Aka, the Office of Thin Air?The Federal Bureau of Who Knows What.![]()
Aka, the Office of Thin Air?
3,867,243 and that's the rest of the story
Thank you for making a good impression of us responsible drone users!I was recently flying within about a mile of a presidential safety TFR. Within about 3 minutes of getting up to altitude for my shot (~390 feet) a helicopter pops up about a mile away, and zooms in my direction. It stopped about 1/8 mile out and zig zagged until it got to my area then circled me with at such an angle I could see someone in the back door looking directly down at me. Now, I had requested and received LAANC approval about 5 minutes before take off, and I was well outside of the TFR with a 400 ft ceiling. At first I thought it was police helicopter since it looked like they were searching for someone, but when it homed in on me and circled for a few minutes I can only assume they had seen the RemoteID and took off to investigate, only to get the confirmation that I had LAANC approval, and left after checking me out and getting some pictures. When I heard the helicopter incoming I had quickly lowered down to tree level about 300 feet away. However, due to power lines, tree branches I couldn't return it to my location without climbing again, which I wasn't comfortable doing until the helicopter was gone (or at least not in my immediate area), which is why I didn't land it immediately.
Pretty brave to fly that close to a "presidential safety TFR." Unless this was at home or you had a job, couldn't you just wait another day or two or fly somewhere else? Do you think your RID details are now on a list somewhere?I was recently flying within about a mile of a presidential safety TFR. Within about 3 minutes of getting up to altitude for my shot (~390 feet) a helicopter pops up about a mile away, and zooms in my direction. It stopped roughly 1/8 mile out and zig zagged until it got to my area then circled me with at such an angle I could see someone in the back door looking directly down at me. Now, I had requested and received LAANC approval probably 5 minutes before take off, and I was well outside of the TFR with a 400 ft ceiling. At first I thought it was police helicopter since it looked like they were searching for someone, but when it homed in on me and circled for a few minutes I can only assume they had seen the RemoteID and took off to investigate, only to get the confirmation that I had LAANC approval, and left after checking me out and getting some pictures. When I heard the helicopter incoming I had quickly lowered down to tree level about 300 feet away. However, due to power lines, tree branches I couldn't return it to my location without climbing again, which I wasn't comfortable doing until the helicopter was gone (or at least not in my immediate area), which is why I didn't land it immediately.
Pretty brave to fly that close to a "presidential safety TFR." Unless this was at home or you had a job, couldn't you just wait another day or two or fly somewhere else? Do you think your RID details are now on a list somewhere?
Would that be the hush-hush global list of people who flew drones near prohibited airspace but never entered the prohibited airspace? Is it administered by the same agency that compiles the list of people who flew more than 395 feet AGL but didn't exceed 400 feet?
Not exactly. It starts as innocently as your ID ending up on a routine report. I won't go into details what happens from there. I think you already know but you won't admit it. Or perhaps you honestly don't really know this. It's like any other name or serial number or ID that is collected by the government. We already know this happens with everything else so drones will be no different. Even if it is unintentional, people's info ends up on a list somewhere and you don't even know it and when you find out, there's no way to get it off that list. Quite frankly, the government would be remiss if they didn't collect this information for use at a later date. The way they see it, if they saw fit to send out a helicopter...they're not going to collect a RID number and then trash it. This is why there are laws in place which require the government to destroy certain information because if you don't force it, they will keep it and they will [mis]use it.Would that be the hush-hush global list of people who flew drones near prohibited airspace but never entered the prohibited airspace? Is it administered by the same agency that compiles the list of people who flew more than 395 feet AGL but didn't exceed 400 feet?
