Flying Etiquette - Man Attacks my Drone with a Fishing Rod after Boat Grounding

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I had the most incredible encounter with a boater a little while back. I went out to film the sunrise from my Drone one Beautiful Morning. I was a little late and the light/weather wasn't that good, so I fly around a little more and I saw this boat. I descended and followed the boat from a close distance. The closest I got to the boat while it was moving was, I would estimate about 34-40ft. Lo and behold, the boat crashes into the shallows, while I'm filming it. I descend even further and get to about 10-15ft away from the boat.

I know that the people on the boat were upset, but I can't figure out for the life of me why? As you pilot a boat on a public waterway in public, You should not expect privacy. You're out in public!!!

I cut out some of the footage for time reasons, but, take a look at the vid. Did I do something wrong? Was I following poor flying etiquette. Do you think I got too close to them?

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My initial reaction is that you got way too close for too long after the grounding. Of course everyone will have differing opinions when it comes to etiquette, but I would consider that kind of flying to be pretty rude.

Not that it excuses the attempting downing of your drone with the fishing line, but I would be annoyed too if I was in their shoes.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
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My initial reaction is that you got way too close for too long after the grounding. Of course everyone will have differing opinions when it comes to etiquette, but I would consider that kind of flying to be pretty rude.

Not that it excuses the attempting downing of your drone with the fishing line, but I would be annoyed too if I was in their shoes.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using PhantomPilots mobile app


Interesting take. I asked a question, so I have to be OK with someone's opinion. I took this several months ago. I had to edit the video heavily to blur the faces, so I am familiar with every frame. The party on the boat became upset at about 2:30 in the video when I flew alongside. Captain 'Carl' waves a orange flag at the drone. In my informal questions to the various people I had shown it to. Their response seemed to depend on the age of the person I was asking. Younger people are more comfortable with the idea of being filmed. I think I have found. It was one of my earliest flights. Check out some of my other videos. I like to fly close to things.

As I said before, I just think they were upset that someone had the audacity to film their grounding. That's the long and the short of it.

Lastly, You know that the final focal length of the DJI P3P camera is huge. Objects appear much closer than they are in real life, because the focal length is so long. IMHO, I wasn't that close to them. They obviously could see the Drone. The fact that they could see the drone filming them crash into the rocks was embarrassing to them and they lashed out. I respect your opinion, I just respectfully disagree. Since, I have done many Boat follows. From 25 footers to Cruise Ships, In 7 months they were the only people to take offense.
 
That's more of my point. It wasn't my actions, it was the Drone's mere presence. Most people just wave Hi, I once had a girl give me the New Orleans beads treatment :) .
 
The boat Capt. was an idiot.

You were an ...

MHO[/QUOTE]


Fair enough. Obviously, I beg to differ. I think you're trying to apply a standard that is outdated. Like Mr. Wilson from Dennis the Menace.

Analogy, your at a public park, you're a Break dancer and your good. While you are performing in this public park, someone comes by with their cell phone and takes a video of you. Your doing something interesting, and your doing it in public why would you have a reaction at being filmed.

Analogy #2. While they are stuck A news organization finds this situation interesting and a news helicopter begins to hover. The boaters are going to be mad and try to shoot down the helicopter?

Get real!
 
Fair enough. Obviously, I beg to differ. I think you're trying to apply a standard that is outdated. Like Mr. Wilson from Dennis the Menace.
So you posted this for opinions or so that you can argue then tell others that their opinion is wrong?

IMHO for the most part you were ok, but when they ran it aground you acted pretty much like an a$$. Way to close and that point then you're adding fuel to an already upset captains fire. You can argue whoever standard you want, but pretty much a bad move on your part.
 
Public place no reasonable assumption of privacy on not you have to question if 10 to 15 ft is too close to fly? The skipper and crew have a big enough priblem without some donkey hovering a drone dangerously close. That whole scene panned out pretty much as i wouod have expected. You should not be suprised.
 
So you posted this for opinions or so that you can argue then tell others that their opinion is wrong?

IMHO for the most part you were ok, but when they ran it aground you acted pretty much like an a$$. Way to close and that point then you're adding fuel to an already upset captains fire. You can argue whoever standard you want, but pretty much a **** move on your part.

I'm surprised that shallow reef wasn't marked with a warning buoy.

Having lived in the area forever, I've seen several groundings there, even before We had the Drone. At low tide the mound is above the surface of the water. It was High-Tide. Last year saw a Jet-Skier wreck his rig on it. :) .
 
So you posted this for opinions or so that you can argue then tell others that their opinion is wrong?

IMHO for the most part you were ok, but when they ran it aground you acted pretty much like an a$$. Way to close and that point then you're adding fuel to an already upset captains fire. You can argue whoever standard you want, but pretty much a **** move on your part.


The Captain paid me no attention after the grounding. His charter for the day found my presence unacceptable.
 
Hope the jet-skiers didn't get hurt and if it's that bad it should be marked for low tide .
That being said .
Guys let's not let this become ...One of those threads...
 
Public place no reasonable assumption of privacy on not you have to question if 10 to 15 ft is too close to fly? The skipper and crew have a big enough priblem without some donkey hovering a drone dangerously close. That whole scene panned out pretty much as i wouod have expected. You should not be suprised.


Dangerously Close, Hardly. And I was quite surprised. As stated before this has sat in the can for several months while I worked on others. My lawyer found it quite funny while explaining the legalities of Display of Likeness to me. I quote him: "They're causing an incident. while attempting to break the law."

That was a fun flight!
 
Hope the jet-skiers didn't get hurt and if it's that bad it should be marked for low tide .
That being said .
Guys let's not let this become ...One of those threads...


They were in a pack. I was standing on the same dock. Pilot fell-off didn't appear hurt. His rig sat there, half under water when we left but was gone the next day

Biscayne Bay is tricky in that area. The Mound appears on Google maps so I know it would be on SatNav or a fish tracker. From altitude you can see the shallows quite clearly. Having been on several boats traveling through that area, I know it's not so apparent at surface level. I loved the 4- 400hp mercs on the back. Too bad the occupants were so Mr. Wilson-ish.
 
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The sound is what is annoying. I wish the P12 will have silencers on the motors. This sport wouldn't be as bad if the drones didn't have the annoying bee sound. I think this makes everyone edgy.

IMO you were too close. When you can see "blurred" faces your too close to the boat. I'd imagine they were all irritated and then this bee buzzing camera quad comes stalking, knowing they may be the next youtube clowns.
 
The sound is what is annoying. I wish the P12 will have silencers on the motors. This sport wouldn't be as bad if the drones didn't have the annoying bee sound. I think this makes everyone edgy.

IMO you were too close. When you can see "blurred" faces your too close to the boat. I'd imagine they were all irritated and then this bee buzzing camera quad comes stalking, knowing they may be the next youtube clowns.


Everything is relative. They're YouTube Clowns now. :) .
 
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