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I hereby cite you for copyright violation! You have no right to post my likeness without my permission. Hands on the wall, feet back and spread 'em! You'll get at least a dime for this.
Nassau county cops giving me hard time about drone....
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Be sure and check the maps before you go to too much trouble. I was down on the Outer Banks shooting some video for The Travel Channel and it was a tough job to find areas that weren't restricted by the NPS and such. Any time the government takes control of something (of course because they know what's best for the people) it becomes off limits LOL! I tried 5 different lights houses before I found one that I could fly around and shoot for them. The rest were within the No Drone Zone which was depicted on the DJI Go Ap in red.
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Are you talking about geo? Pre geo I think the only restrictions were mostly airports. In your situation for pro work with the travel channel, geo and unlocking possibilities may actually work in your favor.
No this was long before GEO. This was back in March/April of this year. I'm sure a lot has changed since that time but I don't live down there and was only there on assignment.
Yes GEO + authorized unlocking is much needed and appreciated. I've actually got an email in with DJI right now asking about how to get around the Wild Fire TFR that as I understand it will be automatically added to the GEO system as soon as the TFR is created. That's great except I work with the local organizations and need to be able to fly within a TFR when spotting for the local fire groups. Ah the red tape never ends LOL.
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+1
Agreed! And you may make new friends in the process.
Personally, I think it is the right and courteous thing to do since you control a device which may fall on them (the public at large), can capture media with them in it without their consent (yes I know, none needed but still) etc. Many drone operators don't take a minute to think what it *feels* like to be on the receiving end of it.
Further, even with the assumption the OP would have done the same in this case, he really never had the chance: he flew and someone called the Police on him.
Indeed, the Police must investigate complaints.
It's really off-putting if this cop and his partner came racing down the block like the OP said they did.
Finally, the number of threads similar to this one on these boards is telling:
It is not recommended that you do *not* fly where you live.
The drone is noisy and scary to the public at large. Unless you relish the confrontation, prevention trumps reaction.
Also, I clip a voice recorder to my top when I am out and about, and not just when flying, just about anytime a "he said, no I said" situation has the potential to appear.
Side note:
And 400lbs? Why any PD hires obese LEOs, that I don't get. Isn't a job for which you have to have strict physical requirements to get in and stay on? Being too short, too light/ weak and too heavy is detrimental to their own safety and that of others in volatile situations.
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I'm pro LEO and regularly thank them for their service, even if I get pulled over for going 5 MPH over the speed limit! That said, LEO's are people and can make assumptions/mistakes. Have we established that there even is such an ordinance? In my own search, the only restrictions I could find were for Suffolk county and those only pertain to flying over county buildings. I'm a neighborhood watch captain and have worked with about a dozen officers from my local sheriff's dept on crimes in or around my neighborhood and they've all been a pleasure to work with. That said, I have found that some tend to make statements that they believe to be true and are later proven to be inaccurate. It's tough when someone in a position of authority makes a statement that makes sense to them but really has no basis in law. So I'd just like to know if what they told you was indeed accurate.
I think I'd agree with a previous poster and call your local police chief or sheriff and make a kind inquiry. Tell them what happened and that you just want to make sure you are following the law for what you are doing. And that the reason for the call is that you cannot substantiate what you were told by the officers. Bottom line: don't stir anything up and/or ignore what you were told and just fly anyway. If you endeavor to give them a reason and they come back, I'm sure they can cite you with something even if it's as simple as disturbing the peace. So work with them! I take mine up from time to time right over my house, point it down, and take a picture of my whole property to assess areas of my lawn that might need adjustments on sprinklers or to find sprinkler heads that might be out as I find it's a lot easier and more accurate than walking around: you see the big picture. If I was told I can no longer do that, I'd want to make sure I'm being given accurate information on why that is so.
Mike
I think I'd agree with a previous poster and call your local police chief or sheriff and make a kind inquiry. Tell them what happened and that you just want to make sure you are following the law for what you are doing. And that the reason for the call is that you cannot substantiate what you were told by the officers. Bottom line: don't stir anything up and/or ignore what you were told and just fly anyway. If you endeavor to give them a reason and they come back, I'm sure they can cite you with something even if it's as simple as disturbing the peace. So work with them! I take mine up from time to time right over my house, point it down, and take a picture of my whole property to assess areas of my lawn that might need adjustments on sprinklers or to find sprinkler heads that might be out as I find it's a lot easier and more accurate than walking around: you see the big picture. If I was told I can no longer do that, I'd want to make sure I'm being given accurate information on why that is so.
