The most ignorant thing one can do while flying a drone

[Squirrel!]

Is to take it out of VLoS. That means flying it so high it can't be seen [regardless if it can be heard or not], and/or it is flown to such a distance it cannot be seen [in which case one definitely could not hear it]. It's like driving a vehicle. On a street, vehicles have the right of way over pedestrians. In the sky, airplanes have right of way over drones.

There are ALOT of private aircraft in the sky, and I for one, encounter them more often than not. These private planes are the ones that one must really be on the lookout for, because they just 'pop' up, like, "where in the heck did he come from!", type 'pop' up. And they like to fly low, too. And they like to circle about. And none of these things will you know about if you don't have VLoS of your drone.

Now, what REALLY exacerbates this issue, is that the modern drone has gotten smaller and smaller, which makes it harder and harder to keep VLoS of. There are more than a few folks out there flying these things literally MILES away from the home point, and as anyone over the age of 6 months knows, luck runs out...

Be smart, and do yourself a favor; don't fly the drone so far away you can't see or hear it. If [yes, the biggest word in the dictionary] there are any aircraft, of any type, INCLUDING other drones, in the vicinity of your flight path, you won't know it. And likely no one else will know it either...until it's too late. A risk that, quite simply, isn't worth it.

 

[Ansia]

Which country is this, where cars have right of way over pedestrians?

 

[Squirrel!]

Pretty sure your country.

Which country is this, where cars have right of way over pedestrians?

 

[Ansia]

I am pretty sure that in my country pedestrians and bicicles have right of way over cars.

 

[Squirrel!]

I thought PR was controlled by the US government?

 

[Squirrel!]

Regardless, here in the USA, pedestrians only have right of way in a crosswalk.

 

[Ansia]

It is. Perhaps it's a local law? Driving laws are state and not federal. I have a friend who ran over a pedestrian in a 6 lane highway and is facing court. I don't know if he'll face jail time or a hefty fine. That is without considering the civil lawsuit that will come from the family for damage compensation.

I just figure driving laws were copies of each other throughout the states.

 

[Squirrel!]

So, out of this post, all you took away from it is that you think a pedestrian has right of way in a street over a vehicle? You're missing the point, brother. But, as a FYI: "Pedestrians may not unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a crosswalk.Pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to vehicles when crossing outside of a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. "

 

[Ansia]

Oh, I agree with you on the VLOS 100%. There will be no argument from me there.

On the pedestrian law, I am lazy to loom it up, but here are the traffic laws for Puerto Rico.

Ley de Vehículos y Tránsito de Puerto Rico del 2000 www.LexJuris.com

www.lexjuris.com

 

[tcope]

Is to take it out of VLoS. That means flying it so high it can't be seen [regardless if it can be heard or not], and/or it is flown to such a distance it cannot be seen [in which case one definitely could not hear it]. It's like driving a vehicle. On a street, vehicles have the right of way over pedestrians. In the sky, airplanes have right of way over drones.

Flying near an airport is not the most ignorant thing? Flying over a huge crowd of people is not the most ignorant thing? Flying 10' off the ground 800' away is more ignorant than those things.. and many others?

As mentioned above, if I'm 10's off the ground in the middle of nowhere and I'm 1000' away, this is hardly the worse thing I could be doing.

The _only_ way your statement works is when you support it with the presumption that a drone out of sight is always in a flight path of a manned aircraft.

I'm not condoning flying out of VLOS but to make a blanket statement that it's the most ignorant flight it incorrect.

 

[Squirrel!]

If you're flying 10' AGL, 800' away, yes, that is most ignorant. You can't see the thing. I fly near airports all the time. It isn't ignorant unless you are being stupid with your flight pattern. And the reason waivers are granted. Flying over a huge crowds is done all the time now. Waivers granted all the time. That isn't ignorant unless you are being stupid with your flight pattern.

 

[skymonkey]

Is to take it out of VLoS. That means flying it so high it can't be seen [regardless if it can be heard or not], and/or it is flown to such a distance it cannot be seen [in which case one definitely could not hear it]. It's like driving a vehicle. On a street, vehicles have the right of way over pedestrians. In the sky, airplanes have right of way over drones.

There are ALOT of private aircraft in the sky, and I for one, encounter them more often than not. These private planes are the ones that one must really be on the lookout for, because they just 'pop' up, like, "where in the heck did he come from!", type 'pop' up. And they like to fly low, too. And they like to circle about. And none of these things will you know about if you don't have VLoS of your drone.

