Crazy Ignorant lady freaking out.

[LuvMyTJ]

Why do people keep flying in their neighborhood and expect anything but problems?

I agree with you but he said he was flying in a park area... he just happens to live near it. I usually drive around the corner from my house where I can use the farmers field to take off and land in so I am not flying over my neighborhood.

 

[28wins]

Smart.

And I missed the mention of a park. Thank you!

 

[BigAl07]

Side note... that "kid" is the same one who strapped a pistol on a drone last year and made the national news once again.

And later a fire thrower to roast the turkey. I think they have a few more days to turn over their flight logs before they get slapped on the wrists (unless something changed recently).

 

[28wins]

A fire thrower?

I don't get this.
People just can't have too much of a good thing I guess.


If people went out of their way to produce great footage, it would make the whole drone hype more respectable. We would have less negativity surrounding the use of this technology.

In the end, the herd will thin itself anyway: most people who buy these drones, used them at first and then plateau after a while and they use them less, or not at all or sell them.

All is well in the world!


Speaking of purpose when traveling and flying, I am just going to leave this here.
This was shot at the Spis Castle ruins in Slovakia.

 

[42FrankZ]

Why do people keep flying in their neighborhood and expect anything but problems?

I fly in my neighborhood quite a bit and never have crazy people issues other than getting swarmed by kids who want to see the tablet or jump up and down for the camera.

 

[28wins]

ahah that's great! @42FrankZ

 

[Kirby Johnson]

I have to tell this story, because I'm sure it's happened to other people. Yesterday, I was flying over the same pond I always fly over, two blocks away from where I live. I'm getting ready to land, in this large woman with a dog, and w some badge around her neck, starts yelling at that I'm breaking the law, and spying on people. Then she proceeds to film me while I'm landing. I tell her "you are ignorant on drone laws, do some research, I have every right to be here, and you have no right to film me." She kept going on, and on. So I left, thinking I'd come back later, and that she would be gone.

Well, an hour later she was there, and a friend of mine was there with his p4 trying to fly as well. I asked him "is she harassing you too?" She then claimed that she was a cop, and my friend says "let me get your badge number, so I can call it in." You could then see her getting nervous after he asked this, so she tries to start her car, and it's not starting. My friend was like "I have your license plate", and she was like "this is not my car." I said "you're a cop, but don't have your own car. You're using someone else's car that won't even start."

My friend called the local police, saying that we have someone impersonating a police officer. She then says that she is from the Fraternal order of police, and starts apologizing. Not a real cop. Totally misrepresenting herself.

She then decides to call a state Marshall that is a friend of her's. He immediately has this look on his face, like WTF is my crazy friend doing bothering these guys. We basically left at that point, with the marshall telling his fake police friend that she was wrong.

It's just amazing how aggressive some people (mainly fat, lonely women with dogs) can be towards drones. I was simply flying over water within LOS. Not breaking any laws. This woman claimed I was spying on people. I tried showing her the videos, and she would not even look at them. This woman was wacko, much in the same way of that kid that got beat up at a beach in CT a few years ago.

Well, as true as it is, you are probably going to be asked to take up residence in hell for the fat old lady comment so I will join you and we can both be asked to relocate. Worse than with dogs is with cats. I don't know what it is with dog ladies and cat ladies, but they do NOT cope well with being alone. Some lady who lives two houses away from me has 14 cats which run loose in a leash law community and she turns completely psycho if you even mention that it might be ONE of her cats which left tracks on your car or peed in your boat. Trying to reason with them is similar to explaining to a mother grissly why you killed her cubs.

 

[RJ_Make]

There's a time and place for everything in life, so there are times when we need to stand up and defend our position.

If what we are doing is completely lawful, some times it's absolutely necessary to resist being bullied. The more these situations end with lawful pilots sitting down, the more ground we will loose.

We can loose rights simply by not defending them; the question we need to ask ourselves: is our rights as it relates to our hobby worth it? I say hobby, but these basic rights go WAY WAY deeper then lawfully flying quadcopters IMO.

 

[KennyJr]

I fly in my neighborhood quite a bit and never have crazy people issues other than getting swarmed by kids who want to see the tablet or jump up and down for the camera.

Same here. The kids want to look at the screen to see what's going on. A few have asked to fly, but I draw the line at giving up the remote. Once I had a neighbor ask to take it up and fly around the area looking for his dog. I went in got the P3 and my dog followed me out. His dog showed up to see my dog before I got the bird out of the case.

 

[42FrankZ]

For me, thus far, it has been fascination with it, and lots of smiles...

Adults ask a lot of questions, usually about cost and ease of flying as well.

 

[klepper]

Remember, harassing a pilot in command is a felonious offence with max 5 years in prison.

 

[Skipholiday]

I've been cussed, threatened and even had law enforcement called on me. I've been flying
RC planes and UAV's for quite some time and my reaction to to angry observers is always the same.
I will complete my mission/flight and land. I will then attempt to explain how the UAV operates and show them what I see on the screen.
I've played back stills and videos for ppl. Then if they are calm I will ask them if they would like to fly.

Nice and polite wins almost every time and fat guys run slow so I must explain my way out of any confrontation.

 

[42FrankZ]

Did some pics and video of a run today, a friend was in it. The runners tended to perk up as they went past the drone. Guess they didn't want to get caught on camera looking haggard after only 6 miles.

Even the cop that was holding traffic and guiding things on the street seemed perkier once the quad was in the air.

Not everyone is crazy.

