My thoughts on breaking the rules.

[rlphoto69]

Hi everyone, Just wanted to express some thoughts on much of what I've been reading lately. I'm a new P4P owner and almost at a point where I'm sorry that I invested the money into this hobby because of what may come in the future. First off, this site has been great and everyone has been so helpful whenever you have a technical issue or can't figure something out. What is bugging me is that many are posting things they have done or want to try and do and they know it's against the rules or they know it's pushing the issue. For example this guy.
Anyone thought about doing this....
Not saying he did it, but obviously the thought is in his mind. People wanting to fly near airports, break the 400 ft rule, flying over events and stadiums and crowds etc.... The list goes on. There are millions of areas you can fly, be safe and not either get in trouble or piss someone off. What this is creating is an anger towards drones from the general public and worse is to make the FAA create more rules, regulations and get things to a point where you won't be able to fly anywhere other than your back yard. I work in aviation and have had a close call in a helicopter where some idiot with a drone was well within the restricted airspace near the airport and well over 400 ft. Then, you see people post their illegal flights they have done and then wine when law enforcement comes and takes their equipment and slaps them with huge FAA fines etc. well hello, you deserve what's coming to you. I'm just asking that we all think first so what hopefully has been a fun hobby so far doesn't get ruined. Would gladly like to hear anyone else's thoughts.

 

[GMack]

I think cameras just piss people off in general. If drones didn't have a camera on them, then I suspect the public wouldn't be as alarmed about them flying around. No more than someone flying an RC aircraft around the neighborhood or an RC car racing down the street. The interim mayor of Huntington Beach, CA brought up the instance of a drone flying over his backyard pool area and it "Made him mad enough he wanted to slap it out of the sky" so they were hunting out ordinances so the police could arrest drone operators.

Imagine driving by someone standing on the corner with a large DSLR camera and telephoto lens pointing it at you and everyone going by. If it were on a tripod it might even make you more uneasy. It would probably make you angry as well. I had that happen once and it did make me wonder what the heck the guy was doing and maybe enough to go back and confront him about it.

But people will always break laws. Can't fire off gun in the city either, yet my neighbor will sometimes pump off a few shotgun rounds at night for whatever reason. Close enough I can hear the pump action too. Some people do not care about laws and seem to enjoy breaking them.

 

[tcope]

What is bugging me is that many are posting things they have done or want to try and do and they know it's against the rules or they know it's pushing the issue. For example this guy.

I'm pretty sure the 5 smiley face emoticons after the post means it's a joke. When I read a post that I don't care about... I simply move on to something else. It takes some practice but after awhile... they don't bother me.

People wanting to fly near airports, break the 400 ft rule, flying over events and stadiums and crowds etc.... The list goes on.

You think 400' is a rule (regulation)?

There are millions and millions of drones being flown... how many do you see being flown on purpose near airports and stadiums? Probably something like .00001%? Of the drones flown as you mention above but excluding over 400', how many have caused an issue? So is this _really_ a big problem? Of perhaps because you see it covered disproportionately covered in the news or here, you think it's a bigger issue then it really is.

I work in aviation and have had a close call in a helicopter where some idiot with a drone was well within the restricted airspace near the airport and well over 400 ft.

I'm guessing within the US? If so, can you give the dates and times that you reported these encounters to the FAA? I'd like to look up the reports.

 

[Kirby Johnson]

Maybe living in Flor-I-Duh gives me a distorted perspective, but I still think there are a LOT more irresponsible Ducks, Herons, Canadian Geese, Egrets, Storks, Eagles, Ospreys, Swans and Hawks out there than there are drones. And every one of these big boys outweighs (and you'd think would cause more damage) than a pipsqueak drone.
Just trying to keep things in perspective. It's like my car complaining about the danger of all those bees flying too low.. The first drone that takes down a helicopter or jet, I'd betcha the Army, Navy and Marines would pay big BUCK$ to know his technique.

