Camera Drone Whacked Out of the Air by an Angry Neighbor

BlackHawk388 · Jun 11, 2015

RiskFactor said:
Is it just me or is this type of behavior from the nut bags seems to be escalating? I think it may be time to invest in a small inexpensive action camera and a head mount to hold it. It is quickly becoming like dash cams in Russia...necessary for a legal defense from the plague of idiots.

As for the folks lamenting the location of the video, I think the authors were attempting to only hover at low altitude in order to demonstrate the stability of the P3, not go for a full flight. No traffic on the street...I guess I don't see what the major problem is. I certainly wouldn't do this with my X5C-1 (since it's kinda all over the place), but a P3 is so stable in hover, I don't get the angst.

Agreed on raising altitude as soon as that belligerent bast**d walked up though. You just KNOW he was standing there waiting for them to take off before he decided to put that dangerous, missile-toting spycopter in it's place. With the guy parading around drunk and shirtless in public, rocking his clear jelly sandals, not likely these guys will be reimbursed for the damage. Clearly what income this idiot has goes straight to alcohol ingestion.

I would offer this varying viewpoint. You have a limited area of Earth in which to allow your children to play outside. Some guy is out flying a drone, with all the inherent risks of losing control associated with it, and you become concerned for your child's well being.

In such an environment, you have NO control over events leading to the possible crash of a 3+lb craft flying around such a population dense area.

I would be upset. However, I would NOT physically confront the pilot. Instead, I would ask the local law enforcement to address the issue as well as the always present board of directors for a given community in such an area. Otherwise known as an HOA or some such.

skyhighdiver · Jun 11, 2015

BlackHawk388 said:
I would offer this varying viewpoint. You have a limited area of Earth in which to allow your children to play outside. Some guy is out flying a drone, with all the inherent risks of losing control associated with it, and you become concerned for your child's well being.

In such an environment, you have NO control over events leading to the possible crash of a 3+lb craft flying around such a population dense area.

I would be upset. However, I would NOT physically confront the pilot. Instead, I would ask the local law enforcement to address the issue as well as the always present board of directors for a given community in such an area. Otherwise known as an HOA or some such.

well with a attitude like that you would think you lived in the peoples republic of California

BlackHawk388 · Jun 11, 2015

skyhighdiver said:
well with a attitude like that you would think you lived in the peoples republic of California

I did, for a while. I was first stationed at Fort Ord, California. Just in time for the Earthquake that ravaged Northern California in 1989.

What a first introduction to military life! We were sent out into Salinas and the surrounding cities to assist in recovery and treatment. What a bold thing for a 19 year old young man to experience! Then, being sent to Panama Just Because we had nothing better to do for Christmas.

Tom Donnelly · Jun 11, 2015

I agree all these reports are creating a very bad name for drones. No one is considering the fantastic benefit of camera drones. We need to improve the reputation or we will have to put up with tons of government control.
Here is was is proposed next by Transport Canada:

Transport Canada is preparing to clamp down hard in 2016 on the use of "drones" by hobbyists and photographers. For example, it will be illegal to use a flying camera after dark or take pictures above 300 feet at any time.

Of course in the era of Internet trolls, this means foes of the hobby will be scanning social media for shots that prove you violated the rules. Police or Transport Canada inspectors can seize your aircraft and logs to prove a case against you.

The visual line-of-sight rule hits those of us in a forest setting where trees often block a clear view of the device even though we can fly safely with first person view.

The DJI Phantom models will fall under the Very Small UAV category which means these rules:

* Devices cannot be flown at night
* Operator must always be in visual line-of-sight of the device (even when under waypoint navigation)
* Maximum altitude 300 feet above ground level
* Must pass a knowledge test concerning air law, airspace, navigation and flight operations
* Owner identification permanently affixed to the UAV
* Cannot fly over people

The Model Aeronautics Association of Canada appears to have powerful friends at Transport Canada leading to proposals for major exemptions for members' model aircraft. Clearly, quadcopters are the main target of the new rules.

If you're concerned about what's going on, read the Notice of Proposed Amendment - Unmanned Air Vehicles (http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/NPA-APM/actr.aspx?id=17&amp;aType=1&amp;lang=eng) and send your comments to [email protected] by August 28, 2015.

[URL]http://kjopc.blogspot.ca/2015/06/transport-canada-plans-major.html[/url]

Dmacken1 · Jun 11, 2015

TYCORP said:
Don't know if I should post this or not.
New bit about a angry neighbor smacking a P3.

http://petapixel.com/2015/06/05/1350-camera-drone-whacked-out-of-the-air-by-an-angry-neighbor/

Just an FYI but I posted this some days ago:
http://www.phantompilots.com/threads/man-attacks-drone-gets-bit.44046/

GoodnNuff · Jun 11, 2015

Hmm. Interesting comments regarding the pilots, why they were flying so poorly and in such a bad location....
The linked article explains it some: This is a business, Lucky7 Drones, and they were demonstrating the drone to a customer in front of their business.
The video has made the rounds on several forums, and one of the guys from the store was involved in the discussion on one of the forums. According to him, they commonly demo in the street in front of the business, and have previous problems with this neighborhood drunk, thought this is the first time he had ever actually gotten physical with either them or their drones.
And yes, the police said he had a nasty gash on his shin from the prop.

snerd · Jun 11, 2015

Don't let the facts get in the way of a good rant! Everyone loves jumping to conclusions and being judge, jury and executioner!

