Pretty sure I just lost my drone to Mexican customs.

[duse500]

Are you taking the Drone to Mex. Where are u staying?


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

I'll be taking mine.As of now I still havent booked anyplace but I think I'm gonna stay a couple places,maybe even 3 different places .
First 3 days is a place on the lagoon by the Playa Tortuga ferry terminal. After that ????Play it by ear

 

[Ibmftw]

The OP admitted his folly in the first contact situation, found help, and regained possession of his bird.

Put yourself in the shoes of the customs workers for just a second:

"This thing looks like it flies."
"This thing looks like it could carry a bomb."
"This thing looks like it could carry contraband."
"TERRORIST!!!"
"What should I do?!?"












How would you proceed when presented with technology you have never seen? Something you don't know about or have never seen?

Were it me, I would freak out! I would absolutely confiscate and most likely destroy said technology.

Don't be so quick to judge.

The OP could've eradicated most of Mexico City's population in an instant as far as you, I, or he knew.


Stop inserting political stuff.

@ccbdav I really REALLY don't want to start a flame war but it's nearly ironic you telling people to stop being political whilst virtually downgrading Mexicans to primates.... no sorry that's an understatement, I imagine most primates even know what drones are at this point. The man was from Mexico not Mars, some kind of customs official none the less, I am pretty certain he didn't see the drone and think hmm I should attack it with a stick before it destroys Mexico. I don't know what you think Mexico is but you know they even have cars and TV'S there now right? Being from England I do not have any racial or political agenda against Mexicans, AT ALL, If it happened in Jamaica or Poland I would have said the same thing, that being the OP was lucky and he nearly got hustled. I have been to Mexico a few times, the corruption of its officials is no secret, and I have openly bribed law enforcement officials on a few occasions. Back to your theory, perhaps he was scared of the drone and the danger it posed to the people of Mexico and indeed did think it was some kind of nuclear device capable of, how you so aptly put it, "eradicating most of Mexico City's population", tell me, would it then make sense for him to stash It in "a cabinet in his office"?

 

[chapsrlz]

They need them drones to fly drugs over the border, the Cartel pays big money for them.

i know this is an old one, but this is the most stuoid comment i have ever read.

dont you think drug cartels have money to buy new ones? and not crappy crappy p3s they could afford anyone they want, actually el chapo could buy dji and pay for the wall...

 

[flpholt]

i know this is an old one, but this is the most stuoid comment i have ever read.

dont you think drug cartels have money to buy new ones? and not crappy crappy p3s they could afford anyone they want, actually el chapo could buy dji and pay for the wall...

+2

 

[ccbdav]

@ccbdav I really REALLY don't want to start a flame war but it's nearly ironic you telling people to stop being political whilst virtually downgrading Mexicans to primates.... no sorry that's an understatement, I imagine most primates even know what drones are at this point. The man was from Mexico not Mars, some kind of customs official none the less, I am pretty certain he didn't see the drone and think hmm I should attack it with a stick before it destroys Mexico. I don't know what you think Mexico is but you know they even have cars and TV'S there now right? Being from England I do not have any racial or political agenda against Mexicans, AT ALL, If it happened in Jamaica or Poland I would have said the same thing, that being the OP was lucky and he nearly got hustled. I have been to Mexico a few times, the corruption of its officials is no secret, and I have openly bribed law enforcement officials on a few occasions. Back to your theory, perhaps he was scared of the drone and the danger it posed to the people of Mexico and indeed did think it was some kind of nuclear device capable of, how you so aptly put it, "eradicating most of Mexico City's population", tell me, would it then make sense for him to stash It in "a cabinet in his office"?

@Ibmftw @flpholt (and to anyone else I may have offended), I did not, in any way, mean to insinuate Mexican citizens are devoid of exceptional intelligence, comparable affluence, or awareness of emerging technologies. After rereading my post that night I immediately realized that my post could be construed as being culturally insensitive, but I was a bit too inebriated to even figure out how to log back in and delete my post---for which I was, am, and will continue to be very sorry. I have only now found the fortitude (and password!) to sign in again and attempt to explain. And, more importantly, apologize.

