Manne aircraftJust dreaming away, looked to my right and did not see it. Went back to the event on the beach and this powered paraglider flew right in front of me.
Is it a manned aircraft? I was so tempted to follow it at a distance. I was tempeted to get close but that would have scared the pilot and would not have been safe. What would you have done?
Should I have just got right out of the way and took a big loop home, it was flying towards my take off point and it was 2 kilometers away?
What should I have done with this powered paraglider?
- Thread starter John Gowland
- Start date
Video works now. Definitely a beautiful area!! All I will say is this. You can follow all the laws and still be an unsafe pilot, and the reverse is true, you can break a law and fly perfectly safely. In this case I believe the latter applies. I didnt see anything I would consider unsafe. You kept your distance. Imo you did "give way" and kept an eye on him to be able to avoid anything he might have done. Not a situation I'd like to have to deal with but just shows how surprises can pop up.
I was genuinely shocked to see this thing sweep into my view. I had little time to think about it, seconds. It was a manned aircraft and even though I was low on battery and the glider was traveling to wards my take off point I think I still had enough power to shoot away from him, out to sea, and take a big loop in sports mode to RTH, even if I risked dumping the P4P in the drink. That is what I should have done. A lot went through my mind, it was it in every respect a manned aircraft, he was very low and flying over people. Did he have clearance to fly on that path? So I suppose it is a lesson, if I see such a craft again I will get way out of its path to the point of dumping my UAV.
I will strive to be a better person.
Thanks Ansia, I used a PolaPro 16ND filter on the Phantom, 24fps, 100 iso and 1/50 shutter speed.
But the contrast between a very bright Australian mid day sun, a bright white surf and sand with a blue foreground sea and dark green background foliage is hard for any camera to deal with. As it was I think the camera and filter did a good job. I could have messed around in post for ages and improved it a little but cameras are still a very long way from the human eye, unfortunately.
I will strive to be a better person.
Thanks Ansia, I used a PolaPro 16ND filter on the Phantom, 24fps, 100 iso and 1/50 shutter speed.
But the contrast between a very bright Australian mid day sun, a bright white surf and sand with a blue foreground sea and dark green background foliage is hard for any camera to deal with. As it was I think the camera and filter did a good job. I could have messed around in post for ages and improved it a little but cameras are still a very long way from the human eye, unfortunately.
Other than loosing altitude, I wouldn't had done anything different from you. I was flying at the beach the other day at 30 meters AGL, then all of a sudden a helo went flying straight at my drone at the same height. I panicked and my first response was to dive down to 3 and change meters AGL. He passed through and I regain altitude. My worry in all this is, there were kite surfers at the beach that day and those kites can reach 28 meters high.
I'm not here to shame or reprimand. I always say that people don't learn from other people's experiences. I believe you grew from this one and will do the right thing if the opportunity presents itself again.
I will really, really try, Ansia. But the devil made me do it. But I will try to fend him off next time.
Lol
We all knew you had no VLOS. But you did use FPV very well to see and avoid. You were lucky
I was lucky and that's why the rules are there to protect people for safety and if you ever do something way outside the rules and potentially dangerous you will have to wear that and that's a heavy responsibility the thought that you would cause someone injury or even death is not very pleasant.
First, this points out the importance of ALWAYS maintaining VLOS of your drone and the airspace it is flying in. Where I fly, there are many ultra lite aircraft that fly at nearly tree top level. When the weather is good and the winds are light, the best practice is don't fly at all or keep below tree top level.
I also think the pilot shooting this video not only saw the paraglider, but he also heard the loud engine. In my mind, the right thing to do is yield right of way. The smart thing to do would have been to return to home point and land. Then fly later when the "coast is clear". Fly smart!
I also think the pilot shooting this video not only saw the paraglider, but he also heard the loud engine. In my mind, the right thing to do is yield right of way. The smart thing to do would have been to return to home point and land. Then fly later when the "coast is clear". Fly smart!
He did give right of way. He couldn't return to RTH, because the para glider headed in that same direction. He waited until the para glider landed so he could also land.
Sorry Russ 43, this statement you made is contrary to making good videos and pictures. Also, for safe flying practices.. “When the weather is good and the winds are light, the best practice is don't fly at all or keep below tree top level.”
I say no harm no fowl . The video was great, you where in my opinion plenty far enough away from the PG. Yes it says the PG always has the "right of way" and in your case he did . I see nothing wrong with what you did . Great Video.
It is my opinion that there was no danger involved, you were aware of the para glider and had visual on him at all times. I saw no danger to you or him. We are all subject to encounters like this one,which in my opinion was safe. Now think about this one,what if this had been a skydiver,then what ? that would come from above your line of sight!! Who would be at fault?
Just for the sake of arguing.... watch this video and realize just how easily the OP could have been in the same situation as this very unsafe sUAS operator:
Yes at fault! The rules don't say "give way unless a skydiver".... This is why SEE & AVOID is paramount!!
