Ken Heron claims RID is cancelled - For Now...

[mavic3usa]

I doubt we'll be given the opportunity to disable standard RID using a switch. It would need to be disabled in the next software update and then re-enabled with yet another software update should it become necessary again. Most of us have been broadcasting RID for a couple months already, not sure why we need to quit at this point. RID is not going away completely so may as well comply now instead of complaining that it isn't ready when the new deadline arrives and promote fears of the newer drones being grounded and illegal to fly waiting for more software, etc. Not going to really matter to the newer drone flyers whether you call RID or the deadline delayed, cancelled, postponed, etc.....for most of us, it's here already. At this point, if there is FAA action, it would be a business decision and ultimately DJI may find a way to bring RID to even more of their orphan'd drones.

Finally, wouldn't be complete without another dig at the FAA for causing even more problems with a potential delay announcement if only by more confusion on top of confusion already. Does this mean I can't now fly VLOS like you promised?

 

[MS Coast]

Finally, wouldn't be complete without another dig at the FAA for causing even more problems with a potential delay announcement if only by more confusion on top of confusion already.

Would it be better if they ignored the fact that manufacturers have not yet made RID modules adequately available on the market and implemented the requirement anyway? What problems are created by a delayed implementation date?

It seems to me that the FAA is being responsive to real world free market forces and adjusting their regulations accordingly to avoid hampering operations for drones without integral RID.

 

[mavic3usa]

Would it be better if they ignored the fact that manufacturers have not yet made RID modules adequately available on the market and implemented the requirement anyway? What problems are created by a delayed implementation date?

It seems to me that the FAA is being responsive to real world free market forces and adjusting their regulations accordingly to avoid hampering operations for drones without integral RID.

It would not be better if they ignored the facts.

It would be better if they get it right the first time.

Let's see what the announcement consists of. If I thought about getting into the market with a broadcast module and you (FAA) move the date, I have new decision to make. The way I see it, and I could be wrong because I can't see that well, in 2024 there is a ton less demand for broadcast modules due to way more drones being standard RID including a ton of older ones, lots more churn, there is a lot less compliance because "fool me once" and high costs because half of manufacturers today are basically sunk because I don't know about you but I'm not buying a dronetag today. But again, let's wait to see what is said before I speculate too much. If you're going to ramp up for a million modules starting today to fill the demand but now you need to wait until spring, plan on half a million (price goes up)....or not at all and cut your losses now. Too much of this and will the FAA make the same decision or say "too bad, we're pulling the trigger anyway." I dunno, businesses will have to decide the risk and risk is cost. Maybe the FAA has a good plan, so I take it back, let's see what they announce; they are smart businessmen. Maybe they subsidize the cost to $50.

My comment said "more confusion" due to the apparent delay. Didn't say if it's right or wrong thing to do (because they don't have much of a choice at this point). It's not all bad, there is some good which is more drones keep flying legally. He're one thing I do know, if they don't fix that FAA database and they are enforcing registration rules that don't exist, we're smart on this forum so we understand it, but will the average consumer understand? Or will they get confused and abandon it? Bet me they don't touch that disaster for a site called dronezone.

What will happen if DJI moves their standard RID sw update from plans from December to later?

 

[mobilehomer]

It would not be better if they ignored the facts.

It would be better if they get it right the first time.

Let's see what the announcement consists of. If I thought about getting into the market with a broadcast module and you (FAA) move the date, I have new decision to make. The way I see it, and I could be wrong because I can't see that well, in 2024 there is a ton less demand for broadcast modules due to way more drones being standard RID including a ton of older ones, lots more churn, there is a lot less compliance because "fool me once" and high costs because half of manufacturers today are basically sunk because I don't know about you but I'm not buying a dronetag today. But again, let's wait to see what is said before I speculate too much. If you're going to ramp up for a million modules starting today to fill the demand but now you need to wait until spring, plan on half a million (price goes up)....or not at all and cut your losses now. Too much of this and will the FAA make the same decision or say "too bad, we're pulling the trigger anyway." I dunno, businesses will have to decide the risk and risk is cost. Maybe the FAA has a good plan, so I take it back, let's see what they announce; they are smart businessmen. Maybe they subsidize the cost to $50.

My comment said "more confusion" due to the apparent delay. Didn't say if it's right or wrong thing to do (because they don't have much of a choice at this point). It's not all bad, there is some good which is more drones keep flying legally. He're one thing I do know, if they don't fix that FAA database and they are enforcing registration rules that don't exist, we're smart on this forum so we understand it, but will the average consumer understand? Or will they get confused and abandon it? Bet me they don't touch that disaster for a site called dronezone.

What will happen if DJI moves their standard RID sw update from plans from December to later?

You and most others forget one important fact - RC planes and helicopters ALSO must have RID. That alone increases the demand by a magnitude.

 

[mavic3usa]

You and most others forget one important fact - RC planes and helicopters ALSO must have RID. That alone increases the demand by a magnitude.

Yeah I guess I did forget those so including a bunch of those as well might make the difference. Maybe that's the strategy is deny the FRIAs and force the modules to make this into a thing. I dunno.