I have owned two Phantoms. I had never seen one in person until I received my first one, and I have yet to see another in person other than my own. I would (perhaps erroneously) assume most people the world over have never seen this sort of technology first-hand either. Media reports and paranoid neighbors seem to support this assumption. Given the unfounded hysteria surrounding unmanned aerial vehicle technology, I can rightly see a person experiencing such a craft for the first time as being trepidatious, paranoid, or aggressively proactive just in case.

The nature of the custom guard's job is security of his/her homeland. I only meant to say one could forgive him for erring on the safe side. After all, I'm certain American custom agents have confiscated far more innocuous items such as keepsakes, heirlooms, and toothbrushes. Confiscating such an intimidating device seems logical to me, and I didn't mean to suggest it's simply due to an assumption that the guard is still making fire by friction.

I very poorly articulated my visceral response to the previous replies that denigrated Mexicans and alluded to and flat-out stated officials of that country are corrupt.

I am truly sorry.

 

[MedinaTaylor]

It's threads like these that make me happy that Canada is my closest neighbor.

 

[Steve vaughan]

We used to cross boarder into Mexico all time used to live 1/2 mile now hour away I no longer go unless on a Cruz ship and don't get off except in a resort to many horror stories once I rented a broken waverunner (seat) and when I returned it they wanted me to replace it refused they called Federal is yep cost me 100 $

 

[Ibmftw]

Well done @ccbdav for realizing and coming back to reiterate and apologize for your post, I and everyone else probably do understand your point I think you was trying to make which I think was more like, people are more suspicious and less tolerant of objects they don't encounter frequently?

 

[Uncle Stumpy]

I have had my P3Pro since the first week that it came out and I love it. The only problem I have had is with stress cracks in the motor mount areas. I was traveling into Puerto Vallarta as the pilot of a private jet and they said that drones are not allowed into the country (which is not true). Then he said that it is a restriction for flight crew members only and that if I was a passenger it would have been fine. He said that they had to confiscate it and keep it in their customs offices until my return to the US on Sunday. When I asked for a receipt showing that I left it with them they said that if they documented it I wouldn't end up getting it back at all. So I am hoping they're being honest with me and they will return it to me on Sunday but I'm not holding my breath. About 1700 dollars worth of stuff in that **** backpack. The only thing they let me take out of it was my iPad and the gimbal because it was just an "accessory"

Really? Honest Mexican Customs Officers? No such thing! I know.

 

[Uncle Stumpy]

They need them drones to fly drugs over the border, the Cartel pays big money for them.

BINGO!!!!!

 

[Uncle Stumpy]

Dude, unfortunately you just fell for the oldest trick in the Mexican police book. You pretty much just got jacked! I'm sorry to say but you will not be getting your drone back. Those **** thieves! That would have been a good time to bribe them. That's what they were hoping you'd do. I bet that by now, one of the cops little kid cousins is flying and enjoying his new Phantom.

Sounds like you have been through it. My brother in law has dual citizenship, lives in Mexico and crosses the border on a regular basis. On the way back into Mexico, he goes through a checkpoint where they roust him for whatever they want. He now brings EXTRA of whatever they want so he has some leftover. Then there is ANOTHER checkpoint about 10 miles down the road and the exact same shakedown. This guys drone is G O N E.

 

[John Locke]

Mexico is so corrupt, I'll never go back again. Sad, because they have a nice country.

 

[Uncle Stumpy]

Mexico is so corrupt, I'll never go back again. Sad, because they have a nice country.

I feel the same way. My wife is from Mexico and is an American citizen now and We have gone back several times and it is always great being with the average people. It is dealing with ANYBODY with authority that it gets dicey. Actually just like here - ever had a mall cop go nuts with a little authority? Except in Mexico it always involves money. The more authority, the more corrupt they get. Border guys are the cream of the corruption crop. It is a coveted job which takes clout or a huge bribe to get. So, like I said before, this OP's drone is gone forever. One of the guards has taken it home and is now a hero to his kids and friends. This NOT a political statement, I really like Mexico and things would be amazing if people from both countries could go back and forth freely, but with drugs being illegal, that will never happen. I hope other guys get to see this and act accordingly - even if you go through an airport, have a $100 bill in your pocket to pay a "fine" and you can keep your drone.

 

[ahsantahir716]

I am much motivated to read this thread. The customs really make me angry when it comes to items handling. In aircrafts security fire exit doors are great to always alternative to emergency situations.