N017RW
Premium Pilot
I dunno--just want to avoid drama; and I have no faith in our "judicial" system--it's such a sham. I just wanted the cops to show up to at least report my destroyed drone and to get my iPad back. I have some friends advising me to press anyway, and others that agree with me. The construction company I work for is talking to the Real Estate company that manages this building, so I'm hoping something good comes from that--like at least a new drone.Why not press charges? Ever thought about concealed carry? Heck, does Texas have open carry?
I would see what the Real Estate company will do to resolve this, and then press charges if they don't do right by you. I can understand wanting to avoid the trouble, but it was assault. Had you been doing traditional photography and had your camera slammed to the ground, they would have been arrested.I dunno--just want to avoid drama; and I have no faith in our "judicial" system--it's such a sham. I just wanted the cops to show up to at least report my destroyed drone and to get my iPad back. I have some friends advising me to press anyway, and others that agree with me. The construction company I work for is talking to the Real Estate company that manages this building, so I'm hoping something good comes from that--like at least a new drone.
Yeah, Texas is open carry now. My wife and I do like the idea of carrying... (she grew up with guns--used to have her own .38 snubnose that her dad gave her).
Good points... If nothing else I plan to hang the option over their heads--if they give me any trouble about replacing my drone... then watch for some charges. My boss has already offered to replace it anyway...I would press charges, these people need to be made an example of. Sure as **** if one of us hurts someone with our drones we would be made an example of.
Exactly... especially with the three guys that pull up in a black SUV blaring a fog horn telling me to get off the phone with 911--the 911 operator actually hung up on me because she couldn't hear what I was saying. Yes, I have looked at the footage--was still on my first flight and didn't take much. My camera was focused on the walls of the four story building the entire time with a little bit of parking lot visible... didn't see anything interesting. At the time the guy came after me, I had turned off my video recording and was hovering over a balcony (no one on it), and had just placed a POI (using the drone) with my Litchi App--which I planned to use for a series of flybys while keeping the camera automatically focused on that balcony. I did not have the presence of mind to start recording and turn the drone camera on to him--I just was not expecting anything like this. It was very surreal to me, and unfortunately (and I kick myself for this); was completely unprepared to know how to deal with it.Almost sounds like he was paranoid about something you may have seen. Have you looked at the sd card footage?
Speaking as a former photojournalist, my response would be to insist he kiss my ***.I had snapped some pictures of him with my iPhone, and so he insisted I delete those too...
Crazy story....
Was he interfering while you were flying or had you all ready landed the drone? Interference with a pilot is a big federal no-no.
Yes, while I was still flying he shoved me backwards and grabbed my aviation scanner, and slammed that into the parking lot.
Yes... I'm not sure who to call? Local FSDO? Then again, the FAA has done nothing about drones being shot out of the sky and they say they don't prosecute anything criminal anyway--they hand that off to the FBI... but so far I've heard of no backing on that matter either.Without a doubt I would contact the FAA and a least report the incident. Courous to see what they say. This is supposed to be a serious offense.
My boss has offered to give me the company's P4 to replace my personal P3P I was using (I was wanting to use the same camera for the before - during construction - after). I may take his offer... though I have over $800 tied up in batteries and other accessories for the P3P that I can't use nor sell for anything close to what I paid. He's also offered to buy me a new P3P which is dirt cheap at this point--so I'm deciding which option to take.I think my response would be, "As long as they replace all of the expensive equipment they damaged, I won't file charges."
They're getting off lucky. The physical assault would cost them if you filed a civil lawsuit.
My boss has offered to give me the company's P4 to replace my personal P3P I was using (I was wanting to use the same camera for the before - during construction - after). I may take his offer... though I have over $800 tied up in batteries and other accessories for the P3P that I can't use nor sell for anything close to what I paid. He's also offered to buy me a new P3P which is dirt cheap at this point--so I'm deciding which option to take.
Sorry your being held back.Yes... I'm not sure who to call? Local FSDO? Then again, the FAA has done nothing about drones being shot out of the sky and they say they don't prosecute anything criminal anyway--they hand that off to the FBI... but so far I've heard of no backing on that matter either.
The company I work for is encouraging me to not file charges, as this guy was indeed a close family member of the ownership, and they own a few other buildings that they've wanted the company I work for, to re-clad; and they're afraid that by me filing criminal charges I could endanger those upcoming contracts. Meanwhile the management company is claiming lack of communication (claiming that the Project Manager I talked to never updated the management company; though I was told I had carte blanche permission to go film whenever I wanted; and I just told the PM [via email so it's all on record] as a courtesy since he liked to go out and watch when I flew out there before). Yet just a few minutes before this altercation, their security guard actually approached me, got my information and made a phone call confirming they knew to expect me--so I'm really pissed.
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