Lost connection, crash, lost drone.

[ElevationOneDrone]

Just go get it. Bolt cutters and lock pick

That would classify as trespassing. Not to mention, for me, its a safety risk to go up there. Its not a normal water tower, its a tank, therefore they only have a small hatch at the top to climb out of. It would be pretty easy to see me climbing around up there.

Thats why I have people who are licensed and insured willing to help me out.

 

[sar104]

The township wants a "work order". Which is their way of trying to get me to pay for the next service of those antenna... and that is bullcrap.

I doubt that's what it's about - the township isn't responsible for servicing the equipment unless it's theirs. What they want is most likely documentation and liability release. I would be very cautious pushing this issue - you crashed into a municipal facility and every time you point out resulting hazards you increase the likelihood that they decide that they need to deal with it at your expense. And that will cost a lot more.

 

[Beerock]

If you get caught you get a trespass warning. No fine no lawyers won't go on your record. Just won't be able to go back

 

[sar104]

If you get caught you get a trespass warning. No fine no lawyers won't go on your record. Just won't be able to go back

Not if bolt cutters were employed. That's criminal damage to property.

 

[ElevationOneDrone]

I doubt that's what it's about - the township isn't responsible for servicing the equipment unless it's theirs. What they want is most likely documentation and liability release. I would be very cautious pushing this issue - you crashed into a municipal facility and every time you point out resulting hazards you increase the likelihood that they decide that they need to deal with it at your expense. And that will cost a lot more.

They cannot do anything other than make me pay someone to go up there... WHICH I AM ALREADY DOING. They cannot fine me, they cannot do add any extra fees on to this... that is illegal, and any lawyer would easily take that case and sue the crap out of the township... its not worth their headache either.

At my expense is them making me pay for their next service fee... thats exactly what its about. Has nothing to do with anything else.

 

[ElevationOneDrone]

Unless you could contact a cell service technician from one of the numerous companies that use the tower, and convince one of them to climb the tower ( for a few bucks ) and retrieve your bird, you may need to ‘write it off’ as @sar104 said.

Perhaps if you had your contact name and number on your drone, a tech may contact you next time they are on the tower and retrieve your wayward bird. Either way, good luck. [emoji106]

I have actually tried to locate a climber from those companies... the township wont release those people either. They want a "Work Order" from the cell company.


The climbers dont care if they are going up there for a service, they are getting paid far more by the township for that service, and will just grab the drone while they are up there at that point.

 

[sar104]

They cannot do anything other than make me pay someone to go up there... WHICH I AM ALREADY DOING. They cannot fine me, they cannot do add any extra fees on to this... that is illegal, and any lawyer would easily take that case and sue the crap out of the township... its not worth their headache either.

At my expense is them making me pay for their next service fee... thats exactly what its about. Has nothing to do with anything else.

They absolutely can do more than that. They are under no obligation to let you use your own resources to retrieve it and, if you convince them that it is a real hazard, they can do whatever they deem necessary to remove that hazard and charge you for doing that. But if you want to risk that then go for it.

Does the county have its own equipment up there that requires servicing? Otherwise all the servicing is going to be done and paid for by the leaseholders. Why are you so convinced that they are trying to stick you with equipment service costs?

 

[Meta4]

At my expense is them making me pay for their next service fee... thats exactly what its about. Has nothing to do with anything else.

It sounds like you are as confused about this as your were about RTH heights and blocked signals.
You haven't mentioned anything about the township asking you to pay anything.
And the township doesn't own the antenna equipment, so they don't care about the cost of antenna servicing.

 

[ElevationOneDrone]

They absolutely can do more than that. They are under no obligation to let you use your own resources to retrieve it and, if you convince them that it is a real hazard, they can do whatever they deem necessary to remove that hazard and charge you for doing that. But if you want to risk that then go for it.

Does the county have its own equipment up there that requires servicing? Otherwise all the servicing is going to be done and paid for by the leaseholders. Why are you so convinced that they are trying to stick you with equipment service costs?

What other reason would they want only the leaseholders to go up there? Makes no sense at all. They want them to go up there, so they can get the service done and say... "Oh well, the drone that was up there probably caused you to need to go up there".

Again, every other township says that a Certificate of Insurance and licensed professional can gain access to the top.

I have had the Fire Department offer to do it for free, but their truck doesnt have a boom that high.

I have had the Township workers (not the supervisor) say they would if they were allowed up, but the supervisor wont let them up there.

I have multiple people willing to go up, legally, insured. Anyone thinking they are not being unreasonable about this, is hilarious, and clearly knows nothing about New Jersey Governments. All they care about is how they can get money from you.

 

[ElevationOneDrone]

It sounds like you are as confused about this as your were about RTH heights and blocked signals.
You haven't mentioned anything about the township asking you to pay anything.
And the township doesn't own the antenna equipment, so they don't care about the cost of antenna servicing.

Wrong. The licensed professional that climbs those towers, said that the "Work Order" is charged to the township. Yes the tennants pay rent to the county for being up there... but if a WORK ORDER is generated, they charge the township. If a routine service is performed, then yes, it is on the tennants to do that and pay for it... but a WORK ORDER is charged to the township.

Perhaps I didnt make that clear. A routine service may not be performed for months. Legally, I have made it known the property is there, they have 30 days to give it back, by law.

I am going by what the licensed professional has told me. I am not making this up.

Again, if it is to no monetary value to the township, then they would not have any issue with someone licensed going up there to retrieve the drone.

 

[sar104]

What other reason would they want only the leaseholders to go up there? Makes no sense at all. They want them to go up there, so they can get the service done and say... "Oh well, the drone that was up there probably caused you to need to go up there".

