Told to stop flying!

[N017RW]

Think not. Mall cops are known for their need for power, but don't have any. They got that job because the police academy bar was too high. Criminal trespass citation issue? Prbly, but a smarter person wouldnt press it that far, just step off the property and keep flying and watch Barney Fifes eyes roll to the back of his head..

Please cite your examples, link(s), or other data to support your second sentence.
A mall cop once assisted me in resolving an issue. Experiences vary, I'm just curious what experience you have had to support such arrogance.

 

[Fifty7]

What bothers me is when local authorities have no clue what the rules are and want to tell you you shouldn't be flying. My cousin and I took off tonight from a dead end street right on the waters edge. Two cops pull up and say excuse me but you know you're supposed to have a permit to fly that? I'm not one to argue especially with someone who has the ability to make my life miserable but I'm annoyed that obviously he has no idea what he's talking about. I very politely told him no, that's not true and you used to have to register it which I have but you don't even have to do that anymore. He just said oh ok and pulled away. I think it would help our hobby if the local police actually knew the rules instead of just trying to intimidate someone into not flying.

 

[macoman]

What bothers me is when local authorities have no clue what the rules are and want to tell you you shouldn't be flying. My cousin and I took off tonight from a dead end street right on the waters edge. Two cops pull up and say excuse me but you know you're supposed to have a permit to fly that? I'm not one to argue especially with someone who has the ability to make my life miserable but I'm annoyed that obviously he has no idea what he's talking about. I very politely told him no, that's not true and you used to have to register it which I have but you don't even have to do that anymore. He just said oh ok and pulled away. I think it would help our hobby if the local police actually knew the rules instead of just trying to intimidate someone into not flying.

You said that you took off at night, flying at night is supposed to be illegal if you don't have part 107.

 

[anotherlab]

What bothers me is when local authorities have no clue what the rules are and want to tell you you shouldn't be flying. My cousin and I took off tonight from a dead end street right on the waters edge. Two cops pull up and say excuse me but you know you're supposed to have a permit to fly that? I'm not one to argue especially with someone who has the ability to make my life miserable but I'm annoyed that obviously he has no idea what he's talking about. I very politely told him no, that's not true and you used to have to register it which I have but you don't even have to do that anymore. He just said oh ok and pulled away. I think it would help our hobby if the local police actually knew the rules instead of just trying to intimidate someone into not flying.

I look at that as an educational opportunity. About a month ago I was flying in a new subdivision. I was parked and launching from the road and the houses were still being built with no one moved in yet. After flying for about 15 minutes over open area, a NYS State Police Trooper pulled up while I was landing. He was just cruising around and was curious. We chatted for a few minutes and he asked what the capabilities were and how long did it take to learn how to handle it. Then he took off.

 

[N017RW]

You said that you took off at night, flying at night is supposed to be illegal if you don't have part 107.

That's incorrect. Part 107 requires a waiver. A hobbyist does not. Both require proper lighting.

 

[macoman]

That's incorrect. Part 107 requires a waiver. A hobbyist does not. Both require proper lighting.

But why the FAA indicated that it's illegal to fly at night? I will assume that if you have part 107 it is more easy to get a waiver than for a hobbyist.

 

[N017RW]

Macoman, please post this rule from the FAA. Otherwise I'm not sure where you read or heard this.
Hobbyists flights have a bit more freedoms than commercial flights.

 

[Bigbells]

I could be wrong, but I believe that when I applied for my FAA hobbyist drone registration, I agreed not to fly at night. If that was ever a part of the agreement, it no longer is.

 

[N017RW]

Can't address what people believe or 'may have' this or that.
But it is not illegal for a hobbyist to fly at night. You MUST still maintain VLOS and the other guidelines to do so responsibly.

 

[tcope]

I could be wrong, but I believe that when I applied for my FAA hobbyist drone registration, I agreed not to fly at night. If that was ever a part of the agreement, it no longer is.

First, the US registration is no more. Anything that went along with it is no more.

The FAA put several illegal requirements into the registration in an effort to get around section 336.

 

[macoman]

Macoman, please post this rule from the FAA. Otherwise I'm not sure where you read or heard this.
Hobbyists flights have a bit more freedoms than commercial flights.

You know what I went to the FAA site and it's true, it does not say anything about flying at night... I guess they removed it... From the FAA website:

Safety Guidelines

Individuals flying for hobby or recreation are strongly encouraged to follow safety guidelines, which include:

Fly at or below 400 feet and stay away from surrounding obstacles

Keep your UAS within sight

Never fly near other aircraft, especially near airports

Never fly over groups of people

Never fly over stadiums or sports events

Never fly near emergency response efforts such as fires

Never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Understand airspace restrictions and requirements

 

[Kristina Fowler]

Hey guys, I own a p3p and was flying it at my local mall, small mall, not near airports or directly over people or cars following all the rules to my knowledge. Just getting some shots for a vlog. Done this many times. But this time I was stopped by a "mall security officer" and was told to stop flying. I asked for justification and got, because we don't want drones flying here. If that's the rule then that's the rule, so be it. But can they really tell me I can't fly here even though I'm not breaking any rules?! If so I guess I was uninformed and that's my fault. Should I be able to fly here? And are malls and business allowed to say I can't?

