What are your methods to defuse the Phantom haters?

SilentAV8R · May 11, 2014

I live and fly near (and have flown with) the OP. On a couple of occasions I have had people ask me if I was taking pictures/video of the homes behind me. I tell them no, and then I have them look at my iPhone so they can see what I am seeing/recording. That almost always ends with "That's cool" from them. One guy told me it sounded like a swarm of bees.

But so far no real issues. But I am always looking out for the potential. I never fly over people, homes, buildings, roads, etc. Basically I try to limit the potential for human interaction when flying.

Jdacal · May 11, 2014

Definitely an agenda from my point of view. The media is doing everything possible to let the public's imagination think of guided missiles, terrorists and NSA.

Let's face it, there's a lot of money to be made in the future with these gadgets. Lots of people will benefit from having regulations in place to make it tough for mom and pop's to get their business started.

Garysam · May 11, 2014

I personally see the day of so many restrictions that will have set-aside areas that we may fly in. Adding to this i see private commercial areas that will be charged to fly. I don't know about you but I find that particularly boring as hell and will give up the sport/hobbies then. I don't know how many realize but the restriction not to profit. Or have a business that charges for services with a drone/remote control aircraft was a biggie. The groundwork was laid, other restrictions I believe will come much easier than that one.

jondrew · May 11, 2014

xenon said:
Next time that happens, just laugh and say "don't flatter yourself, you are not interesting enough to photograph". :roll:

+1

That's my stock line and actually used it once. My neighbor said something about photographing him while he was working in his yard. I told him I he wasn't that intersecting.

adanac · May 12, 2014

Based on what I understand the attitude toward the RC hobby to be in TN, carrying a firearm if you fly a drone there seems prudent.

kydan said:
I always carry my firearm on the side so I have yet to have any problems.....

FlyingFox · May 12, 2014

I have only ever had one " I perceived as negative" which was some guy telling me where they fly RC planes as he walked past , all others have stopped asked questions , taken photos of it etc and seemed impressed. I always have my spotter with me and always took the time to show I was a photographer of nature and interesting visuals and showed them the FPV , some said they wanted one!

It's usually dog walkers as I don't fly in built up areas lol..

I think the majority are not familiar with seeing a quad, and impressed by the gps, RTH, and stability it offers, oh I had one neighbour when I was testing over the fields at the rear of the house thought I was from the council filming the streets back gardens to see if anyone needed to pay more council tax with house extensions.

adanac · May 12, 2014

I guess it would depend on the situation. I try not to get into situations where I would get in trouble if the cops came, so I would generally be comfortable in ignoring any ding dong who comes along. If they have a problem they can call the police, write their congressman, etc. I don't myself have any need to relieve anyone of their irrational fears and, judging from some recent reporting, the fears are usually pretty irrational.

Kelso Kubat · May 21, 2014

what is a drone? :shock:

cleaner1369 · Jun 20, 2015

I must be lucky because everyone I've encountered, even the "uptight" ones, have loosened up when I showed the FPV view.

A local fireman and arson investigator even asked me for copies of the photos I had taken of a vacant house that burned on the next block... a few days later he called me and asked where I had bought my P3 because the local FD was writing a grant request to buy one for their fire marshals/arson investigators. He told me they were using the photos I had given them for classroom training tools.

Clipper707 · Jun 20, 2015

ianwood said:
And if calm logic ultimately fails, you should pause for several seconds, lower your voice and say "The data has already been transmitted to the local NSA sub station. You have 8 minutes before they get here. I'm sorry."

Brilliant!

The OP handled the situation perfectly. There's always going to be those testosterone-driven posturers defending their caves.

Just like how there's always a comment, under EVERY drone article: "If I see one of those over my yard, I'm shooting it down." Yeah, easy there, Chainsaw.

Trumple · Jun 21, 2015

"Look around you...look at this beautiful place. It's more beautiful than you and I. If anything, I'm desperately trying to avoid getting you in the shot so as not to ruin it."

Words to that effect when someone tells me off for "spying on them" when I'm in a public, rural area, and they haven't responded reasonably to my previous apologies and polite explanations.

Fyod · Jun 21, 2015

Just tell them the software automatcally blurs faces and license plates like Google street view. Most people willing to bi*ch about an RPAS are not tech savvy enough to argue that.

Monte55 · Jun 21, 2015

Just fly naked. Flying with a camera most likely will not be the topic of conversation then.

J.James · Jun 21, 2015

I have a real problem with anyone dying over a drone...

Ya and I would bet that who ever is flying a drone and carrying also has an even bigger problem with any one dieing over a drone esp them selves if some nut job were to try and physically attack some one just for flying a drone and not doing any thing wrong.

Some peoples very lives ARE important enough to them to want to protect it.. Tho I guess others feel that the life of some nut job that's going to physically attack some one or who knows even maybe kill them. is some how more important then there own life. Which defys all sorts of logic and lacks common sense.

But i'm also sure that even most nut jobs also would not want to die over a drone or any thing that they should not even give a crap about and thus why the OP said he open carries so I'm sure that is enough to make any would be attacker think twice before deciding its just not worth it and to go find some other victim thats more willing to let them attack them with out interference or repercussions.

frozenhawaiian · Jun 22, 2015

guess I'm lucky, haven't had any bad run ins with people while I've been out flying. though I do seem to always get the people who want to look over my shoulder at the display and pester me with questions. thats getting old quick. I think you guys are right though, I feel an agenda and I don't like it either. I see more regulation on the horizon, and not just for the commercial users.