Got the cops called on me this morning!

[macoman]

Hold on a minute. Here in the USA were not required to have a licence to hobby fly in public right?

Not license but registration if it's for hobby flying. Unless you got a 107 part license for commercial purpose to make money with your aircraft.

 

[Jerry H]

Not license but registration if it's for hobby flying. Unless you got a 107 part license for commercial purpose to make money with your aircraft.

Thanks. That's what I thought. I registered both of my drones.

 

[ribjig]

> over South Beach (FL, I assume)

Curious. If willing, on the beach?
What street level?
I'm there, haven't had that encounter.....yet!
Was it someone sunbathing? A visitor?

I avoid flying over groups as law requires but
its not easy avoiding each & every individual...

But I was told by MBPD cop they get called
all the time, to always have FAA license...

I positioned over Ocean Drive classic cars
Art Deco Weekend to get best composed photo.
Owner warned me what I'd have to pay if
P4P+ crashed. He was right, I moved to side...

 

[THECaptainKirk]

It is not required by law to be licensed or to register your drone in the USA.

 

[THECaptainKirk]

I missed the update from last December. Oops. Ok, they’re back to confiscating $5 apiece from each of us. Oh well. Figures.

 

[kilmerm]

Not license but registration if it's for hobby flying. Unless you got a 107 part license for commercial purpose to make money with your aircraft.

I have had the police called on me 2 times now. Once in Galveston, TX and once in Pasadena, TX, both time the police were very polite, interested in drones and had lots of questions. Both times now I ended up giving a demonstration to the Police in general Technology of the drones and their capabilities. I now consult the police departments and one has purchased 4 phantoms the other 3. We are working on using the drones for other police activities and FAA waversto allow for the testing and eventual use of what we are trying to implement.

 

[LarBear360]

It is not required by law to be licensed or to register your drone in the USA.

Captain, you are misinformed.

The FAA requires you to register as a "modeler" and mark your model aircraft with your registration number in case it is lost or stolen.

Registration costs $5 and is valid for 3 years.

 

[dharlow]

My vote for 'Best Quote of the Year'!

Can i use that?

It would make a good Tshirt.

 

[dmiles]

Nothing illegal there. People along the beach have no reasonable expectation of privacy. I wonder what would have happened if he saw you out there with nothing but a nice 35MM camera.

Or a phone!

 

[RKBA]

.....cops came and asked me did I have a license and I showed it to them, they’re told me Happy Father’s Day and kept on going!

What is this “license“ you speak of? What license do you need to do a casual flight over beach?

 

[Steve3007]

A person's reasonable expectation of privacy can get a little trickier outside the home. Although someone may not have a right to seclusion when in the public view, the law can still protect people from being portrayed in a way that could be considered humiliating or from having their private details broadcast. Usually when you take yourself into the PUBLIC arena you loose your right to privacy. It all hinges on what is "Reasonable expectation".. cameras monitor streets buildings ans so on, we as people see this and it is considered a Reasonable expectation. But this same thing is argued in court as so many different challenges and views which is complicating how "People" see it a time in their life. Such as i could argue that traffic cams are an "invasion into my privacy" reason i get in my car "Private vehicle" and don't want people to see me or follow me or take pictures of me???? how far will that go? Public is just that, PUBLIC... So to sum it up, don't hover over your neighbors yard "sunbathers" or over groups of people at a beach, unless invited, or have a good reason and you are safe for the most part.. I object in part as to not being able to fly a drone on Federal parks to capture the beauty you cannot see from limited access.. "Ok, just 2bits of verbal expression and not meant to give or take away any rights, or as legal advice" haha it is a disclaimer!

 

[solentlife]

I look upon it like this :

Do unto others and as you wish others to yourself.

If you are with your family enjoying a day on the beach - in the park ... do you really want a camera videoing you / surroundings ? Especially if low and the noise the Quads make ? You go for a nice day out and you have that overhead ....

I fly my P3P and other Quads in many locations ... some with .. some without people .... but I still uphold that view ... do not INTRUDE on others .... regardless of whether lawful or not. To me its common decency.

Too often I think common decency is ignored in todays society. Too many backseat lawyers and know-it alls. There would be no need for extended debate if people just acted decently with respect for others.

