Dogs and drones.

[egg1000]

Just wondered if others had experienced drone hate? I had a bloke use a dog ball thrower to launch a ball at me (or the drone) when I launched this morning. Totally legal flight, completely minding my own business, but disrupted by an idiot.

Think I did the right thing by ignoring him until he went away.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Phantom Pilots forum. I hope that you will take advantage of the benefits that come with membership and that you will be able to use the forum for the exchange of innovative ideas and as a resource for current developments in Phantom quadcopter’s.

No leash laws where you are? If so, maybe you could of reminded the owners to comply. It is a sad fact that some people just have to stick their noses in where it is no business of theirs.

 

[egg1000]

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Phantom Pilots forum. I hope that you will take advantage of the benefits that come with membership and that you will be able to use the forum for the exchange of innovative ideas and as a resource for current developments in Phantom quadcopter’s.

No leash laws where you are? If so, maybe you could of reminded the owners to comply. It is a sad fact that some people just have to stick their noses in where it is no business of theirs.

Thanks for the warm welcome. I hadn't checked about dogs on lead warnings. I will next time!

 

[L.Chaney]

Open carry and return the ball personally to the owners. Ask if there is an issue, odds are they will be fine.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Open carry and return the ball personally to the owners. Ask if there is an issue, odds are they will be fine.

Not in the UK he won't be carrying.

Where I live canines must be leashed in public. The loose dog may have caused a real problem. Imagine if it had bitten you and you had to contend with that while trying to pilot your aircraft.

 

[discv]

The other scenario is that you might have been forced to land (battery or whatever)- and the dog was still present. And the handler a way off.

Dog decides to mix with spinning props.........the headline possibilities are without bounds.

 

[vgt]

The whining is strong these days.

It's rather amusing really. A lot of people act like it requires great concentration to pilot a Phantom, and that dealing with distraction is particularly difficult.. What if that dog distracted you? Well, as we all know, there aren't many things that are easier to operate than a DJI product. For example, you could just put the controller down and deal with the dog. You're in an empty park, you could have put the controller down, drove the dog over to animal control, and then come back later to retrieve the drone that had very nicely landed where you launched.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

I hope you are being sarcastic VGT. If not you are part of the reason we now have a UAV registration.

 

[vgt]

I hope you are being sarcastic VGT. If not you are part of the reason we now have a UAV registration.

It was a purposeful exaggeration, however if the OP (or others) cannot handle operating a drone in public, and dealing with the distractions that are present in the public, then I would contend they're the reason for it.

 

[Reed L]

Looks like that little dog was harmless, just going after the ball and wanting to play. If the owner was laughing and throwing it at me over and over, then I would have changed his way of thinking but you could have quickly made friends with that particular dog, and made some good aerial shots of the dog for them. Some dogs you would need to stomp out but not this one, I think that you missed the chance to make a friend.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

It was a purposeful exaggeration, however if the OP (or others) cannot handle operating a drone in public, and dealing with the distractions that are present in the public, then I would contend they're the reason for it.

Anything that is distracting to an operator who is flying is a hazard and should be avoided if possible. It is the same reason there are 'distracted driving' laws.
Your generalization that is it 'whining' to express concern about being distracted while operating an aircraft is laughable.

 

[JustinJ]

You should have just picked up the ball & thrown it in the direction of the water!

The dog was harmless (otherwise it would be on a lead - as dog owners are also liable for harm their pets cause - just like us UAV owners!)

You could also have a word with the owner(s) - you need to know how to handle yourself if you are to fly in public (successfully!)

I faced a grumpy old dog walker only the other day..

He arrived saying "is that one of those bloody drones"...

He left saying "that's bloody amazing - you've got me sold - I will look at these when I get home"...

I connected with the guy.. It's so simple.

 

[retrodog]

Personally, I would have probably sat down on the ground and played with the dog for a few minutes, until the owners made it over there or called him back. But I'm a dog person. My view on it is that all dog people are my friends until they make themselves enemies.

