Phantom 4 on the scene of a huge fire!

[kdrak]

Being afraid to break laws that don't exist seems like a boring, repressed way to live.

It seems that my life is boring and yours exciting . This conclusion, reminds me the conclusion of people first thought that earth is flat.

You should be working for google or NASA.

 

[With The Birds]

Other issues aside, if water bombing aircraft were called in they would cease operation and not enter the area while ever a drone was in the airspace. In NSW Australia anyway, that is the proticol.

 

[movius]

Some interesting video and related comment and discussion. I'm not in the US so can't speak about your laws but here in the UK, I'm not aware of any laws that say a drone is banned from flying in these types of circumstances. There appears to be excellent access for firefighters to takle the blaze on the ground (where they would prefer to fight it I imagine) so would extensive aerial activity be expected? The only no no for us here is flying over the road and associated traffic. Other than that, I would have reduced height (just in case a news or command and control helicopter arrived on the scene) and stood off as you have done over the water at least 50 - 100m from the fire. That pretty much takes care of UK law with respect to drones providing this location isn't within an ATC area that would require a courtesy call to highlight your flying activities.

With regards the video, I'm sure the news channel jumped at the opportunity to air it.

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[Jim Carr]

Come on people, for God sake, how is a small uav going to hinder fire fighters doing their job?
if a little phantom is going to interfere with fire fighters putting out flames then we are all in trouble! Don't fall for the nonsense they put out in the media.
They will blast that phantom out of the sky in a heart beat with their hoses, the heat from the fire will down the phantom, the chopper will tear it to pieces. And no I don't believe a phantom sized uav is going to bring down a helicopter or an airplane! Yes, yes, if all the planets are aligned correctly and the uav manages to hit the tail rotors, maybe, maybe!

Even though the odds are that it will not bring down the helicopter, it is going to be expensive! If the UAV is struck by the props, the aircraft is grounded while they x-ray the props to inspect for damage (this is even required after a bird strike). And if there is even the slightest damage, crack, or splinter, the props MUST be replaced and balanced.... approx. cost of $250,000 for the average EMS aircraft! All this MUST be done by a licensed aircraft mechanic and he ain't cheap.

 

[Jim Carr]

Other issues aside, if water bombing aircraft were called in they would cease operation and not enter the area while ever a drone was in the airspace. In NSW Australia anyway, that is the proticol.

In the US, a good idea is to carry a scanner on 123.025. This is the helicopter Unicom frequency used nationwide and is standard protocol with all the EMS and law enforcement helicopters in the air. That way, you will hear when a helicopter is in the air and can be sure to have your UAV a safe distance away (or even land) to prevent any problems. Check your local laws before carrying a scanner since some jurisdictions prohibit carrying scanners unless you are LEA, EMS, FIRE, have a permit, or a ham (ham radio operators are exempt nationwide from scanner restrictions). I have found it great to know when they are in the air and if they are coming my direction. Even though I am seldom over 250', EMS and Sheriff are commonly in the 300-400' during local operations.

 

[tlhintoq]

Pretty gnarly fire in Everett Washington. I always have my stuff ready to fly at a moments notice!

Are you saying you always have your drone in your vehicle with charged batteries?
No problems with the daytime heat of a closed car cooking the plastic or the batteries?

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

Are you saying you always have your drone in your vehicle with charged batteries?
No problems with the daytime heat of a closed car cooking the plastic or the batteries?

Yep always ready to go... Everyday. No issues


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[M Evans]

Regardless of what you think you cannot fly over or around first responders. Some fire departments have their own helicopters(that fly lower than 300 ft)or their own drones.

 

[With The Birds]

Regardless of what you think you cannot fly over or around first responders. Some fire departments have their own helicopters(that fly lower than 300 ft)or their own drones.

Agreed. My comments earlier in the thread related soecifically to known current proceedurea for the rural fire services. They have their own drowns also, inspire 1. There has been more than one instance of a drone hobbyist delaying operations of a fire bombing aircraft to an active fire. The helis fly well below 200. I dont know how.long the suction hoses are but i have watched them load from private swimming pools and dams.