 

[NorthWestPassage]

The more people push the envelops the harsher the penalties will become. Drones won't become a general cause because there is no "right" to use air space it is regulated for the common good. You can push the envelope of what is allowed but just be ready to take the penalty for doing so. I bought the P3S to step up from a "toy" drone and to see if I could use it in my video/photography hobby and because if idiots cause the hobby to be so tightly regulated that you can't fly anywhere it's not much too lose. I think the FAA is trying to get a real policy together, but until they do you will see localities try to regulate drones to keep people safe/comfortable from/about drones. If you have lots of money you can probably fight any rule except privacy rules regarding air use, but I don't enjoy having to spend money and more importantly my time doing nonproductive things. If someone is firing a gun in an unsafe manner you have a duty to report it to the police, that person might be unstable - you can make an anonymous tip.

 

[Suhail78]

The annoying thing is people like you who would rather rant and rave about other people.

JUST WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF.

As long as your not breaking the rules or doing dumb ****, then why worry about what others are doing? Yeah we all enjoy the hobby, and dont want anything to change that, but at the same time, let people live and deal with the consequences of their own actions.

Some people just need to lighten up. Dont be the guy to call and report someone for flying at 401 ft.

 

[NorthWestPassage]

Look Suhail78, you are probably ignorant of the fact that society only works when people live by the agreed upon rules called laws and without compliance then we're are back to Dodge City and having lived through Vietnam I personally prefer to live in a place where the law is not who is best with a gun.

 

[Suhail78]

Look Suhail78, you are probably ignorant of the fact that society only works when people live by the agreed upon rules called laws and without compliance then we're are back to Dodge City and having lived through Vietnam I personally prefer to live in a place where the law is not who is best with a gun.

I am not ignorant of any fact. But why come here to this forum to just complain about what other people are doing? This is a place to come and get help, and to help other people, not to come and ***** and moan about what other people are doing that you dont approve of.

I fly by the rules, and i sincerely hope that others do to, but at the same time, i'm not going to come here and just lay into people b/c they are doing things that i dont agree with or wouldnt do myself.

And comparing an unstable person with a gun to someone flying a drone in a manner you dont approve of, just doesn't make sense.

And for hobbyist, these are just regulations, not laws.

 

[NorthWestPassage]

The point you missed is that it is all members of society, not just the authorities, that have a duty to insure that the laws are followed. I don't come here often because of the folks who advocated "breaking the rules". If it comes to civil righst, religious freedom, and or gender freedom then I'm all for pushing the envelope. But to do things that endanger other folks just because I want to when flying "toys" or doing business, then I am going to tell someone what I think.

 

[Suhail78]

The point you missed is that it is all members of society, not just the authorities, that have a duty to insure that the laws are followed. I don't come here often because of the folks who advocated "breaking the rules". If it comes to civil righst, religious freedom, and or gender freedom then I'm all for pushing the envelope. But to do things that endanger other folks just because I want to when flying "toys" or doing business, then I am going to tell someone what I think.

I agree with that, and please don't misunderstand me, i'm not advocating the breaking of any rules at all.

Im just not enthusiastic about people coming here to preach to others about what to do and what not to do.

If someone breaks the rules they should suffer the consequences.

what i would rather see is someone coming here and posting about how they got caught breaking the rules and what the results of that was, i feel that would be a much better way to discourage people from doing the wrong thing.

 

[NorthWestPassage]

I to don't like to preach, but I also don't want to see someone blinded by a drone because someone wanted to cover a parade or fly over a crowed area. So I think we agree in concepts but perhaps not in some execution points Off Soap Box now! Hope your day is a good one.

 

[Suhail78]

Agreed! have a great one too sir!

 

[AyeYo]

I agree with that, and please don't misunderstand me, i'm not advocating the breaking of any rules at all.

Im just not enthusiastic about people coming here to preach to others about what to do and what not to do.

If someone breaks the rules they should suffer the consequences.

But, you see (and you obviously don't), that's the thing... it doesn't work like that. When an idiot breaks the rules, we ALL suffer. That's why people are 109% justified in chastising the idiots and telling others what to do and not do.

 

[Suhail78]

But, you see (and you obviously don't), that's the thing... it doesn't work like that. When an idiot breaks the rules, we ALL suffer. That's why people are 109% justified in chastising the idiots and telling others what to do and not do.

