The other Seattle area news story regarding drones:
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/droner-operator-faces-federal-charges-flying-too-c/nnRmq/
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/droner-operator-faces-federal-charges-flying-too-c/nnRmq/
No, the information was not "incorrect," the captain being interviewed was not the captain who reported the incident. That is made quite clear in both the article and the video interview.From what I watched, they reported incorrect information. It was not the ferry captain who had the encounter. The captain said he's yet to encounter a drone. The report was from some other boat captain and they mention no information on that report. They appeared to to enough to report it happened and charges were made but then said nothing about that real issue. They instead reported on the ferry they featured, reporting that it was a "ferry 'that had the encounter.
I could not read the article in the first link. Ads were the only thing that showed up on mobile device.
Although risk of collision with a drone is meaningless and any ship would be stupid to alter course because of a drone (unless there is a specific terrorist threat regarding drones), it can be a major distraction especially during a mooring evolution (and especially if the drone is right in front) which requires a lot of concentration. The last thing we need is for a ferry to run aground or have a allision with the pier because the crew lost focus because of a drone buzzing about between them and the pier. There is also a standoff distance post-9/11 (and post-Cole) for security reasons. We here should know that consumer drones can't really see effectively inside a ferry pilothouse, but there is a security element to consider which is based on potential explosives delivery, however small the charge is that can be carried by a small drone. There are usually passengers milling about at the bow and stern on the ferries exposed so it wouldn't take much. Also, the basis for restricting access to the pilothouse is more akin to restricting access to a plane's cockpit in flight and is based on physically letting (or rather not letting) people into the control space while the vehicle is operating and is also a post-9/11 thing and has nothing to do with seeing into the pilothouse.
... He says as he's allowing himself to be interviewed while also running the boat.“You don’t need any distraction, that’s why there’s very little up here to distract you,” he tells us.
Right. For safety reasons. Right. Safety reasons according whom exactly? And why exactly is it dangerous to have pictures of wheelhouse controls which anyone with an IQ above 80, 30 seconds of free time and a google connection could easily obtain?For safety reasons even we weren’t allowed to take pictures of most the controls inside the wheelhouse.
I don't think he has been charged. The incident is being investigated by the Coast Guard.That's got to be ignorance on the part of the reporter and/or whoever told them that they are forbidden to film the wheelhouse for security or safety reasons.
There's nothing secret or mysterious about the wheelhouse controls of a ferry.
The reporting is pretty slack.
They say it’s not illegal for people to fly drones near ferries, but get too close and it could mean federal charges
If it's not illegal, then what is the guy charged with?