Am I "Drone Policing"?

[sar104]

I'm a retired airline pilot who's been regularly tested on regulations during an entire career. I can't fathom how an unlicensed novice sUAS pilot can learn what's required, operating a high performance drone, navigating complicated airspace unsupervised while learning. I'm not saying that self study won't work, the majority of operators are successfully keeping up with the rapid changes happening. It's lack of adult supervision for some, that could be the problem.
I bought my first drone five years ago, paid just $10.. It didn't have a camera, weighed maybe around 100 grams, if it got more than 200' from the controller it would quit flying and fall out of the sky, but it showed up on my doorstep after just a mouse click from a website. No license was required for recreational use. I learned how to control it, indoors and outside. If LAANC had existed five years ago, I would've busted altitude or been violated. One time around four years ago, I took it up to see how how high it would go, it went to almost 200' before it fell out of the sky. I'm only 2 miles from an airport and the LAANC ceiling is now set at 100' where I'm located.
Fast forward five years to a few months ago, an Ad. on the internet for a MM with an impressive range. I envisioned flying half way across town with one. This would be a serious improvement over the old $10. toy. So again, one mouse click on a website and it was on my door step in a few days. I knew the rules, but hadn't reviewed them recently and wasn't sure how I was going to maintain VLOS half way across town but I'd figure it out, after it showed up, I started flying it. Maybe I needed to get some goggles to control a real drone halfway across town with this impressive range ? I was clueless, probably should be watching more YT. I didn't know a phone would suffice or that a phone wasn't even needed to control a MM. When the MM showed up in my mailbox, I tested for the 107 license, it was an easy test with my background.
This is a great place to acquire information, learning from subject matter experts or drone police, if you will. If you're one who can't stand to be corrected, sorry about that ! Some guys don't have any tact and don't care about other peoples feelings. They're sounding off to improve safety or the industry, not necessarily to bully or embarrass anyone.
The government crackdown, is just around the corner in the form of RID and recreational licenses, after that, on the spot corrections won't be required anymore .

Completely agree, apart from the YT bit. It is a great place to find a video to learn how to do something, but it is such a cesspit of misinformation on technical and regulatory stuff.

 

[egadgetguy]

Whether or not the drone would warn me, I use the B4Ufly app which has the latest flight restrictions. I do live in a town with a regional airport and know, not only the restricted spaces, but the number/email or the air traffic controller. Several times I have flown inside the 5 mile limit legally, by first filing a flight plan to the ATC and obtaining approval.
As for policing, I try not to tell people off or assume they didn't have approval or weren't allowed to fly there. If the FAA wants to stop them, they will.
And NO, I would never fly in a manor or area that's not allowed.

 

[BigAl07]

Whether or not the drone would warn me, I use the B4Ufly app which has the latest flight restrictions. I do live in a town with a regional airport and know, not only the restricted spaces, but the number/email or the air traffic controller. Several times I have flown inside the 5 mile limit legally, by first filing a flight plan to the ATC and obtaining approval.
As for policing, I try not to tell people off or assume they didn't have approval or weren't allowed to fly there. If the FAA wants to stop them, they will.
And NO, I would never fly in a manor or area that's not allowed.

First off @egadgetguy WELCOME to the forum.

We now don't "legally" have the luxury of making that phone call/email directly to the facility. Part 107 and Recreational Operators are now required to utilize LAANC for airports participating and for those that are not we have the FAA DroneZone where you go and submit a request for approval for "non LAANC" facilities.

Also it's important to note that the "5 miles from the airport" is no longer a determining factor in Airspace Authorization. You determine by the AIRSPACE you're flying in regardless of distance from the airport. Again research the LAANC system and it will make a lot more sense.

 

[Little bird]

Hello DJI Mavic Pilots. I'm a member of a local Drone FaceBook group. Recently one of the members posted pictures and videos taken from his drone flying near the new Raider's stadium while visiting Las Vegas, NV (Allegiant Stadium). Knowing Vegas landscape well, I quickly realized that he was flying well inside the very strict no fly airspace of McCarran International Airport. Being a drone enthusiast, I replied to his post with nothing more but friendly/educated intention of letting him know that he should be aware of FAA airspace rules, especially around big airports, and that flying where he was at was not permitted. I recommended checking flight restrictions within apps such as AirMap, DroneBuddy before flying to make sure all was good and legal. I also stated that my only intention was to make him aware that incidents such as this/his, is what gives the drone enthusiasts a black eye, hence why flying drones (legally) is becoming harder and harder to do given FAA is tightening the laws and regulations. That's ALL, really. My post resulted in about 40% of replies claiming I was "policing" (with references to what's going on these days), being called a "troll", however 60% of replies agreed/supported my post. The poster himself claimed he was flying legally because his DJI drone "let him take off without a warning" and called me and others "turds" while telling us to take a hike. The post was eventually taken down by either the poster or administrator. Interested to hear everyone's feedback? (below are the artifacts that I compiled, specifically using one of the pictures posted by the drone operator.)

View attachment 103827

I believe you did the right thing. You may of saved someone's life and or someone a lot of grief. Hopefully you educated a few drone pilots.
Thank you,

 

[DanMan32]

And this is why geofencing like DJI has merit. Even for airports not in controlled airspace, flying within their runway path is ill-advised.

 

[egadgetguy]

First off @egadgetguy WELCOME to the forum.

We now don't "legally" have the luxury of making that phone call/email directly to the facility. Part 107 and Recreational Operators are now required to utilize LAANC for airports participating and for those that are not we have the FAA DroneZone where you go and submit a request for approval for "non LAANC" facilities.

Also it's important to note that the "5 miles from the airport" is no longer a determining factor in Airspace Authorization. You determine by the AIRSPACE you're flying in regardless of distance from the airport. Again research the LAANC system and it will make a lot more sense.

I was referring to 3 years ago vs today where i have just stared flying again and have noticed the flight paths and wondered what had changed.

 

[06-Hammerhead]

It's a dilemma for sure. If you say nothing, then others--especially newbies--will think it's ok. If you do say something, you're a "jerk." But yes, these regulations aren't about "taking away our freedoms" they're about keeping people safe. And yes, the more people who violate the rules, the strictr th rules will become. Most forums/groups have their rules about this sort of thing spelled out (i.e. do NOT post pics of your flying illegally, do NOT comment on other's people's post and "drone police," etc.

See something, say something. No only does this increase safety for others, it demonstrates that Drone Pilots are responsible and self monitoring. I applaud you speaking up

 

[Bryan L]

The harder they come back at you for pointing out something they're doing is outside the rules, the higher the probability that they are perfectly aware they are outside the rules. So on the rare occasions when I do what the OP did and try a little education, I'm never surprised when I get a rude response. In fact, I pretty much expect it, but over the years my skin has gotten pretty thick.