CAA requesting flight log details

[PhantomPilotuk]

Has the OP posted anything since? Was this just a troll?

 

[MavikMatt]

Not a peep. A NZ troll?

 

[AMann]

Yeah...this. I don't know how it works in New Zealand, but in the US, the appropriate next step would be to be cooperative but ask them to provide a court order/search warrant. I would assume that if they had a solid case for a violation then they would have already done that. I would never provide them with fish for their fishing expedition. It's rare that anything good ever comes from giving up any component of one's constitutional rights.

This post is a good reminder though....anyone who publishes their drone videos should frequently clear their flight logs.

You don’t need flight logs to prove where a drone was flying and its height AGL. You can calculate it from imagery that has landmarks in it. It is easy enough to calculate camera height and distance with just two or more landmarks or objects in the photo if you know their distance apart and their distance in the full frame image, along with the lens focal length and the sensor size.

 

[PhantomPilotuk]

Not a peep. A NZ troll?

That's what I'm thinking!!

 

[AMann]

That's what I'm thinking!!

He’s a regular and is probably just laying low by now, and hopefully not reading all this hobby lawyer advice. Poor guy, hope all is well!

 

[MacCool]

You don’t need flight logs to prove where a drone was flying and its height AGL. You can calculate it from imagery that has landmarks in it. It is easy enough to calculate camera height and distance with just two or more landmarks or objects in the photo if you know their distance apart and their distance in the full frame image, along with the lens focal length and the sensor size.

Exactly. So they don't need for the OP to provide his flight logs, right?

 

[Chip]

...in the US as a licensed drone user, If we want to stay eligible to get licenses, we are required to provide FAA with records if they request it. If we refuse, they can always get a warrant as well...

Where do you see legal obligation to provide flight records to the FAA? I do not see how FAA could get warrant. FAA would have to turn over investigation to law enforcement which would have to prove probable cause in front of a judge.

 

[AMann]

Where do you see legal obligation to provide flight records to the FAA? I do not see how FAA could get warrant. FAA would have to turn over investigation to law enforcement which would have to prove probable cause in front of a judge.

Other Requirements

If you are acting as pilot in command, you have to comply with several other provisions of the rule:

-You must make your drone available to the FAA for inspection or testing on request, and you must provide any associated records required to be kept under the rule.

Here: Fact Sheet – Small Unmanned Aircraft Regulations (Part 107)

 

[AMann]

Exactly. So they don't need for the OP to provide his flight logs, right?

Well, they would if they want to know what drone they came from.

 

[MacCool]

But in the US as a licensed drone user, If we want to stay eligible to get licenses, we are required to provide FAA with records if they request it. If we refuse, they can always get a warrant as well. Is New Zealand’s CAA registration the same?

But in the US, only for pilots certificated under part 107. I don't know about New Zealand, but as a recreational drone pilot here in the US I'd certainly make them get a warrant. In the meantime, as a recreational flyer, I have no obligation to retain any flight records.

I have a pilot's license under part 61. All I have to do to get a remote pilot certificate is take a little online training course and fill out an application. But...why would I do that, thereby putting myself under enhanced regulation and scrutiny by a government agency in order to simpy exercise a hobby that I've been doing for decades?

 

[AMann]

But in the US, only for pilots certificated under part 107. I don't know about New Zealand, but as a recreational drone pilot here in the US I'd certainly make them get a warrant.

Yeah, as I said it had to be a licensed pilot. But IMHO, there will soon be a time when even recreational flyers are going to have to do that, especially if they keep doing the silly things that they do.

 

[Chip]

Other Requirements

If you are acting as pilot in command, you have to comply with several other provisions of the rule:

-You must make your drone available to the FAA for inspection or testing on request, and you must provide any associated records required to be kept under the rule.

Here: Fact Sheet – Small Unmanned Aircraft Regulations (Part 107)

Is this not for commercial pilots conducting commercial flights? Also, nothing about warrants.

 

[MacCool]

Well, they would if they want to know what drone they came from.

As a non-certificated drone pilot, that's their problem. I'm not going to help them make it my problem.

 

[MacCool]

Yeah, as I said it had to be a licensed pilot. But IMHO, there will soon be a time when even recreational flyers are going to have to do that, especially if they keep doing the silly things that they do.

I doubt it. But time will tell.

 

[AMann]

As a non-certificated drone pilot, that's their problem. I'm not going to help them make it my problem.

I would give it to them because I wouldn’t want it to become my bigger problem.

 

[Unknown Pilot]

I have been asked to provide flight log details of a couple of YOUTUBE uploads. Can I delete them from my remote and say I haven't got any records. Only keep a video record of the flights.

If you don't give the records to the CAA I'm sure DJI will.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

Lawyer up, only advice you should be taking from all the replies.

Good luck, post your experience once complete if authorized. Could be a learning opportunity for many.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Found the channel.
Did initially too, just didn't dig deep enough to find the various drone vids.

If the only flight they're concerned with is the flight where you fly up to a few km away, along a construction site, then you may work with them where possible to hopefully just get a warning.
Ie. "Terribly sorry, I did this flight BVLOS, but since found the rules and adhere to them to the letter now" etc, if the timelines can support you.

While I did see vids of flights over similar construction sites in operation, over people and vehicles, hopefully they are only interested in the BVLOS one.
I didn't watch them all (what, about 20 of them ?) throughout to see if any other indiscretions were obvious, CAA might well have, or do.

I would definitely look at modding the post 1, as a google search does bring up the profile here, that would not look good.
But then there are numerous comments here to that effect, also post 1 has been quoted several times, so I'm not sure anything other that a total thread deletion would solve this.
Maybe put in for a delete post request, if you can't do it yourself.

 

[anotherlab]

If you don't give the records to the CAA I'm sure DJI will.

If the OP had used the self-authorize feature, then DJI will have collected his current location and could disclose that information to a government agency upon request. The following is on their privacy page:

When you choose to self-authorize or “unlock” flight operations on DJI hardware control applications (including in the DJI Go 3 and DJI Go 4 Apps (the “DJI Go Apps”)) in locations that are categorized by DJI’s Geospatial Environment Online system as raising safety or security issues, we collect and retain geolocation information relating to your decision

We may preserve and disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with applicable laws, in response to a court order, judicial or other government subpoena, warrant or request, or to otherwise cooperate with law enforcement or other governmental agencies.

How useful of having just the takeoff location is debatable.

 

[anotherlab]

...I would definitely look at modding the post 1, as a google search does bring up the profile here, that would not look good.
But then there are numerous comments here to that effect, also post 1 has been quoted several times, so I'm not sure anything other that a total thread deletion would solve this.
Maybe put in for a delete post request, if you can't do it yourself.

Trying to delete this post might not be best call to action.

1. If someone turned the OP in, this thread has been around long enough that the NZ CAA could be aware of it and could have made a copy of it. There is nothing in the OP's videos that indicate that that he's doing anything wrong enough to require Google being served legal papers. I still think someone turned him in.
2. Deleting the thread does not make it go away. Google caches many things and this thread is one of them.

Both reasons are edge conditions, but I wouldn't ignore them