A lot of people know nothing about drones. To them, they are just noisy little things flying around in the sky that never existed before. They are now intruding on their environment and (in their minds) could fly into their heads at any time. It's a whole new threat to deal with, and usually in a location that they never felt threatened before. Or at least a place that they have traditionally visited for peace and quiet. So you got to remember, you're the new rude dude with loud music and a subwoofer. You might be doing everything legally, just like the guy playing loud music, but you're still an annoyance that never existed before... to them. Fly nicely.

 

[vgt]

Anything that is distracting to an operator who is flying is a hazard and should be avoided if possible. It is the same reason there are 'distracted driving' laws.
Your generalization that is it 'whining' to express concern about being distracted while operating an aircraft is laughable.

OPs own words were that the 'distracting dog could have caused an accident'. If a well behaved dog walking nearby the OP as he was operating could have caused an accident, then he has no business flying one. He shouldn't be flying. FYI, 'distracted driving' laws are related only to the person doing the driving, not applicable here.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

OPs own words were that the 'distracting dog could have caused an accident'. If a well behaved dog walking nearby the OP as he was operating could have caused an accident, then he has no business flying one. He shouldn't be flying. FYI, 'distracted driving' laws are related only to the person doing the driving, not applicable here.

When a dog runs at you, especially when your attention is trained elsewhere, you have a short time to determine whether or not the dog is a threat.

 

[vgt]

When a dog runs at you, especially when your attention is trained elsewhere, you have a short time to determine whether or not the dog is a threat.

Which didn't happen here. OP clearly knew it was a dog chasing a toy. Like I alluded to earlier. The safest thing to do with a phantom is to immediately arrest its flight and allow it to hover in place until whatever distraction is ameliorated.

 

[snerd]

You should have just picked up the ball & thrown it in the direction of the water!

The dog was harmless (otherwise it would be on a lead - as dog owners are also liable for harm their pets cause - just like us UAV owners!)

You could also have a word with the owner(s) - you need to know how to handle yourself if you are to fly in public (successfully!)

I faced a grumpy old dog walker only the other day..

He arrived saying "is that one of those bloody drones"...

He left saying "that's bloody amazing - you've got me sold - I will look at these when I get home"...

I connected with the guy.. It's so simple.

Yeah, I do that sometimes. But some days are more like I ask them............ how about a little more shut-the-hell-up?! i have good and bad days.

 

[egg1000]

Agreed a Dji drone is easy to fly. Are all drones as easy? Was the dog owner aware is was a phantom pro with rth functionality? Is any unnecessary distraction whilst flying justified? Yes, the dog wasn't attacking me, it did just want to play. But it only wanted to play because the owner threw the ball at where I took off. I am not a dog person, but I'm a restrained dog person. A phantom pilot with a bad experience of dogs, may have reacted differently, which I gather can cause dogs to change their playful manner.
The onus is rightly on the pilot to ensure safe use of the drone.

But for gods sake..... Throwing a ball towards a pilot to get your dog to interfere.
There's lots of us out here now, we're all aware of the haters, the press story's that could, and will happen one day, will, I guess be anti UAV.

We have no animal control in the UK, mores the pity.

 

[egg1000]

It was a purposeful exaggeration, however if the OP (or others) cannot handle operating a drone in public, and dealing with the distractions that are present in the public, then I would contend they're the reason for it.

I think I did handle it.

Although the temptation to throw the ball in the river, kick the dog, shout at the owners (they weren't in close enough proximity to 'chat to' as others have suggested) did cross my mind. Seemed like concentrating on the drone, and ignoring the distraction, landing safely until the distraction abated, was the best thing to do.

But thanks for your vote of confidence.

The 'reason' would most certainly the launching of the dog toy towards me.

 

[Reed L]

I think I did handle it.

Although the temptation to throw the ball in the river, kick the dog, shout at the owners did cross my mind.

lol SO you're human like the rest of us It definitely would have crossed my mind also, you did good, kept calm, and that's what counts, I probably would have buzzed the dog and chased her into the river... But that would have created another drone hater and we all have that in us for sure