What Do YOU Do When Someone Threatens To Shoot Down Your Drone?
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PatR
Premium Pilot
A lot if places I spent overseas don’t and didn’t show up as military facilities in Google Earth. There was quite a stir when Facebook started tagging people using GPS coordinates when they posted. Military folks suddenly got notes from higher up to stop using FB as it was revealing places that “didn’t exist”. Quite a few got in a bushel of trouble as they were prohibited from using their cell phones anyway. A lot of tagged locations were out in the middle of nowhere.
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If I am on property that I have permission to be there would wait till I saw a weapon then I would draw my weapon and tell them put the weapon down. They get three warnings and if they point towards me I shoot, Yes I am licensed. We have the "Castle law" here.
The FAA would not do anything, an armed threat in that situation is local law enforcement jurisdiction. When you call 911 the options are police, sheriff, fire, and ambulance. FAA does not have response enforcement capabilities. The FAA would only get involved if the drone is shot down and you are part 107 certified.
There was a drone that was shot down in Hillview, KY and the shooter got off with a slap on the wrist. (Charged for firing a weapon in the city limits.) The FAA did nothing at all even when all of the telemetry data showed he was not spying on the shooters property. He was given the name "Drone Killer."
The last thing I heard on the news was the drone pilot has filed a civil law suit against the shooter and I do not know if it has been resolved.
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This is a significant event for you and your wife, Just leave the drone at home and pay attention to your people.
I'd love to know what they're gonna shoot it down WITH?! Can you get a firearm or any sort of projectile onto a cruise liner? Surely that would be worse than having a drone on board!?
Problem is, many jurisdictions have privacy laws which are entirely separate from drone laws - you could be flying entirely ‘legally’ from a drone point of view, but still breaking privacy laws.
In regards to drones and cruise ships, it may be different from one cruise liner company to another, my experience is that you may take a drone on board BUT you cannot fly the drone whilst onboard the ship. Considering that it's a 100+million ($) chunk of metal with all kinds of radio emissions coming off it it's not the best site to launch from anyway unless you have the appropriate insurance and permissions. However, regarding idiots and ignorance, no point in joining them by trying to argue your point, I dare say that most of us has had this. Just give them the look of 'who the f**k are you?' and walk away. (You're right in not wasting 4k footage on them).
Have a good cruise holiday btw. I don't go on any other type of holiday now.
Have a good cruise holiday btw. I don't go on any other type of holiday now.
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Show me 1 privacy law that has a flying altitude restrictions, for planes, helicopters, drones, or anything that can fly.
Post hurricane Irma hitting north Georgia , I decided to film the removal of a pecan tree from my neighbors house .
The insurance hired tree service was using a large mobile crane to perform the lifting .
This crane was a thing of beauty .
Huge .
Being a heavy rigger myself and had worked with cranes for years , I knew that my bird at 100 feet was plenty for high enough for a 35 foot crane boom .
As I hovered while the operator got into position , a long haired man appeared from the side of the house .
He paced back and forth in the road for a couple of seconds .
He then walked right up to me (trespassing in my yard) and told me he would "shoot that **** thing out of the sky ".
To which I replied "you don't have a gun on you that can hit it" .
He then showed me the handle of pistol tucked into the front of his belt line .
Unaware to him , I drifted directly over him ( with camera pointed facing down ) .
I knew that if he drew his gun I would be able to out maneuver him .
At this point in the story , I hovered around 80 feet above the threatening gunman .
Offering me a clear view and recording of an inevitable violation of the law .
He then chickened out , covered his gun and threatened to call the police if I did not bend to his will .
I let my bird hover while offering him the use of my phone .
The gunman angrily refused the offer .
After the officers on scene agreed that I as well within my legal to film this job in progress , I questioned them concerning the lack of safety cones for the numerous vehicles parked in the middle of my street .
The officer made the same observation as me and promptly handed out the necessary citations .
After a battery change , I finished filming the job .
TreeBoy held up the tickets and cursed me out .
To which I replied , " You were the one who called the police , not me" .
The insurance hired tree service was using a large mobile crane to perform the lifting .
This crane was a thing of beauty .
Huge .
Being a heavy rigger myself and had worked with cranes for years , I knew that my bird at 100 feet was plenty for high enough for a 35 foot crane boom .
As I hovered while the operator got into position , a long haired man appeared from the side of the house .
He paced back and forth in the road for a couple of seconds .
He then walked right up to me (trespassing in my yard) and told me he would "shoot that **** thing out of the sky ".
To which I replied "you don't have a gun on you that can hit it" .
He then showed me the handle of pistol tucked into the front of his belt line .
