Police visited me today 1 day after buying Phantom 3

Ridiculous as it is, in Oregon, the law is, if someone says to you not to fly over their house, then the aircraft (sUAS) has to be kept at a minimum of 400 feet above. Oregon passed that law a couple of years ago, before the big advancements of our sport, with intent of keeping law enforcement from keeping an eye on someone with a drone. No law though about watching someone one with a normal aircraft (helicopter, etc.)
 
I flew mine on Friday early evening over my sister's home in her large backyard. Went up in the air 150'. Few minutes later I hear an approaching helicopter, so I bring down the P3P to a low hover. It was a police helicopter, and he circled the house about 15 times at low altitude (200' or so) and close in. We waived and expected cruisers to show up in the driveway. They never did though. It was a strange feeling.

Ya know, helicopters KILL small quadcopters if they fly overhead, and maybe the police chooper pilot knew that. A friend who flies powered paragliders told me a helicopter nearly killed him by flying overhead "to get a good view"... His canopy kept nearly collapsing. Repeatedly, he tried to evade and wave the helicopter to go away. He was able to evade well enough to land, but that helicopter pilot either had no idea what the effects would be from his rotor, or maybe he DID know and thought it was amusing.
 
Well, it kinda takes the fun out of flying when the police come to your house day after you buy your new Phantom. I live in Arkansas and someone thinks I was taking pictures of his/her house from 100ft up. I didn't even have my SD card in. I could care less what other people are doing and am VERY conscious about privacy issues.

First thing he said was "there aren't any laws against using them". Turns out the officer was super friendly and genuinely interested in it and came to take a look at it. He noticed there was no SD card in and knew I was a good guy.

But, sighhhhh.....

I guess from now on, it's straight up and then out when I fly from home.


They got the call and had to respond. If not the person who called would be complaining that the police had done nothing about there breach of privacy. This way there will be no record of you doing anything wrong.
 
Ya know, helicopters KILL small quadcopters if they fly overhead, and maybe the police chooper pilot knew that. A friend who flies powered paragliders told me a helicopter nearly killed him by flying overhead "to get a good view"... His canopy kept nearly collapsing. Repeatedly, he tried to evade and wave the helicopter to go away. He was able to evade well enough to land, but that helicopter pilot either had no idea what the effects would be from his rotor, or maybe he DID know and thought it was amusing.
Hadn't considered that possibility. I hope that wasn't the case
 
I'm in a unique position where I'm retired from law enforcement and my neighbor a couple of doors down is a local cop, so a lot of the local PD already know me. I had my Phantom Vision out when I first got it over a year ago and asked my neighbor, "Could you imagine having a couple of these parked on top of a search area? or a crime scene/accident scene for recording and aerial photos? The uses would be endless..." It got them familiar with it, as well as it's limitations (ie: they know it can't look through windows from 100' alt)

They loved it. I think they're trying to get a grant now to buy a couple of them for the local PD.
 
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The donut shop didn't have the donuts ready yet?
blank stare.png
o_O
 
Well, it kinda takes the fun out of flying when the police come to your house day after you buy your new Phantom. I live in Arkansas and someone thinks I was taking pictures of his/her house from 100ft up. I didn't even have my SD card in. I could care less what other people are doing and am VERY conscious about privacy issues.

First thing he said was "there aren't any laws against using them". Turns out the officer was super friendly and genuinely interested in it and came to take a look at it. He noticed there was no SD card in and knew I was a good guy.

But, sighhhhh.....

I guess from now on, it's straight up and then out when I fly from home.

Actually had something similar happen when flying my p2 vision over a year ago by the corner of my block. I was flying low for a minute making sure the compass and GPS was good before taking off. Later on after my flight I saw police by the corner. I went and talked to them and apparently someone called them in saying they were being spyed on. The police were of good humor and dismissive of that accusation. They also knew they were no laws against flying it. One of the two officers even asked if they could see it fly then the other cop said they prolly shouldn't. This was in NYC.
 
