Drone Spying-Do Privacy Experts Have This Right.

[Ben Waldorf]

Recently, I saw a rather disturbing video of a woman in her 20's beating up a young kid around 12 years old because she was dead set in her beliefs that he was spying on her with his drone. That wasn't the first time this had happened as I also saw an older man who had flight goggles on get suckered punched by a teenage male. He wasn't expecting that either.

Drone spying is one of the biggest concerns. However, to me it's overblown. The field of vision from the camera does not make it easy to really "spy" on anyone. Of course, I am considerate when I fly, always making sure that this is not a concern for anyone. It is also true that we as pilots need to be responsible flyers at all times. Of course, it helps that some of these drones such as Yuneec's H920 Typhoon has a zoom of 18 X. Still, I think privacy is less of an issue. Therefore, it is helpful to remember the 5 reasons drones are not good spying machines.

 

[prathbun]

... helpful to remember the 5 reasons drones are not good spying machines.

And those 5 reasons are? (Not trying to be snarky here, this is the first time I've heard about "the 5 reasons.")

 

[ChuckBridges]

A quick google search:

Drone Paranoia – Top Five Reasons Drones Suck for Spying | Ambient Flight

#1 Camera Limitations / Wide Angle Lenses
#2 Noise
#3 Wind/Weather
#4 Short Flight Times
#5 Short Range

#6 (BONUS thanks to Anthony C. ) The Drone is Visible.

Link is to the OP. All credit to them.

 

[prathbun]

Ah. Thanks!

 

[ChuckBridges]

You are quite welcome! Have a great day!

 

[FlushVision]

I think one of the reasons why an 'un clued-up' public have concerns about a drone spying on them is largely down to what they've seen in news programs of footage taken from military drones filming their targets, not realizing that a military drone's observational powers are so far removed from what can be obtained through a consumer drone that little comparison can be made.

 

[alx101]

My response to the inevitable comment by someone in the park about drones and privacy is always polite with an ever so slight edge..
Me: do you own a cell phone
Them: yes, of course..
Me: can you tell me what the last app you downloaded?
Them: Angry Birds (Or some such nonsense)
Me: what permissions did you grant the developer?
Themhead cocked like confused puppy) whatever do you mean?
Me: the phone in your pocket, at your worrkplace, by your bedside, in the bathroom with you now has been granted permission or access to your phone's microphone, csmera, call history and so on, and you freely gave it away but have no problem approaching me (who had eyes towards the sky) with concerns about your privacy that is worth no more to you than a calculator app? If I were to spy on anyone it would be to learn something....
At that point they usually take a call or something because they never Stick around and are always looking at their phone.....

Be safe, act nice and fly right.......