Mini-vent - Aircraft does 180 to buzz my quad...

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So I'm in the middle of nowhere at a rest stop flying my quad when I hear a single engine plane flying at least >397' (my elevation) as it was higher. I then dropped my quad back to ground level until it passed. I went to fly again and soon the plane turned around, dropped altitude and headed back toward me.

I thought it a coincidence because, surely he/she couldn't see me, but every time I brought it down and went back up (three times before I caught on), it would head right back for me. Once I kept it down, it left the area.

Surely I must be misinterpreting the behavior but I can't see how. There was no farmland to dust, no animals to observe, just small hills, a few trees and lots of space.
 
I can't imagine he/ she would pass you at 80-100 knots and the pilot have his/ her eyes on the rearview mirror watching you and your UAV takeoff. From my experience, none have rearview mirrors and the plexiglass on the back is hard to see through clearly. So far, I've flown in a Cessna 172, Piper Cherokee, and Diamond DA40 and all have been hard to look through the rear at the ground.

Maybe the pilot was flying VFR and trying to make sense of any landmarks around to get his/ her bearings.
 
It sounds like they were practicing landing patterns for emergency landing. There must have been an open field choose by that could be used for emergency. I remember practicing this when I was leaning to fly. The instructor would idle the aircraft and tell me the engine died, start looking for an open field, and set up for landing. The altitude drop is to simulate actual landing. Rcheing is right, he wouldn't see you, since you rightfully got out of his way everytime, and he was busy figuring out his next move.
 
Doesn't matter the reason, you did the right thing by getting clear.
 
Ah landing patterns, that's right. Totally forgot about these practice maneuvers. This would make total sense in the OP's case.
 
Thanks, y'all. Brain doesn't shut off if I don't understand something so the explanations make sense. Now I can sleep. heh.
 

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