The "government" (national, state, local) doesn't collect ID numbers; they issue them. The IDs are on a list from the very time of their creation.Not exactly. It starts as innocently as your ID ending up on a routine report. I won't go into details what happens from there. I think you already know but you won't admit it. Or perhaps you honestly don't really know this. It's like any other name or serial number or ID that is collected by the government. We already know this happens with everything else so drones will be no different. Even if it is unintentional, people's info ends up on a list somewhere and you don't even know it and when you find out, there's no way to get it off that list. Quite frankly, the government would be remiss if they didn't collect this information for use at a later date. The way they see it, if they saw fit to send out a helicopter...they're not going to collect a RID number and then trash it. This is why there are laws in place which require the government to destroy certain information because if you don't force it, they will keep it and they will [mis]use it.
No worries, it's ok to not be aware of what happens to your details. I realize it is an assumption from the user.The "government" (national, state, local) doesn't collect ID numbers; they issue them. The IDs are on a list from the very time of their creation.
I promise I'm not keeping secrets about what happens next after I'm listed in a routine report. You should enlighten us all.
It's not known that the helicopter was dispatched to surveil the @Xitor. It's an assumption.
Disclosure: I don't shred or burn all the junk mail that comes to my house to keep someone who is picking trash from getting my address. The smart list makers just read the house number on the mailbox and the street number on the sign at the corner.
I don't get the paranoia either, and I think you hit the nail on the head when you made the following comparison in your first post. . . ?"I was really hoping this thread would be able to stay on topic and produce some results. Instead it has been taken over by a forum member's personal paranoid The-Sky-is-Falling predictions of the future.
The paranoia surrounding RID is something I have a hard time understanding.
Was one of the reasons RID was implemented was to help manage air traffic once more delivery drones are sharing the air space?
Once you start delineating the difference between RID and "locate the pilot RID" then you'll get the concern. If they remove that one part of the entire RID picture, I think they win over the majority of us. Otherwise, sure it's easy to fight the argument and push back on the "resistance" if you only look at the big picture which is what you are happy to defend against. Why not post a separate post and only refer to the biggest problem which is being able to located the pilot and then state your case?I don't get the paranoia either, and I think you hit the nail on the head when you made the following comparison in your first post. . . ?"
"Is it Y2K yet?
For some pilots apparently, it is much worse. I do not believe a type of app, (that few outside of the drone community have even heard of), will turn normal folks into drone-hunting terrorists that track us down to confront or attack us.
In my opinion, any confrontations going forward between the non-flyers and the drone community will have happened regardless of RID. And while those situations are few in comparison to the total flights, it can and will continue to happen.
I also think some folks may use the "Karen will attack" argument to justify their hatred of RID, when in reality the true source of their displeasure is that, RID can and will; be used to make drone pilots (in general), more responsible for their actions.
Would that be the hush-hush global list of people who flew drones near prohibited airspace but never entered the prohibited airspace? Is it administered by the same agency that compiles the list of people who flew more than 395 feet AGL but didn't exceed 400 feet?
Not sure what your true knowledge of drones and RID are, but are you aware that the broadcast modules are not required (they do not), broadcast pilot location? If this is such a hanging point, there are drones you can get that don't have RID natively installed (I have one). You may want to brush up your knowledge on RID?The claim as I understand it is the app makes available your location and that will somewhat increase this ratio:
Sorry but I disagreeI believe there are plenty of encounters where a drone is spotted but there is no confrontation simply because karen cannot locate or chooses not to locate the drone operator.
I agree and said so in my post. But there have always been confrontations. Heck there were confrontations well before drones with RC aircraft flying at a designated flying site (Now referred to as a FRIA)But confrontations do happen and the vast majority of them happen without using an app.
Well for one, there is no wide spread proof that this is happening. And as I said - folks who would confront you will do it with or without an app. Or said in a way that many see it - folks that DON'T go around confronting people are not going to stumble across one of these apps and have some zombie-like transformation and turn into these drone hunters you keep speaking of. If there are such idiots - they're already here.What so wrong about drone pilots objecting to having their location broadcasted to people who could potentially want a confrontation?
The very group!
For reference, this is the same organization that keeps detailed comprehensive lists of people that have jaywalked, stopped at a red light just over the white limit line, done 26mph in a 25 zone, and many many other critical violations, especially who's been naughty and nice.
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