I was vacationing with my family in Destin, Florida this week and wanted to bring my P4P but chose not to because all of Destin is in Class D Airspace (Destin Airport and Elgin AFB). Yesterday evening we were at the Beach taking family photos and sure enough, someone was flying a Phantom 4 Pro.
At first i wanted to approch the pilot and ask him if he knew he was flying in Class D Airspace and if he knew he needed authorization to be flying his Drone. I chose not to approach him thinking maybe there was some chance he miight have authorization. I had been drinking most of the day and was afraid I might come off as a know it all and didn't want to rain on their party especially since he was mostly just hovering at about 15 feet around his family. But then he started zipping up and down the beach at about 20 feet and and at one point stopped and hovered over my family at about 15. That is when I was fairly certain he was uninformed of the rules and regulations. But I stil chose not to approach him. Besides my drinking, it was our last evening in Destin and I ust didn't feel like taking the time away from my family. Or at least the amount of time it would have taken to have a conversation without being confrontational.
But later that night I started wishinng I had said something to that guy. It was my first ever opportunity to help inform someone about Drone Regulations and I kinda feel like I blew it. I feel it is my responsibility to help educate the uninformed community in order to help preserve the future reponsible use of drones.
So let me hear ya, what would you have done?
At first i wanted to approch the pilot and ask him if he knew he was flying in Class D Airspace and if he knew he needed authorization to be flying his Drone. I chose not to approach him thinking maybe there was some chance he miight have authorization. I had been drinking most of the day and was afraid I might come off as a know it all and didn't want to rain on their party especially since he was mostly just hovering at about 15 feet around his family. But then he started zipping up and down the beach at about 20 feet and and at one point stopped and hovered over my family at about 15. That is when I was fairly certain he was uninformed of the rules and regulations. But I stil chose not to approach him. Besides my drinking, it was our last evening in Destin and I ust didn't feel like taking the time away from my family. Or at least the amount of time it would have taken to have a conversation without being confrontational.
But later that night I started wishinng I had said something to that guy. It was my first ever opportunity to help inform someone about Drone Regulations and I kinda feel like I blew it. I feel it is my responsibility to help educate the uninformed community in order to help preserve the future reponsible use of drones.
So let me hear ya, what would you have done?