I week ago, I was filming with my P2+ at a city park 5k run on Harriet Island. The promoters knew I was filming and I was operating in a very safe and professional manner. No Risky shots.
When I approached the starting line flying some 80 feet out front from any runners and 80 feet up, a female cop came over to me and politely said "you can't fly drones in city parks". "I politely said, this is not a drone. It is a radio controlled model aircraft. Drones are government or military type weaponized high altitude spy planes that are piloted by government or military personnel from thousands of miles away and often carry air to air missile's."
She said "city ordinances do not allow you to fly these here." I was very polite and asked, "what ordinance she was referring to since I had checked already and seen nothing to what she claimed." She could not even tell me what the ordinance was and instead, referred me to the event permit the promoters carried. I said, "hum... the permit applications for the city I have looked at say nothing about flying RC model aircraft." Get this. I asked the people running the event and they too were just as confused.
She still said, "you have to bring it down and then said, one of these crashed into a crowd of people once and it was in the news." Hum.... I told her "that's news to me, I had not heard that and I am a news hound." I said, "I fly very responsibly and take no risks."
Now get this. She then said, "you're one of the few then." WOW. I know dozens of DJI owners and not one takes any chances or fly's their expensive RC model aircraft in a risky or dangerous fashion. She continued by saying, "well you are one of the few but you still need to bring it down."
Moral here is. If you are flying in any parks, carry a copy of the park ordinances with you so when some phone baloney cop tries blowing smoke up your backside, you can pull out the ordinance, or event permit application rules and guidelines and ask them where it says that.
I have pasted a link to the permit application for the City of St. Paul, MN here so you could see it says nothing about flying (Drones) or RC model aircraft. It does how ever, discuss balloons in the parks and how they can harm wildlife.
2014 PARK PERMIT RULES AND REGULATIONS
http://www.stpaul.gov/DocumentCenter/View/68007
Make sure if you fly in any city limits or parks you get copies of all park rules, event permits and ordinances. If it does not mention RC model aircraft, then they are making false claims and should be held accountable for lying.
What do you all think?
QJ
in Minnesota
When I approached the starting line flying some 80 feet out front from any runners and 80 feet up, a female cop came over to me and politely said "you can't fly drones in city parks". "I politely said, this is not a drone. It is a radio controlled model aircraft. Drones are government or military type weaponized high altitude spy planes that are piloted by government or military personnel from thousands of miles away and often carry air to air missile's."
She said "city ordinances do not allow you to fly these here." I was very polite and asked, "what ordinance she was referring to since I had checked already and seen nothing to what she claimed." She could not even tell me what the ordinance was and instead, referred me to the event permit the promoters carried. I said, "hum... the permit applications for the city I have looked at say nothing about flying RC model aircraft." Get this. I asked the people running the event and they too were just as confused.
She still said, "you have to bring it down and then said, one of these crashed into a crowd of people once and it was in the news." Hum.... I told her "that's news to me, I had not heard that and I am a news hound." I said, "I fly very responsibly and take no risks."
Now get this. She then said, "you're one of the few then." WOW. I know dozens of DJI owners and not one takes any chances or fly's their expensive RC model aircraft in a risky or dangerous fashion. She continued by saying, "well you are one of the few but you still need to bring it down."
Moral here is. If you are flying in any parks, carry a copy of the park ordinances with you so when some phone baloney cop tries blowing smoke up your backside, you can pull out the ordinance, or event permit application rules and guidelines and ask them where it says that.
I have pasted a link to the permit application for the City of St. Paul, MN here so you could see it says nothing about flying (Drones) or RC model aircraft. It does how ever, discuss balloons in the parks and how they can harm wildlife.
2014 PARK PERMIT RULES AND REGULATIONS
http://www.stpaul.gov/DocumentCenter/View/68007
Make sure if you fly in any city limits or parks you get copies of all park rules, event permits and ordinances. If it does not mention RC model aircraft, then they are making false claims and should be held accountable for lying.
What do you all think?
QJ
in Minnesota