Unaware to him , I drifted directly over him ( with camera pointed facing down ) .
I knew that if he drew his gun I would be able to out maneuver him .
At this point in the story , I hovered around 80 feet above the threatening gunman .
Offering me a clear view and recording of an inevitable violation of the law .
He then chickened out , covered his gun and threatened to call the police if I did not bend to his will .
I let my bird hover while offering him the use of my phone .
The gunman angrily refused the offer .
After the officers on scene agreed that I as well within my legal to film this job in progress , I questioned them concerning the lack of safety cones for the numerous vehicles parked in the middle of my street .
The officer made the same observation as me and promptly handed out the necessary citations .
After a battery change , I finished filming the job .
TreeBoy held up the tickets and cursed me out .
To which I replied , " You were the one who called the police , not me" .
PatR
Premium Pilot
Exposing the weapon in many jurisdictions is a threatening act with use of a firearm. Often a felony in and of itself.
Yep .
It is .
Just didn't have the heart to cause the man that kind of trouble .
Although he was wearing his *** on his shoulders , I never personally felt threatened .
Honestly if the man had spoken to me with any decency or respect , I would have canceled the flight .
Trying to intimidate me was the wrong move .
It is .
Just didn't have the heart to cause the man that kind of trouble .
Although he was wearing his *** on his shoulders , I never personally felt threatened .
Honestly if the man had spoken to me with any decency or respect , I would have canceled the flight .
Trying to intimidate me was the wrong move .
PatR
Premium Pilot
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You and I differ in outlook. I would have pushed it if for no other reason than to assure the individual would have learned to never try something like that with anyone ever again. It would have also separated him from forearms, an item he demonstrated he will use to intimidate people lacking one themselves.
I have nothing against firearms, I’m a shooter myself, but they are not things I flash to get my way. A carry weapon is for personal defense, not intimidation. The demonstrated mindset is akin to someone prone to initiating the next mass shooting.
You and I differ in outlook. I would have pushed it if for no other reason than to assure the individual would have learned to never try something like that with anyone ever again. It would have also separated him from forearms, an item he demonstrated he will use to intimidate people lacking one themselves.
I have nothing against firearms, I’m a shooter myself, but they are not things I flash to get my way. A carry weapon is for personal defense, not intimidation. The demonstrated mindset is akin to someone prone to initiating the next mass shooting.
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We are not far apart on outlook .
I agree wholeheartedly regarding the mentality .
I guess part of the reason I did not push the situation further was that deep down I knew that I was just as much to blame as he was .
I should have spoken to the man prior to filming .
I had just returned home to find this huge crane maneuvering for the pick .
I rushed inside , grabbed my bird , set my camera , performed pre-flight visuals , and lifted off .
Knowing how nerve racking rigging work can be , I just could not pass up a shot of this crane and where it was positioned in my neighbors front yard .
A little irresponsible on my part as a pilot .
Don't get me wrong , I do not condone handling my problems the way that this guy tried to .
Were I to have obtained permission prior to the flight , he may have been much more receptive .
I just did not have time as the crane was putting the boom into place as I arrived home .
I can see it from both sides of the coin is what I am saying .
You nailed it on the head though .
This guy is definitely one of those people who sees going to prison as a sign of respect .
Kinda runs through the water around here .
Keeps it interesting .
In one shot you can see Treeboy sitting on the downed tree , looking up at the bird .
I agree wholeheartedly regarding the mentality .
I guess part of the reason I did not push the situation further was that deep down I knew that I was just as much to blame as he was .
I should have spoken to the man prior to filming .
I had just returned home to find this huge crane maneuvering for the pick .
I rushed inside , grabbed my bird , set my camera , performed pre-flight visuals , and lifted off .
Knowing how nerve racking rigging work can be , I just could not pass up a shot of this crane and where it was positioned in my neighbors front yard .
A little irresponsible on my part as a pilot .
Don't get me wrong , I do not condone handling my problems the way that this guy tried to .
Were I to have obtained permission prior to the flight , he may have been much more receptive .
I just did not have time as the crane was putting the boom into place as I arrived home .
I can see it from both sides of the coin is what I am saying .
You nailed it on the head though .
This guy is definitely one of those people who sees going to prison as a sign of respect .
Kinda runs through the water around here .
Keeps it interesting .
In one shot you can see Treeboy sitting on the downed tree , looking up at the bird .
You are a good person. You admit that you may be partially to blame or at least share some blame. That takes a good guy to do that especially nowadays. Nice pics btw.
PatR
Premium Pilot
Does anyone think the guy would have been irritated if a local news photographer was driving by and stopped to take pictures?