Again, every other township says that a Certificate of Insurance and licensed professional can gain access to the top.

I have had the Fire Department offer to do it for free, but their truck doesnt have a boom that high.

I have had the Township workers (not the supervisor) say they would if they were allowed up, but the supervisor wont let them up there.

I have multiple people willing to go up, legally, insured. Anyone thinking they are not being unreasonable about this, is hilarious, and clearly knows nothing about New Jersey Governments. All they care about is how they can get money from you.

Good luck then.

 

[Meta4]

What other reason would they want only the leaseholders to go up there? Makes no sense at all.

It looks like they would have a very serious concern about safety and that's a likely reason for not letting just anyone go up there.

Wrong. The licensed professional that climbs those towers, said that the "Work Order" is charged to the township. Yes the tennants pay rent to the county for being up there... but if a WORK ORDER is generated, they charge the township. If a routine service is performed, then yes, it is on the tennants to do that and pay for it... but a WORK ORDER is charged to the township.

You talk like they want to charge you but you say the work order is charged to the township?
Sorry ... I just don't understand any of that..

 

[ElevationOneDrone]

It looks like they would have a very serious concern about safety and that's a likely reason for not letting just anyone go up there.


You talk like they want to charge you but you say the work order is charged to the township?
Sorry ... I just don't understand any of that..

If the work order is charged to the township, they will turn around and try to charge me with it. Like, governments send bills to people for stuff all the time.


Look, if they just have a process of doing things, okay, but they have not communicated that at all. They said "It is a liability for you to go up there". To which I responded, "I have guys with COI (Certificates of Insurance), and are licensed to go up there, willing to do that, taking away all of the liability".... To which they responded... "Oh, well in that case, you need a work order".

See what I mean?

When every other township just requires someone to have a COI. That makes the person with the COI RESPONSIBLE for any damage or mishaps... not the township. Yet, they still dont want to allow it.
Seems fishy to me.

 

[Meta4]

Look, if they just have a process of doing things, okay, but they have not communicated that at all. They said "It is a liability for you to go up there". To which I responded, "I have guys with COI (Certificates of Insurance), and are licensed to go up there, willing to do that, taking away all of the liability".... To which they responded... "Oh, well in that case, you need a work order".

See what I mean?

No, I don't.
If they are telling you that you need a work order, what's the problem with that?
What's a work order and what does getting one entail?

 

[xspwhite]

It looks like they would have a very serious concern about safety and that's a likely reason for not letting just anyone go up there.

We have a couple of towers like this in our city, and we do rent space on top for the internet people to mount antennas, but the city workers go up there all the time to conduct maintenance. I just talked to someone on the planning commission the other day who said he had people up there doing inspections and stuff.

These towers are filled with water for people in the city to drink/wash dishes/bath and so on.

 

[sar104]

If the work order is charged to the township, they will turn around and try to charge me with it. Like, governments send bills to people for stuff all the time.


Look, if they just have a process of doing things, okay, but they have not communicated that at all. They said "It is a liability for you to go up there". To which I responded, "I have guys with COI (Certificates of Insurance), and are licensed to go up there, willing to do that, taking away all of the liability".... To which they responded... "Oh, well in that case, you need a work order".

See what I mean?

When every other township just requires someone to have a COI. That makes the person with the COI RESPONSIBLE for any damage or mishaps... not the township. Yet, they still dont want to allow it.
Seems fishy to me.

Just out of interest - how do you know how every other township does this?

 

[Ansia]

Tony Soprano was from New Jersey.

 

[ElevationOneDrone]

Just out of interest - how do you know how every other township does this?

Because I know people at the other townships... in fact one of the ones I am talking to as I type this said so. She also knows the guy who owns the company that services the specific tank I am talking about, and has reached out to him for help.

The work order needs to be called in through the company. The guy who was willing to go up, doesnt work for any of the companies up there. But he also said he doesnt want to get the cell company involved, because they might try to pull some BS about damaged equipment, even though he said he knows for a fact looking at the pictures, nothing was damaged up there, and has the ability to read the signals, etc. Nothing was harmed.. just silly stuff.

I am sure this will get resolved. Venting my frustrations about bureaucracy... guess I am just super pragmatic, and willing to help people out.

If the guy who owns the company that services the antenna calls them, I think we are good to go. Because they may need the services anyway.

 

[xspwhite]

No, I don't.
If they are telling you that you need a work order, what's the problem with that?
What's a work order and what does getting one entail?

A work order would be a written agreemeant from the township to the contractor, which would permit them to go up there.

 

[sar104]

Because I know people at the other townships... in fact one of the ones I am talking to as I type this said so. She also knows the guy who owns the company that services the specific tank I am talking about, and has reached out to him for help.

The work order needs to be called in through the company. The guy who was willing to go up, doesnt work for any of the companies up there. But he also said he doesnt want to get the cell company involved, because they might try to pull some BS about damaged equipment, even though he said he knows for a fact looking at the pictures, nothing was damaged up there, and has the ability to read the signals, etc. Nothing was harmed.. just silly stuff.

I am sure this will get resolved. Venting my frustrations about bureaucracy... guess I am just super pragmatic, and willing to help people out.

If the guy who owns the company that services the antenna calls them, I think we are good to go. Because they may need the services anyway.

Fair enough. But I still suspect that the township is just following their procedures. Here that work would require a valid work order request, which would be reviewed by a work planner for scope, then a safety review, and then it would be assigned to a certified work team. No third-party personnel would be allowed unless they were also certified - such as engineers for the companies with equipment on the tower.