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2 men facing Federal Charges for stadium flyover

I agree with you here. It might be draconian, but require proof of TRUST (US) to be entered into an outdoor drone’s software before it would fly. They won’t let me drive until I get a license first, nor a manned aircraft. It seems a reasonable ask. Then comes enforcement. How much money can agencies afford to spend on it? Societies will lurch and flounder thru until it’s right. I do wonder about 10 years from now, in a curious kind of way. I think it will still be fun/profitable to fly UAV‘s.

Those two stadium drone guys knew it was wrong, illegal or both. Now caught, I would like to hear the “why“ from them.
Is there a site or api that can validate the authentication token? Otherwise that would be hard to do.

But I do agree that a one time activation (perhaps while creating the required dji account) should be required in regions where its required of everyone regardless. It's free and easy to pass the trust test.

But even the people who pass don't always abide by it as many don't even know what a community based organization guideline is.
 
Is there a site or api that can validate the authentication token? Otherwise that would be hard to do.

But I do agree that a one time activation (perhaps while creating the required dji account) should be required in regions where its required of everyone regardless. It's free and easy to pass the trust test.

But even the people who pass don't always abide by it as many don't even know what a community based organization guideline is.
Yes. And a couple more things. Drone makers should include language that there are flight rules outdoors. FAA should have a clearing house, or at least instructions for finding local drone rules. I also think they should hire more drone personnel, for further educational outreach. I would enjoy sitting for a local FAA (or CBO) seminar.

There will always be rogue pilots promulgating illegal mischief, unfortunately. I expect advances in electronic UAV mitigation, dovetailed with RID in order to counter unauthorized flights. I don’t see RID working on schedule, but it will come.
 
Yes. And a couple more things. Drone makers should include language that there are flight rules outdoors. FAA should have a clearing house, or at least instructions for finding local drone rules. I also think they should hire more drone personnel, for further educational outreach. I would enjoy sitting for a local FAA (or CBO) seminar.

There will always be rogue pilots promulgating illegal mischief, unfortunately. I expect advances in electronic UAV mitigation, dovetailed with RID in order to counter unauthorized flights. I don’t see RID working on schedule, but it will come.
They don't seem to have the manpower to even meet ADA compliance for their courses on the FAA safety site (no closed captions for their online courses). So it just comes off as they're either rather understaffed in where they can get people or they're just not putting that much effort into it beyond creating the regulations.
 
I agree with you here. It might be draconian, but require proof of TRUST (US) to be entered into an outdoor drone’s software before it would fly. They won’t let me drive until I get a license first, nor a manned aircraft. It seems a reasonable ask. Then comes enforcement. How much money can agencies afford to spend on it? Societies will lurch and flounder thru until it’s right. I do wonder about 10 years from now, in a curious kind of way. I think it will still be fun/profitable to fly UAV‘s.

Those two stadium drone guys knew it was wrong, illegal or both. Now caught, I would like to hear the “why“ from them.
I am a firm believer in INVIDIDUAL FREEDOM, BUT COUPLED WITH *RESPONSIBILITY*. I suppose that's why I resent geofencing so much, at least the way that DJI implements it. But in contrast, I think society has (sadly) been moving to a "central control" mentality which IMO is a disease that breeds excuses and (tacitly) removes the expectations of individual responsibility. I could name a number of laws and proposals that are simple insanity, making individuals and companies liable for acts in which they have no participation in. Perhaps geofencing is the condom that DJI is trying to wear to protect themselves from the insanity? It's people like the drone operators who flew over the stadium need to be tarred and feathered because it just makes everything so much harder for the rest of us.
 