If this is pertaining to an Airspace issue and corresponding permission to traverse airspace over the mall, I think the same rules would apply to your situation that govern every fixed wing aircraft that flew directly over subject mall. At what altitude (close proximity) does it become an invasion of privacy or represent a security issue? At what altitude can an Airbus pilot recognize somebody sunbathing in their own backyard and constitute invasion of privacy? Who's responsible: the viewer or the viewee? If you're in the mall parking lot at ground level looking around, is that a security issue? If you're 100ft up looking at the same thing, why does that then become a security issue? Truthfully, I think innovative products (like drones) always have an acceptance period, and we're still going through it. Remember when cell phones caused brain cancer??

 

[Bigbells]

First, the US registration is no more. Anything that went along with it is no more.

The FAA put several illegal requirements into the registration in an effort to get around section 336.

I think what you meant to say is that US registration is no longer REQUIRED. As far as I know, it is still possible to register. I also know that I could request the return of my $5 registration fee. (I procrastinated and didn't register until just after the free registration period had expired.)

I do know that a lawsuit made registration unnecessary, but I wonder why the FAA has not been required to remove the following page, which states that registration is mandatory and that failure to register makes one subject to criminal and civil penalties: sUAS Registration

 

[DougAles]

Where is the 75 foot rule from?

I'm not seeking an argument, but the ruling is 83 feet or 365 feet above private property. The 83/365 feet rule is debated to this day.

The rule is based on a US Supreme Court case where a airplane was flying over chickens.

United States v. Causby - Wikipedia

 

[tcope]

I do know that a lawsuit made registration unnecessary, but I wonder why the FAA has not been required to remove the following page, which states that registration is mandatory and that failure to register makes one subject to criminal and civil penalties: sUAS Registration

Because they have not gotten around to correcting all of the pages they added that information to. There are probably hundreds and I doubt they will correct them all. However, they all direct you to the one page where you register and the correct information is there.

 

[Ray Freestone]

Hey guys, I own a p3p and was flying it at my local mall, small mall, not near airports or directly over people or cars following all the rules to my knowledge. Just getting some shots for a vlog. Done this many times. But this time I was stopped by a "mall security officer" and was told to stop flying. I asked for justification and got, because we don't want drones flying here. If that's the rule then that's the rule, so be it. But can they really tell me I can't fly here even though I'm not breaking any rules?! If so I guess I was uninformed and that's my fault. Should I be able to fly here? And are malls and business allowed to say I can't?

 

[Bigbells]

Because they have not gotten around to correcting all of the pages they added that information to. There are probably hundreds and I doubt they will correct them all. However, they all direct you to the one page where you register and the correct information is there.

Uh, the correct information is NOT there. The wrong information is there. It says that registration is required, which is the incorrect information I'm talking about. The page also allows for registration. The link I supplied is that one page you speak of.

 

[Ray Freestone]

Hey guys, I own a p3p and was flying it at my local mall, small mall, not near airports or directly over people or cars following all the rules to my knowledge. Just getting some shots for a vlog. Done this many times. But this time I was stopped by a "mall security officer" and was told to stop flying. I asked for justification and got, because we don't want drones flying here. If that's the rule then that's the rule, so be it. But can they really tell me I can't fly here even though I'm not breaking any rules?! If so I guess I was uninformed and that's my fault. Should I be able to fly here? And are malls and business allowed to say I can't?

Dont know what the ruling is in the US , but in the UK it is not permissable to fly within 50 mtrs of any person, vessel, vehicle or structure.

 

[John Tarvin]

So same thing as national forests can't take off land or operate inside them, but you can fly from the outside? Interesting I guess I was uniformed.

In general, you can fly in a national forest... And land and take off.

As I understand the NPS rules, in a national MONUMENT (maybe even PARK) you cannot take off, land, or operate the drone within the monument boundaries. But that doesn't mean you can't fly across the boundary (something I would not do). And you can't, in general, fly over wildlife preserves.

 

[Treeman]

I always try to launch from a "secure location"

I agree 100% with the "secure location" comment. I will by pass a location if I sense I'm being watched, I won't launch when I'm physically in a high visibility spot. By assuming some knucklehead will be the one that sees me has kept me in the "secure locations" and I believe out of confrontations.