Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For UFO!

[FlyHighPhoto]

This was another fun flight with my Phantom 2 Vision on my recent trip to Las Vegas. I had just missed several previous fountain shows at The Bellagio, and was determined to get aerial footage of an entire show before leaving.

All went well to start (except the camera tilted too low) the show, but towards the end of the show, Las Vegas Metro Police department came. Apparently they had received a report from a concerned citizen who reported that a UFO was currently hovering over the Las Vegas Strip, lol.

The LVMPD was extremely professional and courteous, and were very interested in the Phantom and how it worked. They asked me to land it, but allowed me to finish taping the fountain show first. They let me go and just asked that I not fly it on the Strip anymore.

At the end of the video you can see them talking with me, surrounding me just in case....lol. Very fun flight. I just wish there was sound on the video, as the fountain is choreographed to the music. Any suggestions on music I can dub to the video would be greatly appreciated!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v__ro45049o[/youtube]

 

[Shrimpfarmer]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Fantastic viewpoint to watch the fountain show. Now if you had an accomplice with you they could have used a digital recorder such as an H2 to record the audio from ground level next to the display. That would have been perfect to dub the video with.

Can't say I would have risked the flight there though, I would have been frightened of getting arrested

 

[FlyHighPhoto]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Thanks for the feedback, the idea of recording sound on the ground is a fantastic one, and yes I did have an accomplice with me that could have done that, I will absolutely do this next time.

Audio from the ground would have been perfect not only for the song being used in the fountain show, but also the Las Vegas police department and them telling me that a concerned citizen was frightened and reported a UFO to them!

I too was a little nervous about what the police would say if they saw it, but I wouldn't be worried about getting arrested unless I was acting a fool, and flying the Phantom in a dangerous manner. The worst thing they can do is say no and tell you to land it.

I plan on visiting Washington DC this weekend to get some footage of the monuments, and buildings around town, and am not concerned about being arrested there either.

 

[Seahorse]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

If you have an Android phone (must be unlocked and running Kitkat) Rec. not only captures your phone's FPV screen but also can record audio using the phones microphone, thus removing the need for an accomplice... :ugeek:

 

[Jebus]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

I'm sure you can find vids of the fountain on YouTube. Just rip the audio and overlay it onto your vid.

 

[OI Photography]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

I would be so tempted to try a shot from directly above, looking down on the fountains from a height that would fit them all in a wide view.

 

[labmansid]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Hey, that's pretty cool! Glad they were pretty nice about the whole thing. Maybe I should start making a light kit for drones that says "Not a UFO"! :lol:

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Maybe it is an urban tale but I thought all of DC was a no fly zone. When are you planning on flying there as I want to watch it on the news. :lol:

 

[Visioneer]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Maybe it is an urban tale but I thought all of DC was a no fly zone. When are you planning on flying there as I want to watch it on the news. :lol:

+1

Much of DC is in an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) which has major restrictions (pretty much "no fly"). Not sure how it applies to UAVs but I suspect one will get some attention depending on where it's spotted. <sarcasm on>I'd guess the White House would be a good test :shock: <sarcasm off>. The Navy lost contact with one of their UAVs there a while back but nothing much happened because they knew who to notify (though it does make one wonder ... what if the Navy guys involved were part of a plot - how far could it have gone?)

 

[Visioneer]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Hey, that's pretty cool! Glad they were pretty nice about the whole thing. Maybe I should start making a light kit for drones that says "Not a UFO"! :lol:

Or better, "This is not the drone you're looking for."

 

[SRT]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

You do need sounds with this. Would be cool to film from above the large circle.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Much of DC is in an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) which has major restrictions (pretty much "no fly"). Not sure how it applies to UAVs but I suspect one will get some attention depending on where it's spotted. <sarcasm on>I'd guess the White House would be a good test :shock: <sarcasm off>. The Navy lost contact with one of their UAVs there a while back but nothing much happened because they knew who to notify (though it does make one wonder ... what if the Navy guys involved were part of a plot - how far could it have gone?)

Lost this one right near my house. I haven't found it yet. Hey, if you happen to see this one please let the military know mmm'kay. :lol: https://news.yahoo.com/military-could-help-looking-drone-lost-lake-ontario-144230402.html

 

[EMCSQUAR]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

I plan on visiting Washington DC this weekend to get some footage of the monuments, and buildings around town, and am not concerned about being arrested there either.

Good luck with that. The majority of DC is an FAA no fly zone. Vegas PD might have been coordial to you but DC & the feds won't be.Make sure family and/or friends bring bail money...

 

[giodood]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

They will come down on you hard for flying in DC! "No fly" zone for sure.

