I've been asked to contact an FBI agent tomorrow since he has some questions regarding my drone flying.

[dirkclod]

True but we don't know what

company that conducts illegal operations

means .
Might be more to this than we think....I don't know .

 

[Rick0504N]

I doubt the FBI cares if your drone is registered or not. They’re investigating potential criminal activity. You’re going to be asked questions as part of their investigation since you have pictures/video of the facility involved and will probably ask you if you have anymore that you haven’t shared with your city council friends.

 

[Mavic1965]

They might very well simply be interested in the images for their investigation and in need of direct contact with the author for validation purposes. Doubt they are contacting you with the intention to go after you - but it could end up that way if using them requires checking that they were taken 100% legally, they find out that for some reason they can't be considered as such e.g. becasue of having been taken for a specific purpose without the proper licenses or authorisations, and they have no choice but to report you following that finding.

I agree with this. I think they are interested in looking at your photos.....

 

[vanderzyde0]

Long story short - I take pictures for someone who uses them in City Council meetings in their fight against a large company that conducts illegal operations. The FBI saw my pictures, questioned my neighbor how they were obtained & they were forced to rat me out. Ha HA.

I mainly take off from my residence & fly over the business after hours & on sundays when it doesn't endanger any employees or the business & I doubt they've ever spotted my drone while I was flying. It looks like the FBI is concerned about my flying since the business is located on the Mississippi River & drones have the potential for being used in terrorist attacks against ships.

I'm a hobbyist, my drone is registered, however I don't keep a copy of the registration on me when I fly nor could I locate mine if I was asked. I spent the $5 tonight & re-registered since I know I'll be talking to the FBI tomorrow.

The main point of my post is to advise others to register their drone if they haven't done so & keep a copy of the registration on you when you're flying. The FBI is apparently trying to contact anyone who flys a drone & make sure they are registered. The potential fines are huge including jail time so it makes sense to spend the $5.

Remember you are always protected by the US Constitution when in the USA.

Read it and consult with an attorney BEFORE any contact with any government agency.

This document sets the US apart from many other countries because it protects its citizens - all criticism of it aside it is very powerful or many politicians wouldn’t be fighting so hard to change it!

 

[Gr8ful]

Maybe they want to hireyou as they do good hackers.

 

[crlmjohnson]

I really doubt if the FBI wants to see your registration. I think they might want to know if you have some videos that will help them in something that they are investigation.

Just talk to them and see what they want. You might be helping in a case or something. especially if you have not done anything wrong. Usually the FBI is working on serious cases outside of the local law enforcement agency.

 

[neggy]

DO NOT TALK TO THEM

Anything you say WILL be used against you, nothing you say will help you.

DO NOT CALL THEM

do not co-operate with them

if they come to visit you, tell them you choose not to answer questions without your attorney present

then SHUT UP and LAWYER UP.

if they push the issue, repeat that you respectfully decline to talk to them without your attorney present

Then ask them if you are free to go.

If you are NOT free to go, then you are being detained. SHUT UP and LAWYER UP.

If they say you are free to go,or don't say anything LEAVE.

They know once you ask that question, they have no choice but to cuff you or cut you loose.

oh one last thing SHUT UP AND LAWYER UP

 

[Larrymavic2pro]

Long story short - I take pictures for someone who uses them in City Council meetings in their fight against a large company that conducts illegal operations. The FBI saw my pictures, questioned my neighbor how they were obtained & they were forced to rat me out. Ha HA.

I mainly take off from my residence & fly over the business after hours & on sundays when it doesn't endanger any employees or the business & I doubt they've ever spotted my drone while I was flying. It looks like the FBI is concerned about my flying since the business is located on the Mississippi River & drones have the potential for being used in terrorist attacks against ships.

I'm a hobbyist, my drone is registered, however I don't keep a copy of the registration on me when I fly nor could I locate mine if I was asked. I spent the $5 tonight & re-registered since I know I'll be talking to the FBI tomorrow.

The main point of my post is to advise others to register their drone if they haven't done so & keep a copy of the registration on you when you're flying. The FBI is apparently trying to contact anyone who flys a drone & make sure they are registered. The potential fines are huge including jail time so it makes sense to spend the $5.

I keep a copy of mine on my cell phone and I always have that with me and that works for me..

 

[Inspirephil]

If you have not already done so, check your state drone law asap. There are a few states that expressly prohibit private party from using a drone to conduct surveillance. Idaho comes to mind but I know there are others.