You should have asked the cops why they came when they knew there were no laws broken.
Lets beat the cops up again. Number one, you get a complaint as a cop and you respond to it to investigate, that is exactly what they did. They did their job and did it professionally from what it sounds. No one knew if laws were being broken or not, hence the response. Sick of people with no clue always beating the cops down.
 
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I'm a police officer in Florida and a new Phantom 3 owner. It's not illegal in Florida to take pictures or video of anything in the public. That includes from the air. The only time it's illegal is when you take pictures or videos through the windows of a house because they have a "reasonable expectation of privacy"

Rick Scott our governor just made it illegal to take any images of people. Go figure.
 
Lets beat the cops up again. Number one, you get a complaint as a cop and you respond to it to investigate, that is exactly what they did. They did their job and did it professionally from what it sounds. No one knew if laws were being broken or not, hence the response. Sick of people with no clue always beating the cops down.
More than likely to get both sides of the story and to assure the other party


Also because We (Police) have to document literally EVERYTHING we do . Soo the Officer has to do a report and contact both party's.and yes I am a Police Officer and yes I am saving up for my Phantom 3 Professional NOW (and hiding that fact from my other half hee hee
 
I have a 2000 acre ranch in CO. No neighbor for 8 miles. All the local law enforcement have come by to look at the P2+ and the photos. I find they are more interested in what a drone will do for them, Not what some uninformed hic under a roof thinks. Heck a 700 pound elk is not much more than a dot at 150 feet elevation.
 
I have a 2000 acre ranch in CO. No neighbor for 8 miles. All the local law enforcement have come by to look at the P2+ and the photos. I find they are more interested in what a drone will do for them, Not what some uninformed hic under a roof thinks. Heck a 700 pound elk is not much more than a dot at 150 feet elevation.
Got any 7x7's out there ?;)
 
Also because We (Police) have to document literally EVERYTHING we do . Soo the Officer has to do a report and contact both party's.and yes I am a Police Officer and yes I am saving up for my Phantom 3 Professional NOW (and hiding that fact from my other half hee hee

Glad all you guys are on board! Happy Saving!
 
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Just out of curisity how did the police even know to come pay you a visit about this if you only had the p3 for a day???? Did the person that called suspect it was you and know were you lived or is dji trying to be even more big brother helper then they already seem to want to be and have the info of who registered them in some sort of data base for the police to just narrow it down that you were the closest person with one.?????? Cause if so thats very very Orwellian and would not surprise me to much being we already are way way beyond even Orwell wildest imagination and warnings. Being that instead of 1984 being used as a warning to how things could be if we dont gaurd out liberty. The government and big corporations seem to think 1984 was some sort an instruction manual for tryanny.
 
Not too many 7x's.... Remember COPs are just big boys with guns. They are just as interested in drones as the 10 year old kid. Maybe more. Our game warden (just another cop) wants to see what a drone will do.
Next time you get visited by a COP ask him if he wants to fly it, or maybe bring his kids over and let them watch it fly. The right attitude will make a friend. Heck... you might get ask to do some fun flights with your drone. I was ask to haze the elk off the hay meadows. It is a riot AND LEGAL. GREAT PHOTOS,
 
I hope you contact those officers and have them visit the complainant, and have them explain to the complainant that filing a false police report is actually a crime.
Guys the complainant has the right to complain, the police can educate them on the principle nothing has been done wrong and even paying a visit to the pilot is not that big of a deal.
I got someone calling the cops on my last summer. The officers arrived to the park, addressed the complainant and didn't even come to talk to me.
 
If you want to see something hilarious that goes with this topic, watch the episode of "South Park" titled "Magic Bush". My son had me watch it, which was the first time I had seen South Park, and I was shocked thinking it was a children's show (get kids out of room before watching), but it is a "must see" that is perfect for this thread, absolutely hilarious and relevant. Plus being over 60 it made me aware of a trend prevalent with the younger generation I had no idea.
 

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