Mike
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Let's not forget that cops live in houses and neighborhoods too. I'd be willing to bet the OP's cop had a run in with a local neighbor and their drone. Maybe the local kids caused a problem with multiple drones. Maybe a neighbor pissed him off flying over his house. Maybe the guy is just plain sick of responding to drone calls. Either way he's biased towards drones. As I've said, personally I have not found this to be the case in general with them, yet. They have all been positive and accommodating thus far. I even made some contacts with fire department guys who are putting together a SAR program and at the time of the flight they were delighted to hang with me for spotters. It goes without saying, they were blown away by the phantom. And to boot, I'm talking about night flights. Authorities have been completely accommodating thus far in those situations in public settings out here in Suffolk County. It really depends on how you present yourself. Buzz in without permission, you'll have problems. Work in a cooperative effort and you're almost immediately on their team.
I've gotten a pass a few times simply by keeping my hands visible on the steering wheel when they approach and telling them verbally that I'm gonna fetch my insurance card from the glove compartment now. Traffic stops are enormously dangerous for them. Knowing what puts them at ease from my end not only helps but can go a long way to getting a warning and no ticket.
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We have ~2 acre lots where I live and I almost always fly up and directly over the woods behind me to avoid houses so I haven't had a problem yet. But if a sheriff deputy shows up with complaints, I'd just tell him/her what I'm doing and then handle it professionally. I'd probably ask what I'm allowed to do legally and if there are any resources they could point me to stating the regulations and/or any tips on how to avoid them being called out again. You have to realize that they must deal with both sides. If they get calls, they are required to come out so they may not be happy either that they have to go on trivial dispatches. If I was in that position as a deputy, I'd probably "suggest" that you fly elsewhere due to complaints. Might not be a law but I'd certainly work with them and not against. That's my .02.
Also, as pointed out, be open with neighbors too. It helps that my next door neighbor has drones and we both fly. And at our neighborhood July 4th party at his house this year, I took the P3P and took video of all the neighbors, the fireworks, etc. and they were all asking "When are you gonna post it?" And a couple dads came over to get a demo and asked how much, which model should I get my son, etc. It helps.
Mike
Also, as pointed out, be open with neighbors too. It helps that my next door neighbor has drones and we both fly. And at our neighborhood July 4th party at his house this year, I took the P3P and took video of all the neighbors, the fireworks, etc. and they were all asking "When are you gonna post it?" And a couple dads came over to get a demo and asked how much, which model should I get my son, etc. It helps.
Mike
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Don't count on mere disclosure working in your favor in the end. In the beginning I did that and they were curious and had no problem. But tension grew when they started getting antsy about the camera. That's when I stopped flying the neighborhood altogether. I don't even fly down the rest of a battery out front. Not worth it.
Well I invite the Press to a demonstration of the drone and see how the Police would handle it when they showed up/ In addition, Head to the Police station and get some confirmation from a superior officer that there is NO local regulations on Drone.
Load up your Phantom and then take it to the Police Dept and ask to speak with the Chief of Police and if you can talk with him, tell him what happened and offer to help the police department in any way you can. Once he sees it does not have a telephoto lens but that it would be great for the department in the event he needs eyes on target, the whole department might would probably like to fly one or now how. You could even explain how these drones can be equipped with FLIR and would give the police department a way to search for someone at night. Also would be a great addition to a K-9 unit hunting for a runner at night. Just some thoughts on how to take a negative and turn it into a positive. Also, you could sue the crap out of the officer if your on your own property and he comes on it to steal your drone.
I've been amazed at how many people ,from co-workers to neighbors seem to hate drones . There is such either paranoia or envy, jealousy...not sure what is creating the hate. Just yesterday an elderly neighbor said that a male friend from France visiting her saw my P3A fly over (I fly 100 plus around houses) and told her he would shoot it down. The public is so ignorant of the laws surrounding drones. I was going to fly from the top of Pikes Peak yesterday and as I passed thru the gate a big sign stated, "No Use of Drones allowed on Pikes Peak". Thats amazing since they race cars up there at 100 MPH with bystanders along the road. People have died up there every year or two from racing cars, motorcycles but ....my P3A is a threat. Some very perverted thinking some where in this logic.
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Where are you getting that the police "have to respond" every time someone makes a frivolous complaint? That may be a policy that your department, and others, have created for political reasons, but is there some law that says that? It actually creates problems, because you go to a scene and then the complainant has an expectation that you're going to do something.
If he had to "respond," wouldn't it have been better for the officer to have responded to the complainant to determine if a violation of the law was alleged and, if not, explained that to him/her? They could still offer to go out and speak with the OP in the context of merely addressing the fact that he was upsetting a neighbor. (I note that you've created the character of the complaining neighbor for this plot line to justify the officer's actions, but I'll assume he exists).