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

Oh you guys. Stop all the "what if" stuff. I had flight radar on my iPad and always look for aircraft (including helicopters) in the area. There were none or I wouldn't have flown.


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[With The Birds]

Oh you guys. Stop all the "what if" stuff. I had flight radar on my iPad and always look for aircraft (including helicopters) in the area. There were none or I wouldn't have flown.


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Oh you guys. Stop all the "what if" stuff. I had flight radar on my iPad and always look for aircraft (including helicopters) in the area. There were none or I wouldn't have flown.


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I cant comment for others but i never expressed an opinion as to whether you should have flown. Just stated a fact that may prove useful, especially to other Aussie drone enthusiasts that may not have known.

Ill give you another fact. Flight radar may give you a false sense of security. Not all smaller aircraft have transponders and even if they do have one it may not be active or in range of a reciever. I have seen police and military AC in operation that did not show on the flightradar app.

 

[Tink]

No flight tracking software will pick up the majority of low flying aircraft. Even those with a transponder. At least half the time, I'm squawking 1200, and no software is going to show it.

In addition, if I'm not in Class B or C, I'm not likely talking on the radio, either.

And someone said a 3 lb drone isn't a threat to aircraft? Really? The slowest I fly is around 150 mph.

Not addressing flying close to the fire - just the comments about the accuracy of tracking software and listening on a radio.

I do have a friend that flies an Air Tractor fighting fires. And a friend that flies EMS choppers. I wouldn't fly anywhere near a large fire. A small one that won't attract media or air fire support? Sure.

A large fire will have a TFR. Did you check for that?

 

[Mark J Colbert]

Great video. For future reference: Unless you wake up each morning in search of conflict, you might reconsider posting stuff like this in this type of forum. While some might admire the videos, others will dream up every single thing that could have gone wrong and blame you for instigating it. Let's say you flew over a fireman saving a kitten stuck in a tree; well, there might have been a Channel 2 News Copter covering the kitty-rescue and you endangered the lives of the flight crew. Or there may have been a mass shooting at a local high school at the exact moment the cat climbed the tree and; there were F-16s fighter jets being scrambled out of Fairchild to fly CAP (Cover Air Patrol); and your drone could have created a breach of national security. OMG what would CNN have to say about that?

 

[With The Birds]

Great video. For future reference: Unless you wake up each morning in search of conflict, you might reconsider posting stuff like this in this type of forum. While some might admire the videos, others will dream up every single thing that could have gone wrong and blame you for instigating it. Let's say you flew over a fireman saving a kitten stuck in a tree; well, there might have been a Channel 2 News Copter covering the kitty-rescue and you endangered the lives of the flight crew. Or there may have been a mass shooting at a local high school at the exact moment the cat climbed the tree and; there were F-16s fighter jets being scrambled out of Fairchild to fly CAP (Cover Air Patrol); and your drone could have created a breach of national security. OMG what would CNN have to say about that?

Awesome advice. Don't post anything that may promote discussion around safety and common sense flying amongst a cohort of seemingly, in most instances, people who genuinely enjoy the hobby and wish avoid a minority spoiling it for everyone.

 

[WWK888]

Oh boy. Get real.

You see all the cars on the roadway I flew over? Hundreds of cars and people pulling over to view the fire... One lady is standing in the passenger seat of the convertible her hobby was driving and filming on the road! Lol.

The last thing that's going to cause a problem is my drone 280' feet away, and way far away from the action... Oh and I was over the ocean inlet.

No scrutiny. I sent the shots to the local news and they posted in on their website and said "photo from a local drone user". Lol. News wasn't worried about it!


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I lost track of this thread and am just now reading the discussion. I purposely mentioned the incident here where a drone DID interfere with the Fire chopper and the ensuing negative comments it generated on the news. Feel free to fly where ever you want, my comment was meant as generality. Didn't mean to get your panties in a bunch. Nice video by the way.

 

[TheLightSpeedz]

I don't wear panties? You can't assume everyone does because that's your preferred lifestyle bro.


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