 

[lardaz95]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Its people like this that will screw it up for all of us - I hope you do fly in DC and they burn your ***!
Sorry for my first post to be this but it is frustrating to see someone have total disregard to public safety
especially on the other video flying down the main strip. Just because there isn't a written law doesn't make it OK.

 

[FlyHighPhoto]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Maybe it is an urban tale but I thought all of DC was a no fly zone. When are you planning on flying there as I want to watch it on the news. :lol:

+1

Much of DC is in an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) which has major restrictions (pretty much "no fly"). Not sure how it applies to UAVs but I suspect one will get some attention depending on where it's spotted. <sarcasm on>I'd guess the White House would be a good test :shock: <sarcasm off>. The Navy lost contact with one of their UAVs there a while back but nothing much happened because they knew who to notify (though it does make one wonder ... what if the Navy guys involved were part of a plot - how far could it have gone?)

Great insight, thank you so much. I'd be lying if I said the thought of flying my Phantom above the WH hadn't crossed my mind, lol. I do however realize that the FAA is really keeping a close eye on incidents as they set out to regulate the sUAS civil industry, and I definitely don't want to be "that guy" who ruins it for everyone. That being said, the thought of taking two Phantoms up in the air with a large banner attached to them saying something like "Stop Murdering Innocent People With Drones" or "Real Men Use Cameras on Their Drones, Not Missiles" is almost too much for me to resist. We live in a radical new era of tyranny, and fighting it requires the same level of radicalism, I just don't make enough money right now to lose two Phantoms and not be completely devastated.

I will however take my Phantom to the monuments, We The People's Monuments, and responsibly take some of the best pictures ever taken of our Nation's memorials. They are too important to me to miss the opportunity.

I will post all pics and vids here first for everyone to see and admire.

I will however (for now) avoid Pennsylvania Avenue

 

[FlyHighPhoto]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

Its people like this that will screw it up for all of us - I hope you do fly in DC and they burn your ***!
Sorry for my first post to be this but it is frustrating to see someone have total disregard to public safety
especially on the other video flying down the main strip. Just because there isn't a written law doesn't make it OK.

Total disregard for public safety? Ugh, how is going 20 feet in the air to take a picture total disregard for public safety? Do you support a ban on attaching a gopro to a 50ft stick and taking pictures also? Clearly you don't know me, or know how many precautions I really do take to make sure I'm not endangering myself, or others around me.

You also seem like you have never flown a Phantom, as if you did, you'd realize that literally thousands of people each day fly them without hurting anyone. Not saying it's completely, a 100% safe, there will always be risks in anything we do, but it's all about managing those risks, and weighing those risks to the rewards.

I feel the reward of seeing my country's national monuments, monuments that tens of thousands of my fellow Americans have given their lives for, who fought for me, and the freedoms I have today, at never before seen views, and sharing them with the world is just too great of a reward to pass up.

Please go troll someone else on a different site, you're clearly not a Phantom pilot.

 

[ianwood]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

DC sectional shows a giant TFR (temporary flight restriction) from the surface to 18,000ft. It's pretty much permanent. Now maybe if you flew around some innocuous monuments far far way from capitol hill and the white house, maybe you won't get any grief but you'd better check. I would not mess with it.

http://skyvector.com/?ll=38.84241737418 ... 301&zoom=1

 

[FlyHighPhoto]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

You're not only paranoid but you have serious delusions of grandeur.

Paranoia is only pertinent to people who are doing something wrong, or have something to hide. If you have the moral authority, you can't be paranoid.

The best pictures ever taken of the monuments with a poor quality web cam being flown around on a plastic toy?

You're so lucky my Phantom was in the other room and didn't read this. He's got a 1080p, 14 mp camera, and he would be very upset if he heard someone call his camera poor quality, or read someone calling him a piece of plastic. Show some respect!

You need a reality check again girlfriend.

Well, I have a *****, so your wrong AGAIN!

Please, please, please try to fly your toy quad and web cam and beat all of the awesome photos that have already been captured of our nation's memorials.

I will absolutely try my hardest to beat these magnificent pictures you posted here that clearly were taken by a full sized helicopter. I probably won't take the Phantom up this high, but I appreciate the challenge. Tell you what, I'll post my pictures here, against these, and we'll let the forum decide which ones are better, deal? I'll even bet you $600 that the forum will like my pictures better then these. Bet?

[/quote]

 

[FlyHighPhoto]

Re: Bellagio Water Fountain Show, Vegas Police Show Up For U

They will come down on you hard for flying in DC! "No fly" zone for sure.

Well that's a risk I'm willing to take. So DC police will arrest a child flying an RC helicopter they just got for Christmas is what your saying? What's the difference in the eyes of the law between this and a Phantom?

The worst they'll say is I can't fly there and make me land it, I'll get back with you tomorrow and let you know how it went.