 

[rjwmorrell]

Oh my,please get real here.State and local police have a lot more important things to do than trying to find
a drone pilot ,that probably did nothing wrong but was reported by someone with a fabricated story.
Wow what next.

I wish I could agree. I was confronted by municipal police within an hour of flying - legally and with a Nav Canada authorization - in downtown Hamilton.

I don't think police up here are less busy than US cops are. Hamilton is one of the higher crime cities in Canada. But nevertheless, three cars were dispatched to find me, and caught up with me at my third launch location as I wrapped up shooting a hyperlapse.

 

[Skydreamer]

I wish I could agree. I was confronted by municipal police within an hour of flying - legally and with a Nav Canada authorization - in downtown Hamilton.

I don't think police up here are less busy than US cops are. Hamilton is one of the higher crime cities in Canada. But nevertheless, three cars were dispatched to find me, and caught up with me at my third launch location as I wrapped up shooting a hyperlapse.

and?…..what happened?

 

[rjwmorrell]

and?…..what happened?

I posted about it elsewhere, but the Coles notes version is I had my documents in order and they carried on with their day. The Sgt I dealt with knew something about the requirements, and after we were done I heard him educating the junior officers on drone laws etc.

But the point is, in a city of 500,000 residents, and a police service that's chronically understaffed, they still attended a call put in my one or more concerned citizens about a drone being flown in downtown. There are possible offences: voyeurism, mischief, harassment, aviation offences, etc, and they had to investigate to ensure none of those were the case.

 

[mavic3usa]

I posted about it elsewhere, but the Coles notes version is I had my documents in order and they carried on with their day. The Sgt I dealt with knew something about the requirements, and after we were done I heard him educating the junior officers on drone laws etc.

But the point is, in a city of 500,000 residents, and a police service that's chronically understaffed, they still attended a call put in my one or more concerned citizens about a drone being flown in downtown. There are possible offences: voyeurism, mischief, harassment, aviation offences, etc, and they had to investigate to ensure none of those were the case.

...and you don't see how that puts a chill on the hobby when the police get called on you and they respond even if there is no crime being committed? A simple "there's a guy flying a drone" invokes a response to make sure he is following all the rules? Why would anyone want to fly a drone in the park if they know the police will likely pay them a visit?

If I called and said there's a guy sitting on the park bench in the park eating a taco, do they respond to make sure there is no mischief or other crimes being committed? Do they check his id to make sure he hasn't been trespassed from the park or do they pat him down to make sure he hasn't brought weapons into the park or do they check him to make sure he has no outstanding warrants? Do they run his license plate to make sure his car details are in order and do they ask him if he has a permit to eat food outside (if applicable)?

Just because the police get a phone call. The answer is "Ma'am flying a drone is legal, is there anything else you observe that you might have concern with? If not, thanks for calling but we won't be making contact and we won't be noting the flyers clothing and description and time of day, etc in the police computer logs because we don't monitor and track the legal activities of citizens. Should you have any other concerns that his activities may not be legal, please call us back since we have hundreds of other calls from people who are current actually in danger or have described situations where it's is apparent that criminal activity is afoot or they need police assistance right away."

I think this is what the previous post may have mentioned about "better things to do." This call should be at the bottom of the list but unfortunately it makes it to the top ahead of others and because it's a drone and it's what the community wants (for police to contact drone flyers) and half a dozen cops will respond. I don't mind if the police drive by and observe and keep moving without making contact. Honestly, it's not illegal for them to set up on you and watch to make sure you aren't doing anything wrong which I don't care for but unfortunately it's not prohibited. What I object to is making contact, conducting an investigating detention, asking questions and then looking for violations because they got a phone call that didn't involve anything about reasonable suspicious that a crime had occurred. Investigation crimes not the drones. I get it this is new and often the police are curious and if they want to build experience and make consensual contact, that's fine. Even without getting a call, it's part of community caretaking.

 

[MS Coast]

This call should be at the bottom of the list but unfortunately it makes it to the top ahead of others and because it's a drone and it's what the community wants (for police to contact drone flyers) and half a dozen cops will respond.

What I object to is making contact, conducting an investigating detention, asking questions and then looking for violations because they got a phone call that didn't involve anything about reasonable suspicious that a crime had occurred. Investigation crimes not the drones.

You're stating that the police response to the complaint in this instance was inappropriate. Did reach that conclusion based on examination of a call transcript or recording that revealed the nature and severity of the complaint?

Or are you generically speculating about what might happen when a complaint about a drone is called into a police station?

Are you suggesting that the most police forces routinely respond excessively and inappropriately to frivolous complaints involving drones? It seems that police encounters described on this forum end well, as yours did, with no detention, arrest, or ticketing.

[On a side note, a big, mature Bald Eagle just passed by within 30 yards of my Mavic 3 Pro shooting a harbor panorama and seemed to pay no attention at all.]

 

[mavic3usa]

You're stating that the police response to the complaint in this instance was inappropriate. Did reach that conclusion based on examination of a call transcript or recording that revealed the nature and severity of the complaint?

