Phaedrus
Premium Pilot
It's not bowing down to the police. It's about being wise and not being an idiot.over powered cops disgusting
but thats just bowing down to the police and against your rights and that`s what they are hoping you will do "we have the power".
it every body lets them get away with it then they will just keep treating people like **** and
he had not broken any laws
There you go, this officer did not understand the interpretation of the rule, so he assumed he was in the right!I've only had one encounter with Dudley Do-Wrong. I live near (under the pattern of) and work on a military air base. I am an Air Traffic Control Systems Field Engineer, and know the tower staff quite well. I regularly fly in my back yard; no problems. Just call and get approval. I also monitor Unicom, and they know my cell phone.
I'm also an EMT and ambulance driver at a nearby volunteer rescue squad. I brought my H480 to the station because a crew member asked me to out of curiosity; I wasn't planning to fly. Building maintenance supervisor saw it, asked how good the camera is, and then asked if I could take some pictures of the roof, to make his climb to make some repairs safer. Sure.
Since the building was in the air base SFC/25 class C airspace (just like my house), I called the tower and was approved to 300'. I started prepping it to fly. A deputy came by and started giving me crap. I know the guy, and he ... has a reputation. He said that if it left the ground, he'd confiscate it and refer me for prosecution.
I told him to back that up in writing. He "couldn't find it, but the base has asked the department to aggressively enforce the 5 mile no fly zone". I knew then he was full of it (it's an advisory zone, not no-fly, unless inside the sfc/25 area, then it's a "permission zone". only inside the fence is no-fly). I called the tower back and had a chat with the tower supervisor. He told me something interesting: since I'm inside his airspace and have his approval, any other authority trying to tell me I can't is usurping his authority over his airspace, and subject to felony charges. He had to go before I could put him on the phone with the deputy.
Of course, deputy wouldn't back down. Bad mistake: I'm shooting buddies with the Sheriff (the elected guy). I called HIM, told him what was going on and what the tower said. There ensued a very loud, very short, very one-way conversation between him and the deputy.
I took off five minutes later, under the deputy's nose. Not a word. And the whole department got some training. Never had any issues with a deputy since.
My bad for trying to keep the post from being a book. IDID first tell him I had ATC approval - he even heard to my side of the tower callback conversation, so he KNEW I did. HE didn't listen, so it quickly escalated far beyond where HE wanted to take it. Dumb of him, actually: he KNEW I'm friends with the Sheriff, and he knows me well enough to know I don't back down when I'm right (he wasn't going to hear the end of it, either on the spot or in a courtroom, and he KNEW it). And he still didn't back down when politely explained ATC clearance. Yes, I stayed polite, just ... non-submissive.There you go, this officer did not understand the interpretation of the rule, so he assumed he was in the right!
My first response, would have been, I have permission from ATC, not show me in writing.
We need to aggressively enforce the 5 mile rule, especially if you don't have a waiver or permission from ATC.
My bad for trying to keep the post from being a book. IDID first tell him I had ATC approval - he even heard to my side of the tower callback conversation, so he KNEW I did. HE didn't listen, so it quickly escalated far beyond where HE wanted to take it. Dumb of him, actually: he KNEW I'm friends with the Sheriff, and he knows me well enough to know I don't back down when I'm right (he wasn't going to hear the end of it, either on the spot or in a courtroom, and he KNEW it). And he still didn't back down when politely explained ATC clearance. Yes, I stayed polite, just ... non-submissive.
And, yes, if you're threatened with enforcement actions, you have EVERY right to see the rule, reg, law, code, etc that the threat is based on: they can NOT make up stuff as they see fit!
The dept had training as a result. Afaik, no one has had illegitimate encounters since, not just me.The good part for you is that you are personal friends with his boss. The other is that you state this deputy has a reputation, so if that is so your friend the sheriff is not supervising his force properly and the blame for this incident lies with him not the deputy.
We may be an army in numbers, but being militant about it will not help our cause. Behind the scenes instruction of our LEO’s and governing bodies is a much more appropriate course of action. Sophomoric encounters with authorities in the public eye does nothing to embolden our rights to our airspace. Those only reinforce the general public’s perception of UAV pilots as rude and disrespectful.
We need to discuss these matters in a more intelligent way and get the information to all concerned. In the area you are from @FePhoenix it would be advisable for the military, local police, local government, and UAS pilots get together to develop a standardized procedure to fly in that area. Not just a privileged few that know the right people.
RogerDon’t be too concerned about creating a long post. If the info or story is good (yours was) the extra detail makes it a more interesting read.
Don’t be too concerned about creating a long post. If the info or story is good (yours was) the extra detail makes it a more interesting read.
over powered cops disgusting
but thats just bowing down to the police and against your rights and that`s what they are hoping you will do "we have the power".
it every body lets them get away with it then they will just keep treating people like **** and
he had not broken any laws
[QUOTE="Dougcjohn, post: 173004, member: 12689. Allow them to retain the authoritative position, minimize a perceived threat, it improves the situation and has a greater chance to obtain a relaxed conversation.
[QUOTE="Dougcjohn, post: 173004, member: 12689. Allow them to retain the authoritative position, minimize a perceived threat, it improves the situation and has a greater chance to obtain a relaxed conversation.