Drone Police Have Scales?

[kjonyou]

So if you have a drone that you want to keep unregistered because it's under 249 grams but you have a wrap on it think again. Propeller guards even a decorative skins will push it over that number. How long before cops figure out if they want to harass you that they have a scale in their car for measuring drugs can do double duty measuring the weight of your drone?

 

[Meta4]

So if you have a drone that you want to keep unregistered because it's under 249 grams but you have a wrap on it think again. Propeller guards even a decorative skins will push it over that number. How long before cops figure out if they want to harass you that they have a scale in their car for measuring drugs can do double duty measuring the weight of your drone?

Your thread title is deceptive.
It says that drone police have scales.
But the text asks when police might get around to weighing drones.
The fact is that there aren't any drone police and no-one is going around weighing anyone's drone.

 

[Muzza42]

It seems like he was suggesting that any Police are able to be 'Drone Police' if they want to enforce a law, and if you wrap a 249g drone, or possibly use prop guards - you may be leaving yourself open to prosecution?
Maybe if his title had a Question Mark!

 

[Mazdaman323lx]

I highly doubt any cops have scales in their patrol unit . If your caught with contraband you'll be arrested and processed in the station and the drugs weighed there. Besides with the amount of violent crime i would think drones are waaay down the list of things most cops worry about .

 

[Starz]

Five dollar registration fee would solve that issue. Once they see the number, they move on.
Rather inexpensive conversation killer.

 

[SmilingOgre]

I've never had a problem flying. I don't follow people around with the thing and I don't fly low over private property. There's nothing I want to film there anyway. When I get a reaction from people it's always positive. People so far enjoying seeing one fly. As long as the police are not receiving a ton of calls regarding drones they have no reason or want to become involved. So far local politicians have not used drones as a notch in their belts. I doubt creating an issue would gain much traction at this point in time.

 

[BigAl07]

That's a bit of an over sensational title and statement wouldn't you say?

While it's possible that in some instances Law Enforcement "Could" have scales it's not very likely and it's even less likely they are going to the trouble of weighing your aircraft right there on the spot. SMH

What IS possible is that if there is an "incident" and a related investigation then your aircraft could possibly be weighed as part of the investigation to see if it was/is compliant with the regulations you're flying within (or not).

I believe that @Starz has the winning suggestion there in post #5

 

[cheddar-man]

One valid statement from all this is that adding official DJI prop guards will increase the flying weight by a massive 50g, so taking you well over the 250 limit!

 

[MS Coast]

I'm convinced that the typical police officer has absolutely no idea that there are weight considerations with drone registration.

And I'll bet the ranch that they wouldn't give a hoot if they did know.

 

[Defens]

The run of the mill police officer has the authority to request your registration numbers and pilot registration. They don't represent the FAA and have no authority to seize your UAV to weigh it, etc. If a cop asked to handle my drone, I'd politely decline.

 

[kjonyou]

Well I live in a big city, cops act first think later. If I am flying in a park legally and some busy body thinks its illegal and calls the cops chances are A - he wont know the laws, and B- if he is douchy, like they are in my town just demand things like hand over the drone. I am not going to argue with someone like that. I don't want to deal with court dates or fines to prove I am operating within the law. A week later it could be a different officer completely oblivious to what happened. With hundreds of cops, I doubt they are spreading about some tiny incident. Cop always wins.

I think I am leaning to register my drone even though it's under the 249g limit. Is there really any down side to it? Maybe that should be another thread.

 

[Starz]

Is there really any down side to it?

None whatsoever. As long as you go through the FAA website.
There are some copycat sites out there, so be careful.

How to Register Your Drone

www.faa.gov

 

[Atkas]

I highly doubt any cops have scales in their patrol unit .

Not entering into the "drone police" debate, but in Australia and I would assume other countries, police do carry small, precise scales for drug weighing on apprehension to determine if they issue a lesser possession 'smack on the wrist' fine or take them in for have a distributable (dealing) amount.
Highly doubt they'd be weighing drones with them though...not yet anyway.

 

[Faster]

Well I live in a big city, cops act first think later. If I am flying in a park legally and some busy body thinks its illegal and calls the cops chances are A - he wont know the laws, and B- if he is douchy, like they are in my town just demand things like hand over the drone. I am not going to argue with someone like that. I don't want to deal with court dates or fines to prove I am operating within the law. A week later it could be a different officer completely oblivious to what happened. With hundreds of cops, I doubt they are spreading about some tiny incident. Cop always wins.

I think I am leaning to register my drone even though it's under the 249g limit. Is there really any down side to it? Maybe that should be another thread.

I registered my Mini 2. Now I'm free to put any accessory if I need it w/o concerns. As said before $5 piece of mind.

 

[Hydrostan]

I would hope and think that the police have bigger fish to fly than to worry about a guy's drone being over 250 gr.

 

[kjonyou]

I would hope and think that the police have bigger fish to fly than to worry about a guy's drone being over 250 gr.

You would think, but I know people who have recived jaywalking tickets or tickets for not wearing a seat belt. This in a city with millions of people where gangs, robbery and murders happen on a daily basis. Cops especially rookies go for low hanging fruit.

 

[Captain J Case]

You would think, but I know people who have recived jaywalking tickets or tickets for not wearing a seat belt. This in a city with millions of people where gangs, robbery and murders happen on a daily basis. Cops especially rookies go for low hanging fruit.

That is not the officers but your elected officials....As far as rookies go, you have no idea what your talking about...

 

[MS Coast]

You would think, but I know people who have recived jaywalking tickets or tickets for not wearing a seat belt. This in a city with millions of people where gangs, robbery and murders happen on a daily basis. Cops especially rookies go for low hanging fruit.

You must run with a very rowdy crowd. I have never known or even heard of anyone who actually received a citation for jay walking.

The closest incident for me was being stopped and berated by an officer in 1971 for crossing in the middle of the block on the way to a college football game. But I think that had more to do with the length of our hair. No ticket, though.

 

[4006448]

Well I live in a big city, cops act first think later. If I am flying in a park legally and some busy body thinks its illegal and calls the cops chances are A - he wont know the laws, and B- if he is douchy, like they are in my town just demand things like hand over the drone. I am not going to argue with someone like that. I don't want to deal with court dates or fines to prove I am operating within the law. A week later it could be a different officer completely oblivious to what happened. With hundreds of cops, I doubt they are spreading about some tiny incident. Cop always wins.

I think I am leaning to register my drone even though it's under the 249g limit. Is there really any down side to it? Maybe that should be another thread.

Wow - that’s a mighty big brush you’ve just tarred all police with…..

 

[RetiredInFL]

One valid statement from all this is that adding official DJI prop guards will increase the flying weight by a massive 50g, so taking you well over the 250 limit!

If in the US, the response is "SO WHAT?" In other countries, it might be an issue. Usually, guards are used inside anyway. What would one use them outdoors? Maybe to protect the birds?