I disagree.

How does coming here to ***** and moan about what others are doing help?

Yes if you see someone doing the wrong thing, you should try to intervene and tell them what they are doing is wrong, and educate them on the proper way to do things.

Again, this forum, to my knowledge is a place to come to share ideas, learn from others peoples mistakes in order to avoid them yourself, and to ask questions (dumb or otherwise) that will help you be the best drone pilot possible.

It would seem pretty discouraging to me to come to this forum as someone who is interested in the hobby and debating about making a drone purchase and see nothing but posts of people complaining about how people are ruining the hobby.

Just follow the rules, do your part, educate people, but dont come here and get on a soapbox about "oh whoah is me, people are breaking the rules, people are doing this, people are doing that..." It doesnt help.

 

[AlecW]

I think the only "rule" I see broken regularly (and I'm no angel) is VLOS. I've yet to see a definitive answer to the question of "guideline" vs. "law" on that subject. Lets face it, after 800 feet out you can't see jack and your basically flying with the camera/map/radar, 800 feet or 7000 feet at a decent height (under 400') are the same thing. I know someone will say you can't see that plane coming at you at xxx feet away but in my experience (once) low flying planes appear and disappear so quickly you don't have time to react anyway. On that note I never used to pay any attention to low flying planes and now do, some pilots fly them under 400 feet, maybe with more and more drones out there they will start realizing 500 feet might be a better place to fly.

 

[AyeYo]

It doesnt help.

Yea, it does help. There are lots of new owners, people new to drones, people new to RC in general here. Many people don't even know that what they're doing is stupid and/or dangerous. Pointing it out is absolutely a productive use of the forum.

 

[ChiefStealth]

A case in point... Just saw on the news..The government of Iran has prohibited all civilian drones within the city of Tehran. One pilot flew a drone too close to the wrong building. A building where the Ayatollahs hang out. So, no flying in that whole city.
This is what happens when one pilot breaks the rules. Governments freak!! They don't just punish the rule breaker, they make rules that affect all pilots.

 

[jwmcgrath]

A case in point... Just saw on the news..The government of Iran has prohibited all civilian drones within the city of Tehran. One pilot flew a drone too close to the wrong building. A building where the Ayatollahs hang out. So, no flying in that whole city.
This is what happens when one pilot breaks the rules. Governments freak!! They don't just punish the rule breaker, they make rules that affect all pilots.

Don't have to look as far as Tehran...

Washington, DC.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[rlphoto69]

I'm pretty sure the 5 smiley face emoticons after the post means it's a joke. When I read a post that I don't care about... I simply move on to something else. It takes some practice but after awhile... they don't bother me.

You think 400' is a rule (regulation)?

There are millions and millions of drones being flown... how many do you see being flown on purpose near airports and stadiums? Probably something like .00001%? Of the drones flown as you mention above but excluding over 400', how many have caused an issue? So is this _really_ a big problem? Of perhaps because you see it covered disproportionately covered in the news or here, you think it's a bigger issue then it really is.


I'm guessing within the US? If so, can you give the dates and times that you reported these encounters to the FAA? I'd like to look up the reports.

It only takes one. Do some research and I'm not looking at a percentage or trying to get a number, but just simply pointing out some facts that I'm reading. Have a drone myself and just don't want to see the hobby destroyed or severely regulated. Yes people are going to complain about anything or just seeing one, but there are several law breakers out there. Just saying

 

[rlphoto69]

The annoying thing is people like you who would rather rant and rave about other people.

JUST WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF.

As long as your not breaking the rules or doing dumb ****, then why worry about what others are doing? Yeah we all enjoy the hobby, and dont want anything to change that, but at the same time, let people live and deal with the consequences of their own actions.

Some people just need to lighten up. Dont be the guy to call and report someone for flying at 401 ft.

The point I was simply trying to point out is yes, people should have consequences to their actions, but as you should well know sometimes not just one is punished but indeed the whole class is punished for one persons actions. I haven't and wouldn't report anyone unless it indeed was someone purposely causing dangerous actions.