Another drone in the Airport

[Chip]

I dont know about using water as a weapon this would be more SAR's department. But, I agree that penalizing everybody for the reckless acts of a few makes no sense. North Carolina has a criminal law which makes interference with flight a felony. What else is needed?

§ 14-280.3. Interference with manned aircraft by unmanned aircraft systems.
(a) Any person who willfully damages, disrupts the operation of, or otherwise interferes with a manned aircraft through use of an unmanned aircraft system, while the manned aircraft is taking off, landing, in flight, or otherwise in motion, is guilty of a Class H felony.

 

[lmel2005]

Precisely and if you saw someone about to use ice as a deadly weapon, with your thinking, I suppose you would do nothing and just watch it happen and assume the authorities would eventually find the killer and bring down upon them, the severe punishment you want doled out. right??? Plus why wait until winter, people have been using water in the unfrozen form to drown others for centuries. Not a very good example, since ice or water and drones are a poor comparison to use.

The authorities can and have been introducing legislation to reduce the use of and do an all out ban in some situations/areas on drone flying, due to a few idiots doing stupid things with them. That is why it matters to the rest of us. I have not seen any authorities ban water, ice or cars due to an isolated few idiots or mad people using them in less than responsible ways.

In some territories, it is forbidden to fly a drone, not because of some idiots, but because authorities believe that banning drones, they protect people or environment.

 

[alekaras]

In some territories, it is forbidden to fly a drone, not because of some idiots, but because authorities believe that banning drones, they protect people or environment.

So it is because of some idiots (in this case the idiots making the laws).

 

[Chip]

Maybe ban flight simulators to protect the public?

 

[Ivanvt]

Sorry. I call BS on this one too. I don't have access to original articles in Portuguese with more information but with the limited information presented in English-language articles, the odds of this "event" being a drone are highly unlikely, and even if it was actually a drone, an extreme overreaction by the air traffic controllers. From the article:
"Operations at Porto airport were put on hold for 40 minutes yesterday afternoon after an aircraft saw a drone flying 5,500 feet from the ground."

(Drone halts flights at Porto Airport)
Drone was forced to stop Porto Airport in 40 minutes – Observer

Why the airport would halt operations (and it never says the sighting was confirmed) for 40 minutes after a pilot reported a drone over 1 mile high in the air is beyond me. Assuming it actually was a drone, any aircraft spotting a drone at that height would have been a significant distance from the airfield itself. Halting operations (especially takeoffs and landings) was an extreme overreaction to a singular sighting of a drone (even if in a flightpath) several miles from the runway. (e.g. ca.15 nm on approach). And honestly, I doubt a drone was flying at that height (though it's not impossible) and if it was, it certainly wasn't flying at that altitude for more than a few minutes.

It's sounds to me like this particular pilot may not like drones? An average boeing lands at around 300km per hour, how the hell would he notice a drone at that speed and distance. Anyway just my thoughts

 

[Chip]

Just a reminder that today was See Something Say Something Day sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. I recommend you click the DHS link below and take one of the video tests to see how observant you really are. In the meantime, if you see anything out of the ordinary whether from the ground or from the air via Mavic, please immediately contact the police.





If You See Something, Say Something®

 

[Chip]

I wish DHS had come up with this a year ago because then maybe the Skywest pilot who caught Richard Russell in the cockpit of at least two aircraft flipping switches and acting suspicious might possibly have known to report it.

 

[SnowSkier]

After the shaming, then what? Or, is that it?

Well, in my opinion, they should be heavily fined for the mistake and not to give bad reputation to the other pilots of drones who comply with the rules...
Otherwise, if the authorities continue to be threatened with such situations, any day, they end up with our permission or possibility to fly a drone.
And I guess most of us do not want that, right?

 

[chazzm]

2.5 miles is 4000 m. At a climb rate of 5 m/s (Mavic sport mode maximum) and a descent rate of 3 m/s, that's 36 minutes round trip. Are you quite sure about that?

