So I'm doing some casual flying along the ocean near a boat launch. Staying away from most people, on the edge of the rocks. Checking out some settings on the gimbal and keeping a close eye on the timer. A couple of people walk by and stop, as usual, and are asking questions about the Phantom, how it flies, does it take pictures etc, all the usual friendly stuff. We are always ambassadors to this thing no matter where we go. I'm in the last minute on my timer and this women walks up and demands to talk to me. I say, wait a little bit, as I have my eye on the controls and the timer. She says, NOW. I say, wait a minute. Then she just lays me into me, about the noise, about leaf-blowers, motors, disturbing animals, and yells GET YOUR F-ING THING OUT OF HERE!!!...etc etc.... She's like 60 years old and is tearing me a new one and I'm trying to land the Phantom in my hand. The nice people I was chatting with are mortified and I just laughed and said, well, everyone has their own opinion. In my mind I wanted to tell this women to F-O it's a free world and who are you? But I guess I wanted to show we were above that as quad flyers, and take the high road. Maybe this woman just said what is on many peoples minds. But is sure was crazy. Who goes up to a perfect stranger, enjoying their little moment and says all that? Anyway, it will happen to you one day.
Was attacked by an onlooker
- Thread starter Roadkilt
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It's not like the Phantom whales a loud noise when flying. You didn't put a megaphone on it and started preaching to the mass like the world is ending, or did you? LOL!
Sounds like that that lady is a ***** and would complain about everything in the world. I'm not apologizing for using the *B word as that's what she sounds like! She could have come up to you in a polite way and expressed her feelings if she was a nice lady!
Sounds like that that lady is a ***** and would complain about everything in the world. I'm not apologizing for using the *B word as that's what she sounds like! She could have come up to you in a polite way and expressed her feelings if she was a nice lady!
Unfortunately, the "authorities" would probably side with her if a formal complaint was made. I suspect there are new laws coming concerning multi-copters.
That is quite funny. I had an incident in France similar. I was staying in a dozey little village where I swear technology forgot (dial up modems!!). Final day i took a flight to show the location and surroundings. Nice and high up to get the mountains etc. Of course there were a few pools but it was 8am so no one was in them.
After the flight we got a knock at the door and a fairly elderly woman was there protesting in her native tongue (which I don't speak at all well!). From what I could make out she wasn't happy about the 'camera in the clouds' and then proceeded to make jestures about her top (I assume she was saying 'i could have been topless' etc. *cold chill awashes me!
Suffice to say in Hero3 wide mode the footage barely identified humans. I could see only 2 people, both just walking the streets and looking up. One was clearly the lady in question headed for the house to complain.
I am very sympathetic to views like this because if you have never seen a video from a flying device you will naturally wonder what it is doing and what its camera is capable of taking. No excuse for rudeness though!
After the flight we got a knock at the door and a fairly elderly woman was there protesting in her native tongue (which I don't speak at all well!). From what I could make out she wasn't happy about the 'camera in the clouds' and then proceeded to make jestures about her top (I assume she was saying 'i could have been topless' etc. *cold chill awashes me!
Suffice to say in Hero3 wide mode the footage barely identified humans. I could see only 2 people, both just walking the streets and looking up. One was clearly the lady in question headed for the house to complain.
I am very sympathetic to views like this because if you have never seen a video from a flying device you will naturally wonder what it is doing and what its camera is capable of taking. No excuse for rudeness though!
Thats another big advantage of flying FPV with a screen or at least having a screen handy if you fly with goggles. It will show people what your seeing and I have had lots of people come up and ask what that is. Once they see the image on the screen they all so far have thought its very cool and then ask how much I have only had one person complain when I was flying the local golf course with permission. I was avoiding flying near people unless I asked first if it was ok but a couple ladies I never got within 100m of came and said that I ruined their game of golf :lol:
They were just crappy and looking for excuses for their crap skills, I called up the club manager and told them I somehow pissed off a couple ladies even though I wasnt anywhere near them. He gave them a credit for another game I think so all turned out ok I think. Everyone else thought it was pretty cool and I always try to stay away from people unless they want to have a look.