Now, what REALLY exacerbates this issue, is that the modern drone has gotten smaller and smaller, which makes it harder and harder to keep VLoS of. There are more than a few folks out there flying these things literally MILES away from the home point, and as anyone over the age of 6 months knows, luck runs out...

Be smart, and do yourself a favor; don't fly the drone so far away you can't see or hear it. If [yes, the biggest word in the dictionary] there are any aircraft, of any type, INCLUDING other drones, in the vicinity of your flight path, you won't know it. And likely no one else will know it either...until it's too late. A risk that, quite simply, isn't worth it.

Here in Florida pedestrians have the right of way if crossing an intersection and is given the right of way by crossing signal.
I too adhere to the FAR’s including 107.31 but was told I was in the minority.
Just keep following the rules and stay safe.

 

[MotorCycle-Man]

Way way too many " Drone distance thrill seekers out their now days flying litchi "......I always fly by the part 336 rules and i condone any that post here that don't...SHAME on you all ! My drone is never out of sight...Never.....i can clearly always see it with my own 2 eyes with my prescription glasses on.

4000 feet UP or many miles out whos wrong.....BOTH !

I'm with you 100% squirrel..on your message.

You might not like my post ok... So tell me where i have lied at ? LOL

 

[Phill2]

Which country is this, where cars have right of way over pedestrians?

Central QLD for starters.
We have signs at crossings saying pedestrians must give way to cars.

 

[davidzimagery]

If I'm walking and have to cross the road, I don't care who has the ROW. I'm looking and waiting until I'm sure it's safe before crossing. Same thing when flying my quad. I want to keep track of what's going on with it so it and everyone else returns to travel another day. I have a pilot's license, but haven't flown a plane since before drones came on the scene. I used to fly low and slow out here over unpopulated areas. If I did fly a plane now, I'd quite likely not do that any more, except to land and take off.

 

[Trackerputnam]

Geeze! You guys! He is conversing about drones and you pick a small part of his post to pick apart because you don’t want to, or are uncomfortable with the body of his post!

Yep it’s a law! VLoS! And there is a saying that all laws are made to be broken. There is not one of you that can say, if you drive a car, that you don’t brake the law everyday. Speeding is a common law broken everyday. Jay walking! And I am willing to bet if you were honest with yourself, if you drink, you have driven drunk. You can make all the comments you want about how you don’t drink and drive, but you have done it before! I could go on and on about the laws on the books being broken. The individuals breaking the law will at some time be caught. The damage they can do is great, and punishment can also be great. The law breaking affects us all. Causes new laws to be made.

Have I been out of VLoS before? Yep! Sometimes my bird is behind me because I did not turn fast enough. It might be only ten feet away but I can’t see it. I broke the law. Other times I have pushed the gas peddle harder and been up 200’. I often can’t see it then. How about flying around a snow covered landscape? Its gone into a landscape a short distance and unseeable in conditions like that! But if you are cautious and pick your locations carefully, you can put the peddle down on your modified pickup and let those ponies roar. Were you breaking the law? Of course. Was it dangerous? Yep! Now I don’t run down to the local airport and zip around out of VLoS there. I don’t run down to the local sheriffs office and start doing donuts in the parking lot either.

I understand the OPs concern but also know the capabilities of the drone are going to be tested. Be careful not to test those capabilities where you are likely going to conflict with other traffic.

 

[Smoked Mountain]

I don't tear the tags off of pillows, either...even though pillow jail sounds kinda fun.

 

[4thdpi]

Can we stick to flying and drones. Most every one fly them out of sight. I guess its part of the fun. Altitude, I know a few drone phantom pilots usually kids, toys from parents flying just outside class c airspace at 6000 ft. It's unregistered and they don't plan on registering it.

 

[MotorCycle-Man]

"MOST" ? fly outtah sight Oh yeow ? where do you get that " most " figure at...the out of sight drone posters here maybe ?
breaking a civil auto law is One thing with State trooper or a local police dept. but Breaking a FAA Federal law is totally another ! I just hope that you that fly out VLOS never hit a low flying medical evac helicopter crop duster OR any other type of aircraft....Think of the terrible consequences of death / Injuries that you will have to live with the rest of YOUR Life !

 

[Ansia]

"MOST" ? fly outtah sight Oh yeow ? where do you get that " most " figure at...the out of sight drone posters here maybe ?
breaking a civil auto law is One thing with State trooper or a local police dept. but Breaking a FAA Federal law is totally another ! I just hope that you that fly out VLOS never hit a low flying medical evac helicopter crop duster OR any other type of aircraft....Think of the terrible consequences of death / Injuries that you will have to live with the rest of YOUR Life !

You forgot go add "in prison".