US Drone Laws (2017) - Drone Laws by State

Request for interview is serious business. Especially if you do not know the reason or the exact matters at issue. Being less than 100% truthful to the FBI can be a crime. Please be cautious. Unless you are confident you know if and when to end such an interview, consider again:

Absolutely get some advice before going in, ABSOLUTELY!! But still as someone else has said if they were serious about it they’d have knocked on your door!

 

[Inspirephil]

DO NOT TALK TO THEM

Anything you say WILL be used against you, nothing you say will help you.

DO NOT CALL THEM

do not co-operate with them

if they come to visit you, tell them you choose not to answer questions without your attorney present

then SHUT UP and LAWYER UP.

if they push the issue, repeat that you respectfully decline to talk to them without your attorney present

Then ask them if you are free to go.

If you are NOT free to go, then you are being detained. SHUT UP and LAWYER UP.

If they say you are free to go,or don't say anything LEAVE.

They know once you ask that question, they have no choice but to cuff you or cut you loose.

oh one last thing SHUT UP AND LAWYER UP

That’s the best advice I have heard so far and I totally agree! Dummy up and say NOTHING!! And then check out the local/state/and any other regulations or laws pertaining to the whole flying for surveillance issue before you try this again. It just seems odd that the local government would ask a private citizen to basically spy on a private company. If they want information hire a private investigator and they’ll find a certified professional pilot for their “dirty” work.

 

[NeXstep1]

Given General Michael Flynn's experience with the FBI - suggest you take an attorney to the meeting - IF they think you are NOT truthful you COULD be in deep yogurt!

 

[Jackcutrone]

As a former criminal defense attorney I would be leary of talking to the FBI without an attorney present with me at the time of the interview. They may be willing to tell you in advance whether you are considered a subject of the investigation. As others have mentioned, their primary interest is not going to be whether or not you are registered although if they are looking at you as potentially a “bad guy” not being registered is going to add to that. The FBI talks to people for a variety of reasons, victims, witnesses, sources of information or suspects. You may well be in the last category. Another poster mentioned search and seizure issues. That is not going to be a concern at all. You were a private citizen taking pictures for a private company. The constitution only prohibits illegal searches and seizures by government employees or private citizens acting on behalf of the government.

The FBI couldn’t care less about FAA regulations unless you were flying in an area that has national security implications. There are prohibitions against flying near certain types of structures for that reason. My guess is that someone dropped a dime on you and suggested that your activities were related to some criminal or terrorist activity. That would get their attention. Interested to hear what they wanted to talk to you about.

 

[mikemoose55]

This whole thing smells funny, My guess is your neighbor was contacted by a private investigator working on behalf of the big company.
The FBI doesn't ask or need persons of interest to call them.
Did you research the phone number if you even have one to call????????
This sounds like a veiled threat to you to get you to stop taking those pictures.
They can't strong arm you that is the last thing they want to be associated with. But they can talk to someone around you who is not involved so no harm / foul there knowing full well the message will be delivered to you.
Now they can't harass you for what you do BUT if you initiate a conversation by calling them well then conversation on.
The FBI doesn't need you to find you they already know what you are having for breakfast tomorrow morning.
mikemoose55

 

[Inspirephil]

As a former criminal defense attorney I would be leary of talking to the FBI without an attorney present with me at the time of the interview. They may be willing to tell you in advance whether you are considered a subject of the investigation. As others have mentioned, their primary interest is not going to be whether or not you are registered although if they are looking at you as potentially a “bad guy” not being registered is going to add to that. The FBI talks to people for a variety of reasons, victims, witnesses, sources of information or suspects. You may well be in the last category. Another poster mentioned search and seizure issues. That is not going to be a concern at all. You were a private citizen taking pictures for a private company. The constitution only prohibits illegal searches and seizures by government employees or private citizens acting on behalf of the government.

The FBI couldn’t care less about FAA regulations unless you were flying in an area that has national security implications. There are prohibitions against flying near certain types of structures for that reason. My guess is that someone dropped a dime on you and suggested that your activities were related to some criminal or terrorist activity. That would get their attention. Interested to hear what they wanted to talk to you about.

Not being versed as an attorney I cannot speak to the legal ramifications but it seems to me that the FAA and the FBI are part of the same crazy system we have here in the USA. So as has been said previously in this thread GET YOURSELF AN ATTORNEY before you even step foot in their office.