They were just crappy and looking for excuses for their crap skills, I called up the club manager and told them I somehow pissed off a couple ladies even though I wasnt anywhere near them. He gave them a credit for another game I think so all turned out ok I think. Everyone else thought it was pretty cool and I always try to stay away from people unless they want to have a look.
Golf courses are a whole other story. I've done lots in our local course which is quite pretty. I try to find golfers I know to hang with for a little while but I have had so many stares and glares from people hundreds of yards away that I rarely go near it now. I have a fun shot of hovering halfway down a driving range and daring golfers to nail me. Believe me, I was safe and so were they. Fun video of yellow balls zinging by on all sides, the gopro distortion makes them look like they are curving around the camera.
That whole US drone thing has spoiled it for us. Everyone thinks your gopro can see through their clothes and get an iris scan. I like that idea of showing the FPV. I don't have that rig but maybe I'll put a few vids on my iPhone to show them.
That whole US drone thing has spoiled it for us. Everyone thinks your gopro can see through their clothes and get an iris scan. I like that idea of showing the FPV. I don't have that rig but maybe I'll put a few vids on my iPhone to show them.
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I live in a building full of seniors. I'm 53.
They all talk about my Phantom, ask me questions, get concerned if it has been a while since they last saw me. Most know about the FlyAway's, and most of my YouTube videos are linked to on the buildings unofficial social website.
I have no troubles. They love it
D
They all talk about my Phantom, ask me questions, get concerned if it has been a while since they last saw me. Most know about the FlyAway's, and most of my YouTube videos are linked to on the buildings unofficial social website.
I have no troubles. They love it
D
Roadkilt said:
Ah dang it! You mean I spent all that money for a Phantom and GoPro and CANNOT see all these old duffers junk? No fair!
i had some one call the cops on me sat night. The cop said my neighbors where concerned about privacy and the children. that i was flying around with a camera filming them. i showed the cop my videos and that i could not zoom in. i felt it was headed towards i was not able to fly, when i explained i was a student pilot and i could show him a current sectional map that will show us what the airspace is. also offered to show him the FAR book. i also reminded him in a nice way that only FAA controls the airspace, and as long as i am under 400 feet and more than 3 miles from an airport i am good to go.
i then explained if people are concerned about privacy then they need to stay away from my house because i have camera's recording 24/7. i pulled my system up on my phone and showed the cop us standing on the side walk. The cop's attitude changed completely once he saw my security system and that we where being recorded. then the cop wanted to know if they ever needed any video from me of crime in the area could they contact me for a copy of my video.
the cop drove a way and my Phantom went right back into the air.
all my neighbor had to do was come talk to me and i could have shown him the video and explained it, but no he has to call the cops.
i then explained if people are concerned about privacy then they need to stay away from my house because i have camera's recording 24/7. i pulled my system up on my phone and showed the cop us standing on the side walk. The cop's attitude changed completely once he saw my security system and that we where being recorded. then the cop wanted to know if they ever needed any video from me of crime in the area could they contact me for a copy of my video.
the cop drove a way and my Phantom went right back into the air.
all my neighbor had to do was come talk to me and i could have shown him the video and explained it, but no he has to call the cops.
It's so goofy too, these are people who see a quad and freak out, yet quite happily use cellphones, email, twitter, Facebook, google, shop in malls, use ATMs, every one of which is tracking your movements, key strokes and recording your communications. on a more positive note, I don't think I've ever not had someone come up and say that is the coolest thing ever!
Wow...when I read your Subject line I thought the outcome was going to be worse than a crazy old lady.
Glad to hear that's all it was.
Congratulations on keeping your cool. You are a true Ambassador for the sport.
Cheers,
william
Glad to hear that's all it was.
Congratulations on keeping your cool. You are a true Ambassador for the sport.
Cheers,
william
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We'll lets look at it from a police officers "me" view. Lets say that concerned citizen called that issue in and I responded. First things first. Is anyone hurt or is there any jeopardy of that. It' would seem from your post clearly there is not.
Secondly, are you on private property. Again from your post it does not seem so.