Sent from my iPhone 6+ using Tapatalk Pro

J.James · Jun 11, 2015

Funny how many think it was some how the victims fault or that he did any thing at all wrong.. BUT judging by the fact that the guy who swatted it not only was arrested and charged with felony destruction of property. The best part is that the cuts on his legs were what the police used to get the guy to un wittily make and utterance of his guilt. He tried lieing to the cops and said he didn't do any thing to the phantom even tho he was on video doing it. Then lol when the cops asked him about his legs he said that the drone hit him when he swatted it. lol ok your under arrest. As he should be.

BlackHawk388 · Jun 12, 2015

IMO, BOTH parties are wrong here. The drunk more than the proprietors of course.

If you're going to make a go of this as a business, you've researched the local area to find a more suitable location for testing and demonstration. At least, I would.

As worrisome as some believe our hobby to be, does anyone really agree with flying such craft in an obviously busy area? Again, the drunk is WAY out of control and is completely in the wrong. However, the business owners are simply exacerbating an already controversial hobby by conducting such flights at that location IMO.

NO. I'm NOT suggesting, even in the slightest, that the drone operators "had this coming to them". However, with multiple run ins with this guy in the past, what exactly did they expect to happen eventually?

SMDH. It's people like the drone operators in this video that cause us more harm than good.

Askaraboz · Jun 12, 2015

I've been flying mine for a couple of weeks now and every time I do it people come up to me and ask questions about it. If anything they are really interested and think it's cool. Whenever I fly it far away from me and and it gets near people and they are looking at it I make sure to wave my hand to let them know there is a human behind it which puts them at ease. Most people I've encountered had positive reaction to the drone. However if someone swatted my phantom out of the air like that I would knock them the **** out. Simple as that.

GoodnNuff · Jun 12, 2015

"SMDH. It's people like the drone operators in this video that cause us more harm than good."

Why?
I think these guys are doing a great job.

Luzansky said the company won't fly the drone above a home or in front of windows and that the crew stuck to the street.
"There was no one around," Luzansky said.
He added that although the area gets busy on weekends, it wasn't when the video was shot.
Lucky 7 Drones, an online company that sells drones and accessories, recently moved to Huntington Beach from Las Vegas and is seeking a location to open a shop.
"Right now, we are just trying to raise awareness that drones are here to stay and it's not OK to vandalize them," Luzansky said. "If he would've come over and talked to us, it would've been fine."
Neither the police nor Lucky 7 Drones has identified the man by name.

http://www.hbindependent.com/news/tn-hbi-me-0611-drone-20150609,0,3861886.story

I misspoke when I said they had previous interactions with him. They have had subsequent interactions with him, and have yet to see him sober.

BlackHawk388 · Jun 12, 2015

Personally, I just don't see the sense in flying a drone on a roadway like that. I'm not so gullible as to believe no cars come down that road during the week and when they do, a flying drone is a distraction most drivers don't need since so many are already driving distracted by cell phones, occupants and so on.

Just my opinion.

GoodnNuff · Jun 12, 2015

BlackHawk388 said:
Personally, I just don't see the sense in flying a drone on a roadway like that. I'm not so gullible as to believe no cars come down that road during the week and when they do, a flying drone is a distraction most drivers don't need since so many are already driving distracted by cell phones, occupants and so on.

Just my opinion.

I don't consider hovering at 3 feet AGL to be "flying," but you're right it is just your opinion.
And your assumptions.
I'd rather they remain over pavement than over parked cars, people on the sidewalk, or as demonstrated by the paranoid drone-swatter, away from people's window's.
But it needs to be made clear, they were not conducting a flight.

envisionabove · Jun 12, 2015

BlackHawk388 said:
I would offer this varying viewpoint. You have a limited area of Earth in which to allow your children to play outside. Some guy is out flying a drone, with all the inherent risks of losing control associated with it, and you become concerned for your child's well being.

In such an environment, you have NO control over events leading to the possible crash of a 3+lb craft flying around such a population dense area.

I would be upset. However, I would NOT physically confront the pilot. Instead, I would ask the local law enforcement to address the issue as well as the always present board of directors for a given community in such an area. Otherwise known as an HOA or some such.

So is driving a car motorcycle airplanes bikes playing baseball street hockey basketball Frisbee ................mite as well lock the kids (children)up.

jlo · Jun 12, 2015

Adam Kontras said:
When that fat bastard started coming towards them... why on earth didn't they hit UP on the left stick for 1.5 seconds and put it out of reach? I just don't get it. You can put it at 10 feet immediately. Clearly these guys don't have toddlers.

lol, then it would have been like this....

BlackHawk388 · Jun 12, 2015

Since I don't live in a concrete jungle, I have access to many wide open spaces. Perhaps if I lived in a city, I'd be more accepting of their situation. Having grown up in and around Atlanta, I realize how far of a drive it might be for such a business to get someone to an open area for a little demonstration.

What runs through my mind in situations like this is how litigious society has become and how I would be so hesitant to fly a drone anywhere near a place where so many external factors, such as drunk fat idiots swinging shirts, can come into play. With all the experiences I've had with R/C things getting a mind of their own and just taking off in an unpredictable fashion, not to mention all the Quadcopter videos I've watched since getting this thing, I'd fear my demonstration drone losing its mind and flying off to God knows where and hitting something or someone.

To be quite exact, my decades in aviation simply pounded "risk assessment and mitigation" into my brain. So I tend to be overly cautious when it comes to things like this.