Nigel

 

[Russ43Phantom]

The issue is the attitude of some bystanders. I arrived at a beautiful natural scene that I wanted to film with my drone. It was early. A single couple was there ... enjoying the beauty, the peace and the quiet. I waited respectfully for about 20 minutes and they left. Being alone at last, I launched my drone. 3 minutes later another couple parked their car near mine. The male, upon walking past me said "that drone is really noisy". I casually said ... "not to bad". The couple walked to the edge of the mountain trail to admire the beautiful valley before them. The male comes back to say he was trying to be nice, but he felt he should have told me more directly to bring down my drone so as not to disturb his commune with nature. To avoid conflict, and mostly because I felt it was a little too windy to fly, I brought my drone down. I regretted not challenging his ethic of not sharing, not having patience, not respecting others and not taking turns in the same way I honored the couple that preceded me to this view. Fortunately most bystanders are more curious, less intolerant, and less oriented to thinking they are the center of the universal and everything should revolve around them.

 

[LarBear360]

Drones are bad. Very bad. Mine got wished out to the cornfield.

 

[NoTech64]

The key word here is 'misunderstood'

To me, that puts his post in the right context

I was just about to say the same

 

[lmmavrick]

[Drone pilots are like misunderstood pit bulls. Everyone assumes we're all bad.]

Sorry but I cannot agree with using Pit Bull in this context having witnessed first hand the consequences of a number of PB's as 'family pets' - something they are just not bred or 'designed' for. There is good reason they are restricted ownership in many countries.

Nigel

From drones to pit bulls . I can say i can't agree with your statement on pit bulls . they have a bad rap and most bad pit bulls have bad owners that teach them to be aggressive.
I've never been bitten by a pit bull and have been around many including my sons , their sweet as pie . now i have been bitten by springier spaniels , shepherds, mixed breed dogs , and one husky . but never by a pit bull, so your statement is as incorrect as saying drones are always spying on people and drone pilots are all perv's

 

[WV. Rootman]

#1 I'm not asking before I take anyone's picture with my car cam!

#2 Every pit bull that family has had, was always like a puppy dog. I don't think they ever grow up.

 

[THECaptainKirk]

I corrected my error, Mr. LarBear360. However, does anyone really think the FAA is going to lift a finger if we lose or have our drone stolen? Probably only if it was also used to commit a crime. Most people write the registration number on the vehicle body somewhere - often on a sticker. I read recently that they are likely to mandate the reg # by clearly visible on the outside. What good that’s going to do who knows. It’s the genesis of an avalanche of BS from big brother to make us all safer and them richer with increasing control. I know it’s “only” $5, but it’s interesting that the officer didn’t ask to see any registration. What would have happened if you didn’t have a license? Would there have been some kind of trouble? I wonder.

 

[bsartist]

Got up early this morning to get a little bit of time over South Beach before the rains come, changing a battery and this guy comes up and says I couldn’t fly in public places ( how many of us has heard that before), I told that I could and offered to show him what I was doing, not happening! Told me he has video of me and the cops were on the way! I stayed and waited, cops came and asked me did I have a license and I showed it to them, they’re told me Happy Father’s Day and kept on going!

Are you in the U.S.? If so, what if you didn’t have a license? One is not required in the U.S. for this type of flight.

 

[Providian623]

[Drone pilots are like misunderstood pit bulls. Everyone assumes we're all bad.]

Sorry but I cannot agree with using Pit Bull in this context having witnessed first hand the consequences of a number of PB's as 'family pets' - something they are just not bred or 'designed' for. There is good reason they are restricted ownership in many countries.

Nigel

Don't want this to end up being about dogs since this a drone forum, but I'm on my 5th Staffordshire Bull Terrier (aka "Pit Bull" all were/are rescue dogs) Have owned one since I was a kid, & I'm 65 now. Have never had/experienced a problem with any of them. As a police officer, now retired, I also ran into many while responding to calls. I just walked past them, only was bit once (minor), but I think it was the fact there were 8 of us screaming our heads off as we were raiding a drug dealer & the dog got excited. I rescued her from the Humane Shelter & she was a great dog till, she died at age 12. They do make great pets. BTW, sometimes my current dog, Lucy, accompanies me when I fly my drones in the park. Maybe that's why nobody hassles me. Sorry you've seen some problematic dog problems. They do happen.