Actually yes I am, I’ve “upgraded” my Mavic Pro’s programming so quoting what the book/box specs say is immaterial. I have been out 4.35 miles several times doing distance checks and have returned home manually without issues. I’m willing to bet quite afew others have as well! And before the “drone police” start up, I’ve done this on MY own land and although I’ve been way above 400’ I don’t shoot video or pictures while doing altitude checks and checked in with the local airport (very small town) after explaining what I was doing everyone came out to watch! So yeah I’ve witnesses

 

[sar104]

Actually yes I am, I’ve “upgraded” my Mavic Pro’s programming so quoting what the book/box specs say is immaterial. I have been out 4.35 miles several times doing distance checks and have returned home manually without issues. I’m willing to bet quite afew others have as well! And before the “drone police” start up, I’ve done this on MY own land and although I’ve been way above 400’ I don’t shoot video or pictures while doing altitude checks and checked in with the local airport (very small town) after explaining what I was doing everyone came out to watch! So yeah I’ve witnesses

I'm impressed at the performance. Are you willing to share the ascent and descent rates that you are getting?

 

[ac0j]

Actually yes I am, I’ve “upgraded” my Mavic Pro’s programming so quoting what the book/box specs say is immaterial. I have been out 4.35 miles several times doing distance checks and have returned home manually without issues. I’m willing to bet quite afew others have as well! And before the “drone police” start up, I’ve done this on MY own land and although I’ve been way above 400’ I don’t shoot video or pictures while doing altitude checks and checked in with the local airport (very small town) after explaining what I was doing everyone came out to watch! So yeah I’ve witnesses

I'm impressed at the performance. Are you willing to share the ascent and descent rates that you are getting?

I agree, post those logs or it didnt happen!

 

[sar104]

I agree, post those logs or it didnt happen!

I don't expect that we'll get to see logs, but the flight parameters would be interesting.

 

[ac0j]

Well, in my opinion, they should be heavily fined for the mistake and not to give bad reputation to the other pilots of drones who comply with the rules...
Otherwise, if the authorities continue to be threatened with such situations, any day, they end up with our permission or possibility to fly a drone.
And I guess most of us do not want that, right?

Can you think of ANYTHING that the way one person uses it, effects wheather another can have one? All that crosses my mind is, Guns, Parachutes, skateboards, cars, motorcycles, Prescription Medications, BUT, those ar all still OK for those who want or need them.
Cant really think of anything that has been outright banned. (Machine guns, and hand grenades dont count!)

 

[chazzm]

I don't expect that we'll get to see logs, but the flight parameters would be interesting.

Oh no I’ll be posting when I get back home, if your seriously interested, do you have any experience in programming? Or wanting to mod?

 

[Goof]

I don't expect that we'll get to see logs, but the flight parameters would be interesting.

Phantoms get around 10-12m/s sustained vertical speed before the power delivery starts to suffer / batteries overheat. From what I've heard, mavics can get around the same.

For descent, you're only limited to what the airframe can handle without tipping over. On a phantom, that's around 30m/s at about -45 degrees elevation before you lose control authority. Once the thing tips over due to drag on the camera the aircraft stops the motors due to "attitude not conducive to safe motor startup" and she's all over

 

[sar104]

Oh no I’ll be posting when I get back home, if your seriously interested, do you have any experience in programming? Or wanting to mod?

I have one of my Mavics set up with a number of modified parameters. I've never pushed it the way you describe, and I'd jeopardize my Part 107 if I did. I'm simply curious about the performance envelope.

 

[mquinn1963]

Are you sure about that? That's not a responsible quote.
I'm sure you know there were already a report of a drone hiting an aircraft, don't you? I'm sure you do.
Well, if you were a comercial pilot flying an aircraft with lots of people inside, being you responsible for them, what would you think if you did see a drone flying near you? Would you be responsible?
What if a drone hit an aircraft reactor? Would you still be so calm with the situation?

THe the HEck is "an aircraft reactor? " I didn know we were using nuclear powered planes now??? Guess I should keep up with the NEWS. ?

 

[Goof]

He likely meant engine...

 

[Chip]

The FBI has completed its investigation of Richard Russell's theft and fiery crash. In a nutshell, nothing to worry about. No security rules or protocols were violated, no one did anything wrong, this kind of thing just happens from time to time.

 

[alekaras]

The FBI has completed its investigation of Richard Russell's theft and fiery crash. In a nutshell, nothing to worry about. No security rules or protocols were violated, no one did anything wrong, this kind of thing just happens from time to time.

That's very reassuring that "this thing happens from time to time."