind of official flight must be in process.
If your spotter is wearing the "Ground Crew" printed Hi-Vis vest, then it's about ten fold the amount that it keeps people away. I guess people just assume that someone doing dodgy things with these, and perving or spying isn't going to be wearing stuff that makes them visible from 300 metres away.
Put a wide circle of pop-up traffic cones a safe distance around you as well, and I sometimes think that actual officials would be reluctant to approach you. I've never had anyone come through the traffic cones yet.

For the sake of the hobby/industry, if I see onlookers standing off some distance away, I generally wander over to them to offer to let them see the screen, and talk to them about it. And on every one of those conversations, I ensure that I make a very distinct point to draw attention to how little detail can be seen, and joke that I'd never be able to spy with it, I wouldn't recognise my own mother through this thing unless she was close enough to touch it. They're normally quite surprised at how little detail there is.
Yes people do remember very well the first thing they learned about something, but they learn even better if they've stood in front of the screen and seen it for themselves, so they all go home that little bit more relaxed at the thought that any drone they ever see, isn't likely spying on them.

I kind of miss having people come up to talk to me about it the way they did before the vests, as it's not quite as convenient if I have to go over to them, but nor do I have to deal with Grandma-Moron either.

 

[Farmer]

You think that's tough? We are only allowed to fly up to 60m in Singapore. And since Singapore is such a small country, almost every other place is within a 5km radius of an aerodrome. Furthermore, you can't fly more than 15m when you are in the vicinity of a restricted area(government buildings, education ministries etc)

View attachment 29744

We all end up flying at the few same locations and also end up with very similar videos as our airspace is so limited. 150m is great so appreciate it!

Garrie, Whats Malaysia like for drones? You could drive through the border North of your country for a sunday fly couldn't you?

 

[Farmer]

Don't know if you meant me, but I plan to spend 4 months there next year, so Malaysia is naturally part of the plan. Will be looking for travel tips.

Hi John, my reply was meant for Garrie - (replied via my android app and stuffed up)
However, If your heading that way....it applies to you too.
I worked up that way - but that was 25years ago.
I was saying to Garrie if Singpore is so congested - the border into Malaysia is right on the north of the city - wondered what the rules were like across the border.
As for Malaysia my last experience was a 7 hour taxi ride through Malaysia and they were terrible drivers.

 

[Othan1]

A generally successful, and quite cheap $30 protection against these kinds of people, is a hi-vis vest with "CASA Certified UAV Pilot" (or "FAA", or "CAA", or whatever your country call it) in big letters across the back, and your photography company name on the front.
Now obviously, I actually AM licenced and certified, and you probably can't say you are if you're not, but there's no reason you couldn't invent a photography company name and put just "XYZ Photography" across it. It would still have much the same effect of announcing silently that you're not a pervert out spying, you're official and on some kind of job.

People see Hi-Vis and they immediately think you're some kind of authority. It's so daunting to them, that where I used to get interested onlookers would come right up to me on most flights, now they always stop a good distance away and watch from a distance, or just keep walking and don't stop at all. They seem to think they can't come close because some kind of official flight must be in process.
If your spotter is wearing the "Ground Crew" printed Hi-Vis vest, then it's about ten fold the amount that it keeps people away. I guess people just assume that someone doing dodgy things with these, and perving or spying isn't going to be wearing stuff that makes them visible from 300 metres away.
Put a wide circle of pop-up traffic cones a safe distance around you as well, and I sometimes think that actual officials would be reluctant to approach you. I've never had anyone come through the traffic cones yet.

For the sake of the hobby/industry, if I see onlookers standing off some distance away, I generally wander over to them to offer to let them see the screen, and talk to them about it. And on every one of those conversations, I ensure that I make a very distinct point to draw attention to how little detail can be seen, and joke that I'd never be able to spy with it, I wouldn't recognise my own mother through this thing unless she was close enough to touch it. They're normally quite surprised at how little detail there is.
Yes people do remember very well the first thing they learned about something, but they learn even better if they've stood in front of the screen and seen it for themselves, so they all go home that little bit more relaxed at the thought that any drone they ever see, isn't likely spying on them.

I kind of miss having people come up to talk to me about it the way they did before the vests, as it's not quite as convenient if I have to go over to them, but nor do I have to deal with Grandma-Moron either.

That is a great idea, actually, with the vests. As long as I'm not trying to impersonate any government department, it should be fine and perform the psychological effects as described. I will google the vests as I have no idea where to get them.

Thank you for a very practical idea.

 

[Ezookiel]

Look for local companies that do logos and other clothing embroidery.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[FatTwoTonTony]

That is very excessive 50metres can be tough enough to abide by but then again I suppose canada is a lot bigger in area to the UK so I don't know if that is a factor?

No idea why its 150 metres here in canada but its virtually impossible to abide by those regulations in my humble opinion. I am hopeful if I fly safe using some common sense there will be no issues. Staying 450 feet from anyone or anything is really impossible unless I go to fly in the wilderness area

 

[FatTwoTonTony]

Maybe a Hells Angels vest would deter a few haters from approaching us ??