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It's people like the drone operators who flew over the stadium need to be tarred and feathered because it just makes everything so much harder for the rest of us.
The two indictments allege (in addition to violating TFRs) that the defendants knowingly and willfully operated aircraft that were not registered under section 44103 in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46306(b)(5)(A) which provides:

A person shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both, if the person:

(5)owns an aircraft eligible for registration under section 44102 of this title and knowingly and willfully operates, attempts to operate, or allows another person to operate the aircraft when—

(A)the aircraft is not registered under section 44103 of this title or the certificate of registration is suspended or revoked.


The two cases are both in same federal court in Ohio but are assigned different judges. The Travis Lenhoff case is set for trial about one week after the Brick by Brick case. In her pre-trial order, the judge in Lenhoff said this (among other things):

PLEA NEGOTIATIONS AND PLEA AGREEMENT

Plea negotiations between the parties’ counsel shall be commenced as soon as practicable. The parties shall notify the Court promptly if a plea agreement is reached, and a change of plea hearing will be scheduled. Dated: October 19, 2022 Judge Susan J. Dlott

So, what would be a fair sentence following a plea of guilty? Not for violating the TFR but for failing to register a 249gram+ drone.
 
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So, what would be a fair sentence following a plea of guilty? Not for violating the TFR but for failing to register a 249gram+ drone.
To provide context, what is the sentence for failing to register a car, plane, or gun? (Assuming guns need to be registered — they do up here, but not certain about down there.)
 
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To provide context, what is the sentence for failing to register a car, plane, or gun? (Assuming guns need to be registered — they do up here, but not certain about down there.)
That is great question. I checked Title 18 to compare the potential range of sentence for failure to register versus other kinds of aircraft related crimes. For example:

Excerpted/Condensed:

Whoever knowingly aims the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, or at the flight path of such an aircraft, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

An individual who operates an unmanned aircraft and knowingly or recklessly interferes with a wildfire suppression, or law enforcement or emergency response efforts  related to a wildfire suppression, shall be fined or imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.

But if question is what is fair, then it makes good sense to compare sentencing ranges for failure to register guns, vehicles and other things.
 
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Where I live, it would be a far more serious crime on paper for someone to fly an unregistered 250 gram drone in their backyard than to carry a concealed firearm in public without the required permit. Of course, this assumes the person is not violating a separate law like felon in possession of firearm which would potentially make it a far more serious crime. At first blush, it sounds ridiculous. And I wanted it to. But, then I realized, the one activity is referenced in the constitution while the other is not. Also, if someone brandishes a weapon in public, then it can be seen right there in the person's hands in contrast to the UAV operator who may be holding the remote controller from a concealed position.
 
The temperature regulators on the coffee pots were poor quality. But the whole corporation gets sued over the coffee pots they used.
I read that the employees were sick and tired of the customer asking for her coffee to be extra hot, requiring a little more work to microwave it a bit, so they put it in the microwave for way too long and intentionally made the coffee dangerously hot.
 
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I read that the employees were sick and tired of the customer asking for her coffee to be extra hot, requiring a little more work to microwave it a bit, so they put it in the microwave for way too long and intentionally made the coffee dangerously hot.
Considering she actually suffered a large area of 2nd and 3rd degree burns, it would have been dangerously hot just getting near ones mouth even if they waited awhile. It was no laughing matter.

 
I read that the employees were sick and tired of the customer asking for her coffee to be extra hot, requiring a little more work to microwave it a bit, so they put it in the microwave for way too long and intentionally made the coffee dangerously hot.
I'm trying to burn myself so I can sue you all. Make sure you turn it up real hot. And those half cooked hamburgers make sure you just heat up the other half. They don't sell fresh from scratch meals at fast food restaurants.

They tried suing McDonald's later for unsafe restroom facilities. Not sure how far they got with that one.
 
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UPDATE: DAILON DABNEY TRIAL (The Brick by Brick YouTuber)

ENDS OF JUSTICE ORDER This matter is before the Court following the rescheduling of a status conference originally scheduled for December 13, 2022. The Court rescheduled a status conference to be held on February 21, 2023 at 2:30 P.M. Defense counsel consented to an ends of justice order by phone. The Court finds, as discussed below, that the period from December 13, 2022 to February 21, 2023, shall be excluded from the calculation of time under the Speedy Trial Act.

