Blue Angels over Detroit - Drone Video

So this video has been making the rounds of my aviation enthusiast friends on Facebook. At first glance, it would seem to be breaking every rule in the book, and to be reckless endangerment. Looking closer, I wonder what the FAA would get him on here. It looks to be over downtown Detroit, which under 700' is Class G airspace. A Class E layer exists at 700', but as I understand it drones can fly in Class E without authorization as long it's not surface extensions abutting airports. He looks high, but Detroit has a building as tall at 727' plus numerous other tall buildings, which would mean he could legally fly as high as 1127' AGL if within 400' of that building. Numerous people have forwarded this to "the authorities," based on comments I see. What would they get the pilot on here? I do not believe the Blue Angels have been issuing TFRs for these flyover events. I don't see evidence of flying over people and VLOS violation would be tough to prove.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
as my nephew would say but did anyone die
 
A couple of questions to think about when considering how this guy might be charged/fined:

- Were it not for the presence of the Blue Angels, was he violating any FAA rules?
- If the Blue Angels had deviated from their published flight path (plausible, as they've done it at a lot of their flyovers) at the point this guy got his video, how much difference does that make? Seems it would at least remove some of the premeditation angle.

I'm interested to see how this pans out, as it doesn't seems as cut-and-dried as some people think. I saw a video filmed from the cockpit of a military helo, where he was operating at very high speed at probably 100'-200' altitude in areas where I've operated before. While not as egregious as the Blue Angels incursion, I wonder what would happen to me if I had an unpleasant encounter with one of these helos. Conceptually a pretty similar situation.
 
I imagine if the guy did fake the thing, he would be out there loud and clear boasting about how he pranked everyone, then go on to explain exactly how. Not the case here. He appears to have gone underground.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dronesky
Looks fake to me.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

100% NOT fake.

And for you to insinuate that is an insult to drone operators. This is the most egregious drone flight I have EVER seen.
 
100% NOT fake.

And for you to insinuate that is an insult to drone operators. This is the most egregious drone flight I have EVER seen.
A FOX 2 Detroit photojournalist was shooting the Blue Angels safely from the ground and got video of the drone, which looks white, in the sky.

The FAA says the incident was reported to them and that they are investigating.
 
A FOX 2 Detroit photojournalist was shooting the Blue Angels safely from the ground and got video of the drone, which looks white, in the sky.

The FAA says the incident was reported to them and that they are investigating.
Hadn’t seen that.
Added/
Detroit
 
100% NOT fake.

And for you to insinuate that is an insult to drone operators. This is the most egregious drone flight I have EVER seen.
Oh jeez. I didn’t insult anyone. I should have been more clear in my response. I do believe someone had their AC in the air when other aircraft were in the area. Not good. I also don’t believe all is what it appears in the video. I also didn’t steal the intellectual property of another & post it on my YT page.
 
The title of that article is misleading, it deals mainly with the backlash against the video. “The FAA is already investigating” doesn’t really fit what I’d hoped to read in an article titled “Swift action from FAA and U.S. Navy follows Blue Angels Detroit Drone Incident.”
 
  • Like
Reactions: PhantomFandom
The title of that article is misleading, it deals mainly with the backlash against the video. “The FAA is already investigating” doesn’t really fit what I’d hoped to read in an article titled “Swift action from FAA and U.S. Navy follows Blue Angels Detroit Drone Incident.”
Well sorry it don’t meet your expectations but It opened the thread back because of it so don’t knock it.
At least it’s something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dronesky
Wasn’t knocking your posting of the article, it’s just that I was expecting the FAA had charged the guy or something based on the title. “Drone Expert Faces Backlash for Posting Video; Operator in Detroit Incident Identified” may have been a better title. Thanks for the link and bump regardless.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTO
Well at least they found the guy, albeit he denies it by saying he uploaded the video "for a friend." Why on earth, then would he put his name on it? What they need is a search warrant for this guys drones, computer, phone, memory cards. Though he has probably already gone through great lengths to destroy any digital finger prints. He's probably going to get away with it. Hope not.
 
If they seize the guy's drone and find evidence that he's erased data recently, he'll also be liable for prosecution for evidence tampering. All it takes is one trace of a previous record and he's toast.

PSA: If you have records that you believe might be used in a criminal investigation, it's a crime to destroy them.
 
If they seize the guy's drone and find evidence that he's erased data recently, he'll also be liable for prosecution for evidence tampering. All it takes is one trace of a previous record and he's toast.

PSA: If you have records that you believe might be used in a criminal investigation, it's a crime to destroy them.
Mickey Rourke said it best in the film "Body Heat." He said "Anytime you try a decent crime, you got 50 ways you can (mess it up). If you think of 25 of them, you're a genius. And you ain't no genius."

Fingers crossed.
 
Last edited:

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,356
Members
104,934
Latest member
jody.paugh@fullerandsons.