Instead, the end result is a neighbor who thinks he has some power that he does not, and the OP feels he's been abused and his rights trampled... and justifiably so.
If the neighbor starts "blowing up our phones," explain to him that he hasn't alleged a violation of the law and that he's abusing the 911 system. Or talk to him when he calls. It's your job.
You mention in another posting that the police officer wouldn't be "stealing" the drone, he'd be confiscating it as "evidence." Evidence of what? Apparently no crime was being committed. The officer was making what was probably nothing more than an idle threat as an intimidation tactic.
I'm not "anti-cop" by any means, but I'm anti what you describe. It's a very common, and very poor, approach to police work.
People who push the laws are the ones making the rest of us look bad. I believe the general public simply needs more education on the many uses for drones. Most of the general public, when they hear the word drone, automatically assume it is being operated by either the government, or an individual to spy on them. This is a sad misconseption as most of us drone operators know. When I first moved to my neighborhood about two months ago, my immediate neighbors quickly noticed that I had a drone when they would see me loading and unloading it from my vehicle when I would head out or return from flying it. As usual, at first I received frowns and raised eye brows would people would see me. However, after being here for about two weeks, I returned from a flight one afternoon and was getting the drone out of my car. My neighbor across the street was out mowing his lawn and seen me once again with the drone in my hand. I smiled and waived at him and began to head inside my house when I heard him call out for me. I turned and looked back as he was walking up my driveway. He said that hI'm and other neighbors had noticed me having it and was concerned. I was explained that I understood his concern and assured him that I was not using it in a mischievous manor. I took that opportunity to educate him on drone uses for general public. I had a ton of videos stored on my tablet of scenic flights that I had taken. I showed him a short 2 min video of a flight over a valley and river area. He loved it !! Before I was finished another neighbor was jogging down our street in front of my house where we were standing. She knew the neighbor that I had shown the video to and he told her to watch it. That was all it took as it is a very tight community where everyone knows everyone. Since then I have had random people come up to me asking if they could see the video lol. Needless to say I have made some good friends now 
About a week ago I was loading my drone up getting ready to head out again. A police officer was driving by and saw me. He stopped and rolled his window down so I approached his car. He introduced himself and said that he knew I was new to the area and that I have a drone. He asked me what I used it for and what my intentions are with it. So, I figured I would show him the same video I had been showing. It
was a hit !! We sat aND talked for about 20 minutes. As we were talking a little girl was riding past on her bicycle, she was looking for a lost German shephard. She was almost in tears because she could not find it. I looked at the officer and ask if I could assist her by flying my drone to see if I could spot her dog around the neighborhood under his supervision. He agreed to let me do it, so I pulled my large 10" tablet out so that we could all see what the drone was seeing easily. After two circles over the neighborhood the little girl spotted her dog 5 streets over drinking water out of a ditch. The officer loaded her bicycle into the trunk of his car and took her to go retrieve her dog!! Now, instead of being the dreaded drone guy, I have become a neighborhood hero lol. Word spread fast about the dog rescue and since then I have assisted the police around the community by starting a neighborhood watch program aided by occasional drone patrol. I even have a sign in my front yard with a silhouette of a drone and "neighborhood watch program" written under it. My neighbors have accepted me into the community and all it took was a couple of minutes to educate the general public.
About a week ago I was loading my drone up getting ready to head out again. A police officer was driving by and saw me. He stopped and rolled his window down so I approached his car. He introduced himself and said that he knew I was new to the area and that I have a drone. He asked me what I used it for and what my intentions are with it. So, I figured I would show him the same video I had been showing. It was a hit !! We sat aND talked for about 20 minutes. As we were talking a little girl was riding past on her bicycle, she was looking for a lost German shephard. She was almost in tears because she could not find it. I looked at the officer and ask if I could assist her by flying my drone to see if I could spot her dog around the neighborhood under his supervision. He agreed to let me do it, so I pulled my large 10" tablet out so that we could all see what the drone was seeing easily. After two circles over the neighborhood the little girl spotted her dog 5 streets over drinking water out of a ditch. The officer loaded her bicycle into the trunk of his car and took her to go retrieve her dog!! Now, instead of being the dreaded drone guy, I have become a neighborhood hero lol. Word spread fast about the dog rescue and since then I have assisted the police around the community by starting a neighborhood watch program aided by occasional drone patrol. I even have a sign in my front yard with a silhouette of a drone and "neighborhood watch program" written under it. My neighbors have accepted me into the community and all it took was a couple of minutes to educate the general public.
N017RW
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Who me? Yes since day one. I took care of registration and found insurance before my first flight lol
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