Or are you generically speculating about what might happen when a complaint about a drone is called into a police station?

Are you suggesting that the most police forces routinely respond excessively and inappropriately to frivolous complaints involving drones? It seems that police encounters described on this forum end well, as yours did, with no detention, arrest, or ticketing.

[On a side note, a big, mature Bald Eagle just passed by within 30 yards of my Mavic 3 Pro shooting a harbor panorama and seemed to pay no attention at all.]

Just going by what little details I have from the few posts about it here on the forum. Even though there are a million different outcomes, I think it's ok to generalize about how these encounters go down. And with just my opinion, I think it's ok to opine about my thoughts on how these may be handled in general. Often I try to use videos to make a point but that doesn't always apply either.

I don't have details to determine if this contact was consensual or not which is why I posted at the end about how it's ok to comply. I'm sure the forum members who describe their encounters are mostly positive but we represent a small percentage of those and since we here are all knowledgable, a positive outcome is expected. But we have no idea what happens to the vast majority when no registration markings, no TRUST, alleged flying over people, etc....you can't find those on this forum. I'm trying to speak to those. Perhaps the OP can shed some light in the other thread about more of the details, otherwise my comments are based on what I've read and I can certainly change them should my understanding change.

Just to be clear, it's a grey area and I know we won't be able to hash it out here but if a caller claims a drone flyer is flying over people (or similar), in my opinion, that does not give the police the right to detain the flyer. By all means, feel free to investigate. Absent any of this, I personally believe there is no need for contact. Perhaps the police will open their app and capture your RID details and make a note in his logs, unfortunately this is the nature of RID and as far as it know it's legal so that's an option as well. It's too early to state this with any amount of certainty but if the police cannot detect your RID, to me that still isn't a reason to detain the flyer.

Bottom line for me is police should respond "appropriately" to calls for service when no crime or suspicious activity is alleged. Many citizens do not know if it legal to fly a drone or not and will call. I believe dispatch should either educate them or categorize the call accordingly. I disagree the call should be treated as suspicious (for example) and I also believe the outcome is irrelevant. I know it's not a big deal to some (especially when you're not on the receiving end) where if you don't end up arrested or cited, no harm no foul. I strongly disagree. Drones have been around for more than a decade, it cannot still be the assumption that you fly, you get contacted. We have to get past that.

 

[BetterBizWorks]

According to Ken Heron RID deadline is cancelled and no new one has been established. I have not found an official notice of this but Ken is usually right on this kind of thing.

Unforetunately we have heard from anyone but the FAA. The last video I saw a couple of days ago. The FAA didn't lean either way yet. Unforetunate that they are leaving us hanging until tha last second with no way to comply with drones that aren't ready for it yet. My only compliant drone went to DJI for service last week. I am heartbroken.

 

[mavic3usa]

Unforetunately we have heard from anyone but the FAA. The last video I saw a couple of days ago. The FAA didn't lean either way yet. Unforetunate that they are leaving us hanging until tha last second with no way to comply with drones that aren't ready for it yet. My only compliant drone went to DJI for service last week. I am heartbroken.

I think we have to hear something by Friday.

 

[BetterBizWorks]

Sure feels like it though:

I think that if he handed over his license and said I hope I wasn't causing a problem for you. The tone of this would have been totallly different. It seems like he has been around their operations before.

 

[Brojon]

Here are a couple of videos, please review and then tell us how you believe Rosecrans police would handle the situation since they are so busy with other high crimes and misdemeanors:

HOAs are known to be a PITA for anything they think they can harass people for.
So I call that one just "life in 'murica".

 

[BetterBizWorks]

I always keep the part 107 rules with me in the car. I stop flying and offer to leave but educate them. They have to deal with public complaints. It all depends on the day they are having. Be polite, show respect stop flying and educate. It's the best thing you can do for our industry.

 

[hedbonker]

HOAs are known to be a PITA for anything they think they can harass people for.
So I call that one just "life in 'murica".

An HOA can apply fines to a home owner and in the event that the home owner does not pony up the cash the HOA can foreclose on the homeowner's house and take the house and re-sell it. It's not as uncommon as you might think.

That being said, if you buy a home in an HOA governed area and sign the covenant contract, none of this should be a surprise. Why ANYONE would live in an HOA is beyond me tho - This is a pic of the area I live in. We have ZERO HOAs. Oddly, the homes and lawns are well cared for and we do not need a squad of gestapo stormtroopers telling us how to live. It's just amazing...

 

[Skydreamer]

i can see someone flying drone with release module and dropping poop on roof or front yard of people they find annoying…..like board members of HOA
……btw.is Ken Heron member of this forum?

 

[hedbonker]

i can see someone flying drone with release module and dropping poop on roof or front yard of people they find annoying…..like board members of HOA
……btw.is Ken Heron member of this forum?

Since they tend to be in love with their lawns, a late night visit with a bottle of round up and spray "nice lawn" on the HOA president's lawn is probably more effective.

I kid, I kid