 

[vkcatfish]

I agree with BigAl, your aerial surveillance for the city council is outside the scope of the FAA Special Rule for Model Aircraft (Section 336) - Fly for hobby or recreation ONLY. I think this is operating under FAA Part 107 and, at a minimum, requires an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate to be legal. In addition, when I fly under Section 336, my homeowner's insurance covers me for liability but for flights under Part 107, it doesn't. I need a separate liability insurance (like Verifly) to be covered for any Part 107 operations.

I'm not a legal expert so I don't know whether any evidence you may have collected without a Part 107 license would be deemed invalid.

I am a pilot and thus, thought of something else you might consider. NASA has an Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), generally referred to as a NASA report. If a pilot unintentionally violates an FAA rule and voluntarily reports it using a NASA report, in general, it can immunize that pilot from any FAA legal enforcement actions. It's a great program, however, immunity is not assured if your violations were deliberate or if you file a NASA report after the FAA formally contacts you about an incident.

Since the FBI is now involved, you might file a NASA report ASAP to explain the scope of your aerial surveillance operations and then never do it again without a Part 107 license. I've never considered using a NASA report for drone operations but in your case, it might offer some extra protection against enforcement actions should the FBI decide to refer anything to the FAA.

Good luck and please let us know what happens.

 

[Inspirephil]

I agree with BigAl, your aerial surveillance for the city council is outside the scope of the FAA Special Rule for Model Aircraft (Section 336) - Fly for hobby or recreation ONLY. I think this is operating under FAA Part 107 and, at a minimum, requires an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate to be legal. In addition, when I fly under Section 336, my homeowner's insurance covers me for liability but for flights under Part 107, it doesn't. I need a separate liability insurance (like Verifly) to be covered for any Part 107 operations.

I'm not a legal expert so I don't know whether any evidence you may have collected without a Part 107 license would be deemed invalid.

I am a pilot and thus, thought of something else you might consider. NASA has an Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), generally referred to as a NASA report. If a pilot unintentionally violates an FAA rule and voluntarily reports it using a NASA report, in general, it can immunize that pilot from any FAA legal enforcement actions. It's a great program, however, immunity is not assured if your violations were deliberate or if you file a NASA report after the FAA formally contacts you about an incident.

Since the FBI is now involved, you might file a NASA report ASAP to explain the scope of your aerial surveillance operations and then never do it again without a Part 107 license. I've never considered using a NASA report for drone operations but in your case, it might offer some extra protection against enforcement actions should the FBI decide to refer anything to the FAA.

Good luck and please let us know what happens.

The very first thing I thought of when this thread was posted was why would your local government ask you to basically spy on a private company?

 

[dannybgoode]

The very first thing I thought of when this thread was posted was why would your local government ask you to basically spy on a private company?

I read it as a friend on the council asked them to do it to aid their case when presenting to the council not that there was an official request from the council as an entity.

May have got the wrong end of the stick but that’s how it seems to me.

 

[Jackcutrone]

I cannot agree with the posters that focus on whether your activities were or were not commercial flights requiring Part 107 certification. The FBI couldn’t give a rat’s **** about that issue.

Someone suggested that you were contacted by someone posing as an FBI agent. If so that person is in a lot more trouble than you are. You may want to check the phone number or you can call the local FBI office and ask if they have an agent by that name. Or better yet get an attorney to do that for you.

Someone else suggested that the FBI doesn’t call and ask to talk to subjects of an investigation. Not true. They do that all the time. They aren’t going to call and ask a bank robber to come and talk to them but as to non-violent offenses they do. It makes the subject feel like the FBI is treating the matter casually and they are more likely to talk with them.

 

[draver]

I imagine they are trying to decide if there is probable cause for a case against the company. They will be required to provide the source of all evidence, including how the photos were obtained if they go forward with a prosecution. It's called "Pretrial Discovery" in legal proceedings. You may need to testify or be deposed as a part of the process. Or, they want to lock you up and throw away the key, could go either way. (LOL, not likely)

 

[AMann]

If they were FBI, why didn’t they just use their Aeroscope to find you? I’d check the authenticity of the address of the ‘FBI’ office they are sending you, and definitely check who exactly you are talking to, maybe it’s the company’s goons! Make an extra copy of the photos and send to a good friend, and also post them here . Bring a friend to wait for you and also ask if you can have a copy of any recordings they take, and if it’s either agent Mulder or Mueller doing the interviews, get the heck out!