What do people say about your drone?

[RJNicholds]

I'm intrigued to know on people's reactions to you and your drone flying. I took mine out to a secluded park for my first flight, had the occasional dog walker come through, look up in the sky and go about their day, another guy clearly very interested in the flight and on another occasion (I flew from my garden, straight up to about 150M) and had a neighbour pop their head out the window, couldn't hear them as I had a call whilst flying so a friend was talking to me as I was piloting, but nonetheless I said hello and they soon popped their head back inside.

Generally, confusion and wonder seems to be the response I've had so far when flying, but let's here your stories..

What's the friendliest and (to spice things up) the most negative comments you've got whilst piloting?


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[teccer]

I was flying from my garden over the hedge and out above the fields, my neighbor at least 50mt away from takeoff shouted out "that's illegal" I just shouted back "no it's not" never heard from him again, problem with him is that he doesn't have a PC all the info he gets on quadcopters is from the daily telegraph, anti drones !!!
the rest of my village are quite happy with me flying about the village, many have asked for photos or videos from the air with their house on it.
that's the only minus comment I've had in the last 4-5 years flying tricopters and quadcopters around the village and before that RC planes. I think because of all the hype about phantoms with cameras on board has got him worried not knowing that for the last 10 years I've been flying around with cameras on board anyway

 

[Big Dog]

I have yet to receive any negative feedback. Tons of positive. Of course any kids that are around are ecstatic about it and I'm sure they beg their parents for one after watching me corkscrew my bird from ground to about 200' feet. Showing off just a tad. I was flying at a park one day which sits across from a row of houses. One elderly man walked out on his porch and watched for a while. When I turned and nodded to him he threw me a huge thumbs up making me feel like the coolest guy on the block (which of course I was). I lied at the beginning of this post lol. I do get quite a bit of negativity FROM MY WIFE LMAO. She jokes that maybe I should marry my phantom as it's the only thing that gets attention anymore.


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[WWK888]

I have had mostly positive or curious comments. I had one bad experience at a park where a guy started ranting about privacy issues. I had launched at the park and was flying over the ocean. I at first tried to explain what I was doing but it became obvious real fast he was getting hostile. He made a threatening move towards me as if he was going to try grab my bird as I was putting it away. I told him he might end up in the nearby canal if he came any closer at which time he backed off. He told me he was calling the police, I encouraged him to do so. I waited awhile but they did not show up so I left. I later called the police (I am retired from the same department) and checked if the beat man wanted to speak to me for any reason. They said the beat man talked to the complainant and determined he was a nut job and left.

 

[iMack]

Haven't had any negative experiences and all encounters have been met with curiosity. Many are genuinely fascinated. At the park dog walkers take a look and continue with their everyday walk. Seem to have parents come over most of the time interested in it for the guy himself or the son. They're always quite eager and love the live feed from it. The topic of price often comes up and I just mention they have plummeted compared to a couple years back. I get plenty of waves from people hiking or doing outdoor things

 

[NM_Quad]

I have to echo the above posts. Don't know whether lucky or what, but I've never had a negative experience. Most are fascinated by the thing, come over to ask questions, amazed to see the FPV video coming down, remark how small it is, ask how a pilot coming in for landing at 200 mph could even see it (exactly), etc. Today, I was taking aerial photos (mostly stills) of an archaeological excavation of a pueblo. To my surprise, the archaeologists were amazed at how you could see the outlines of the block rooms, walls and other features from 100 feet that are hard to see from the ground and all but invisible on GoogleEarth. They thought you'd have to buy one of those $20,000 drones to get photos like that, not a "hobby drone." Now I got to send a bunch of emails with attached photos to those guys! It was an example of a very practical use with plenty of PR for us hobbyists. Another positive experience flying the P3S. (Did I mention I was having fun, too?). I do wonder sometimes the attitude of a few that makes people be so negative. Courtesy and a polite explanation goes a long ways.

 

[Reginald Thomas]

When flying the Phantom, kids are attracted and want to follow it. It never fails to attract on lookers with all kinds of questions. . I refer to the Phantom 3 as a Quadcopter and not a drone, given the negative perception of Drones as portrayed by the media.


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[ryanmanchester]

I was once advised I couldn't fly over a certain water which I always fly over because I was upsetting birds of pray, I replied what birds and show me some id, he then tried fobbing me off that he worked for united utilities, again no id and I ended up ringing them and they sent the police out and he was arrested for impersonation [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]. That's the only negative bull I've had, most people are like wow, because the inspire is a head turner people are more like what's that really, it's all cool [emoji108]


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[Clipper707]

I refer to the Phantom 3 as a Quadcopter and not a drone, given the negative perception of Drones as portrayed by the media.

This logic escapes me.

Last week an elderly couple watched my friend and me launch from a beautiful spot. They stopped and asked a few questions and I shared my FPV with them. The old gentleman thought it was the coolest thing he'd ever seen and his wife was genuinely enthusiastic about it.

That's exactly why I refer to the Phantom as a drone.

 

[thunderbird]

Was flying in park facing the river
and I was getting sunset shots
The guard came by and said you have to bring it back. It's the federal law in canada

Really I just don't want to argue
Just pack up and left

 

[WWK888]

I was once advised I couldn't fly over a certain water which I always fly over because I was upsetting birds of pray, I replied what birds and show me some id, he then tried fobbing me off that he worked for united utilities, again no id and I ended up ringing them and they sent the police out and he was arrested for impersonation [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]. That's the only negative bull I've had, most people are like wow, because the inspire is a head turner people are more like what's that really, it's all cool [emoji108]


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These "birds of pray"....are they catholic?

 

[RedHotPoker]

More admiration and praise from the peanut gallery, than anything else. Not much negatory at all. And not a lot of them nosy onlookers, as I try to take off and land from primarily quiet vantage points.
I recall one lady, who seemed genuinely interested, as she gabbed on her cell phone, while watching me flying, high over a community park. Ah, of which incidentally backs onto a large apartment complex here in the capital city. When I landed for a fresh flight battery, as she sauntered over to me, I smiled at her. She asked me, "Is that a drone?" Yes I replied. "Does it have a camera?" Yes, and may I show you, what I/it sees? When I showed her a few moments of the video I had just made, she went "Uuhh." turned on her heels & walked away. That was my soul solo journey into a negative encounter, turned calm...
A smile often turns a hardened heart, soft... ;-)

RedHotPoker