In other words, the trial is continued until 2023. The defendant waived his right to "a speedy trial."
 
I know a drone hobbyist who has flown over many of these restricted stadiums during nationally televised games. He boasts at least over 100 of these types of flights. I asked him how he never gets caught. Most importantly, if he posts a video, he posts it to dark web sites and uses VPN as well as public upload sites, such as libraries or coffee shops.

Next, he says, he has blacked out all of his drone lights. He also uses hacked drones that have no altitude limit. He says, at 4000ft no aircraft or ground units can seem to find him. He also will go one way, at a level where his drone can be seen, then climb to a height where it can't be seen and fly the opposite way to his home point.

He has this other trick. He flies into a restricted airport corridor. Goes to a zero-altitude flight operations area and lands the drone there, throws it in the trunk of his car and leaves the scene. Of course, he uses his car to constantly change his ground location.

There are more tricks, but I'll share a last one. He flies his drones behind the bright stadium lights. He hovers there, doesn't move and remains unseen.

Oh, I forgot, because he remains in VLOS and remains mobile in his car. If he has to, he will drive and fly the drone to a wooded forest area, land it and turn it off. Then he picks it up later.

I find it sad that a well-educated drone pilot can do these these things, but the uneducated are the ones being punished. The educated and skilled pilots know how to play the game and never get caught. The newbies get caught and are reprimanded too excessive levels.
 
I know a drone hobbyist who has flown over many of these restricted stadiums during nationally televised games. He boasts at least over 100 of these types of flights. I asked him how he never gets caught. Most importantly, if he posts a video, he posts it to dark web sites and uses VPN as well as public upload sites, such as libraries or coffee shops.

Next, he says, he has blacked out all of his drone lights. He also uses hacked drones that have no altitude limit. He says, at 4000ft no aircraft or ground units can seem to find him. He also will go one way, at a level where his drone can be seen, then climb to a height where it can't be seen and fly the opposite way to his home point.

He has this other trick. He flies into a restricted airport corridor. Goes to a zero-altitude flight operations area and lands the drone there, throws it in the trunk of his car and leaves the scene. Of course, he uses his car to constantly change his ground location.

There are more tricks, but I'll share a last one. He flies his drones behind the bright stadium lights. He hovers there, doesn't move and remains unseen.

Oh, I forgot, because he remains in VLOS and remains mobile in his car. If he has to, he will drive and fly the drone to a wooded forest area, land it and turn it off. Then he picks it up later.

I find it sad that a well-educated drone pilot can do these these things, but the uneducated are the ones being punished. The educated and skilled pilots know how to play the game and never get caught. The newbies get caught and are reprimanded too excessive levels.
It's totally ironic. Criminals do what criminals do. And no matter how many laws are in place, criminals will do what criminals will do. And yet those who abide by the laws get handcuffed (literally and figuratively... and don't get me started on that) or even punished if caught for even untinentional breaches, not only when flying drones (again, don't get me started).
 
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I really hope they completely throw the book at Dailon Dabney. Full and max sentencing INCLUDING PRISON TIME (to the max). He is (seemingly) an arrogant pr^©k!
 
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Sadly, I suspect as the popularity of drones increases we'll see more and more of these reckless events. Like the nimrod who decides to purchase and carry a firearm without a shred of training, too many people look at these drones in less than a serious light.

Earlier this week a co-worker expressed interest in buying one because they "look like fun". Can't argue that point, but when I started to tell him some of the things he needs to do (registration, TRUST, learn about airspace, etc.) he was shocked. I'm pretty sure he's decided to stick to golf but it just illustrated how many people leap before they look.

Just my 2 cents...
It is like you say. Drone responsibility is at a similar level to owning a gun.
 
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