 

[brianjthomas80]

Some people have nothing else better to do but to try to be up in someone's business. Especially if they think they are in the right.

Sent from my SM-T810 using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[bkushner]

In contrast to this story, last night I was flying in South Jersey along the marshes of the Delaware Bay. An eldery (older then me!) couple walked up to where I was and were excited to see the drone ready to fly. I was trying a Waypoint flight so I sent the drone on it's way and showed they video as it flew, they were genuinely excited asking all kind of questions. When it landed and they were leaving they kept thanking me over and over for talking with them.

 

[Bruce G]

Interesting stuff, indeed. In my backpack I carry the FAA rules, the number of the local police precinct, and hopefully a good attitude. I have offered to let a person like this lady to use my phone to call the law, while holding the rules list. Amazing how fast she backed off. Most of the time they just have so vent some gas, based on ignorance. A kind attitude based in the security of knowing we're right generally diffuses issues like this. Knowledge is Power.

 

[Matchlock]

I used to weigh in at 344 lbs but now I'm 214. For you to single out a person by saying that if they are fat, own a dog, then they must be lonely and aggressive is in extremely poor taste and bad character.

Please try to keep your stories worthwhile and to the point, without degrading people. What you said in this post was very rude, pretentious and just plain ignorant. I expect more from a gentleman that owns a DJI Drone and your comments make us all look like uncaring people. We try very hard to look good in the eyes of no drone owners so I hope in future you can temper your stories with a little less prejudice.

Bud

I have to tell this story, because I'm sure it's happened to other people. Yesterday, I was flying over the same pond I always fly over, two blocks away from where I live. I'm getting ready to land, in this large woman with a dog, and w some badge around her neck, starts yelling at that I'm breaking the law, and spying on people. Then she proceeds to film me while I'm landing. I tell her "you are ignorant on drone laws, do some research, I have every right to be here, and you have no right to film me." She kept going on, and on. So I left, thinking I'd come back later, and that she would be gone.

Well, an hour later she was there, and a friend of mine was there with his p4 trying to fly as well. I asked him "is she harassing you too?" She then claimed that she was a cop, and my friend says "let me get your badge number, so I can call it in." You could then see her getting nervous after he asked this, so she tries to start her car, and it's not starting. My friend was like "I have your license plate", and she was like "this is not my car." I said "you're a cop, but don't have your own car. You're using someone else's car that won't even start."

My friend called the local police, saying that we have someone impersonating a police officer. She then says that she is from the Fraternal order of police, and starts apologizing. Not a real cop. Totally misrepresenting herself.

She then decides to call a state Marshall that is a friend of her's. He immediately has this look on his face, like WTF is my crazy friend doing bothering these guys. We basically left at that point, with the marshall telling his fake police friend that she was wrong.

It's just amazing how aggressive some people (mainly fat, lonely women with dogs) can be towards drones. I was simply flying over water within LOS. Not breaking any laws. This woman claimed I was spying on people. I tried showing her the videos, and she would not even look at them. This woman was wacko, much in the same way of that kid that got beat up at a beach in CT a few years ago.

 

[XJoeyX]

I used to weigh in at 344 lbs but now I'm 214. For you to single out a person by saying that if they are fat, own a dog, then they must be lonely and aggressive is in extremely poor taste and bad character.

Please try to keep your stories worthwhile and to the point, without degrading people. What you said in this post was very rude, pretentious and just plain ignorant. I expect more from a gentleman that owns a DJI Drone and your comments make us all look like uncaring people. We try very hard to look good in the eyes of no drone owners so I hope in future you can temper your stories with a little less prejudice.

Bud

I was just about to make the same observation. I'm old, short, fat, love dogs, and am an AVID P4 pilot.... I don't see how my age, height, weight, or disposition toward pets has any real relevance in this case. I'm just sayin'...

Remember, we are ALL ambassadors in our hobby, whether we want to be or not. I've found that MOST (although not ALL) situations can be solved with a little understanding, and consideration. A little kindness goes a long way. That being said, there are ALWAYS those exceptions, and whether right or wrong, the best solution might just be to walk away (as the original poster claimed he tried to do initially), and come back later.

~Joey

 

[RSV_Ecosse]

I have a standard reply to this type of person and so far, it's worked a treat. I'll leave my P3 hovering and I'll fish my iPhone out of my pocket. I then explain to the protagonist that I am quite willing to listen to their concerns but whilst doing so I'm going to film the conversation with my phone, if that's ok?

I have yet to have any filmed conversations.

 

[BRENTHABBESHAW]

Why do people keep flying in their neighborhood and expect anything but problems?

Others have written what I would have RE: your statement about filming you.
She can film you all she wants on public street. That video may end up on YouTube and she may be complaining about you the same way you are complaining about her right now.

If you claim she was a distraction, that's a different argument.
And others have addressed that as well.
If you cannot land immediately, take your drone up and let it hover until you can move or deal with the situation at hand for a minute.

Ignorant you say?
Sure. Good on you if you tried to at least show her the video to assuage her fears.

But in my opinion prevention goes a long way: this is not the first time this is has posted on the forums.

Here are couple of search where the drone operator always feels like they have been victimized and that they are misunderstood by the rest of the world.

Here is a forum search on the word "crzay"
Search Results for Query: crazy | DJI Phantom Drone Forum

and this one is for "harrass" (which should also catch "harrassed")
Search Results for Query: harrass | DJI Phantom Drone Forum

Hovering for one minute, with your eyes off the platform and airspace, while dealing with her is not the right way to fly legally!