Thirdly, if there is no local ordinance or state law "posted" and it has to be "clearly" posted then there is no violation. For example we have a noise ordinance that prohibits noise of a certain db rating on Sunday before 8am.
So far just from your post it seems like what we call a perfect world citizen. They often try to make things around them fit there life and wants disregarding the common rights of others.
Last but not least the good old constitution and the 4th amendment. It discusses "A legidimate Expectancy of Privacy'. But we use reasonable expectancy of privacy. Clearly from your description she had or has no reasonable expectancy of privacy in a public place. Personally I would ask you to move somewhere else on the beach, just diffuse it for now. Then I would take the lady aside and explain the law as it stands to her and that you are not violating local, state or federal laws or even her constitutional rights. Mind you I would ask you to move on only to diffuse the situation so I could explain to yet another uniformed citizen "the lady" how her actions where more against the law then yours.
Here's what you do. Check your local ordinances and print out what you need to. Check your state laws and do the same. Then go to the FAA website and check SFAR "special Federal Aviation Regulation" you should find things like you cannot fly over 400feet and commercial use is illegal. Print those up and put them in your battery/utility bag. How it works is this. Paper work always saves the day in police work. Sorry but it's true. The UAV controversy is getting ready to hit the fan and has to a degree. So be armed with documentation now!!! and tell your friends. I hope this helps the whole forum and please pm me if you need any help with research or the facts.
Secondly, are you on private property. Again from your post it does not seem so.
Thirdly, if there is no local ordinance or state law "posted" and it has to be "clearly" posted then there is no violation. For example we have a noise ordinance that prohibits noise of a certain db rating on Sunday before 8am.
So far just from your post it seems like what we call a perfect world citizen. They often try to make things around them fit there life and wants disregarding the common rights of others.
Last but not least the good old constitution and the 4th amendment. It discusses "A legidimate Expectancy of Privacy'. But we use reasonable expectancy of privacy. Clearly from your description she had or has no reasonable expectancy of privacy in a public place. Personally I would ask you to move somewhere else on the beach, just diffuse it for now. Then I would take the lady aside and explain the law as it stands to her and that you are not violating local, state or federal laws or even her constitutional rights. Mind you I would ask you to move on only to diffuse the situation so I could explain to yet another uniformed citizen "the lady" how her actions where more against the law then yours.
Here's what you do. Check your local ordinances and print out what you need to. Check your state laws and do the same. Then go to the FAA website and check SFAR "special Federal Aviation Regulation" you should find things like you cannot fly over 400feet and commercial use is illegal. Print those up and put them in your battery/utility bag. How it works is this. Paper work always saves the day in police work. Sorry but it's true. The UAV controversy is getting ready to hit the fan and has to a degree. So be armed with documentation now!!! and tell your friends. I hope this helps the whole forum and please pm me if you need any help with research or the facts.
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brad90631 said:
Well done! as a fellow pilot FAA LIC# 3251272 rotorcraft. Documentation and education win almost every time. Good use of AIM/Far and sectional. I've started preaching to UAV users put these things in there flight bags along with a copy of any local ordinances and state regs. Also the 4th amendment says "a legitimate/reasonable expectancy of privacy, which they do not have in that situation. Good job the forum should pay attention to this post!!!!
Voyager11 said:
There has been some really interesting stuff shared here and in earlier posts. I have put a few vids on my cellphone showing what the view looks like and use. I also think having a summary of rules and ordinances handy is great. As each country is different if anyone does Canada I would like to get a copy of your findings. I will try to dig up something. Maybe some of the other RC plane sites that have been around that much longer have already done this. That poor guy that killed himself last week in New York with his RC chopper (bad term) has brought a lot of media attention to our sport. None good.
Seeing that video rather confirms what I feared about using a Phantom or indeed any similar craft. Attracting unwelcome attention! I have some large fields and countryside near my home which would make ideal practice ground for my Phantom when I get one. But it is often frequented by the local gangs who like nothing better than spoiling other peoples fun. A Phantom would be like honey to a wasp for them! And the police really aren't interested!!
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