FBI & Air Force OSI knocked on my door

[Droning on and on...]

You ever watch any cop shows on TV? Have you noticed how they question a lot of people just to eliminate them as suspects? And how when you don't want to cooperate or just lawyers up, you go to the top of the list as a suspect?

Was he in a cop show?

Couldn't resist

 

[BobaFut]

You ever watch any cop shows on TV? Have you noticed how they question a lot of people just to eliminate them as suspects? And how when you don't want to cooperate or just lawyers up, you go to the top of the list as a suspect?

"Asserting your rights makes you looks suspicious" is perhaps not the greatest endorsement of how the police approach investigations. Unlike local LEOs, it's actually a crime to make false statements to the FBI, so if you give them information voluntarily and they somehow find out that information was incorrect (either intentionally unintentionally on your part) they can come back and charge with lying to them ("can" doesn't mean "will" but given the penalties do you want to risk it?). So if the FBI comes knocking your first instinct should indeed be to lawyer up before you cooperate.

 

[mavic3usa]

"Asserting your rights makes you looks suspicious" is perhaps not the greatest endorsement of how the police approach investigations. Unlike local LEOs, it's actually a crime to make false statements to the FBI, so if you give them information voluntarily and they somehow find out that information was incorrect (either intentionally unintentionally on your part) they can come back and charge with lying to them ("can" doesn't mean "will" but given the penalties do you want to risk it?). So if the FBI comes knocking your first instinct should indeed be to lawyer up before you cooperate.

Agreed and you don't necessarily have to be under oath either. It's very broad and while intent and knowingly is part of the equation, it's not worth it to take the risk:

1. "Falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
2. Makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
3. Makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry."

 

[ScottNH]

You ever watch any cop shows on TV? Have you noticed how they question a lot of people just to eliminate them as suspects? And how when you don't want to cooperate or just lawyers up, you go to the top of the list as a suspect?

Wait...so now "cop shows on TV" are to be taken as facts? And we learn lessons from them? You do realize they're "cop shows on TV," not documentaries, right?

 

[Player-Pe]

Wait...so now "cop shows on TV" are to be taken as facts? And we learn lessons from them? You do realize they're "cop shows on TV," not documentaries, right?

HA! Not to venture away from OP topic, but I just recently had to do jury duty for a criminal case. Right before the choosing juror selection process, the judge asked that anyone who is an avid "tv crime show" watcher to please raise their hand. Those that did the judge asked the bailiff to escort them out of the courtroom. Afterwards the judge explained that you can't come into court with a mindset that a criminal case will be anything like what you see on tv.

 

[rjwmorrell]

Had a business card of an FBI agent taped to my house front door this morning.
On the front, hand-printed, "Cell on back".
No other message.

My wife called with this info right when I got a call from an unknown Virginia number.
He asked me if I was home and I said, "May I ask who is asking?"
He identified himself as an FBI agent and asked if we could meet.
We arranged to meet at a Starbucks half-way between us.

When he arrived, he was with an OSI officer from the Air Force.

After a couple of pleasantries, they said they were there to talk to me about a flight that I had made at the end of October last year.
Apparently, I had flown over the boundary of an air force base by just a few feet.
It was over a hedge row near some adjacent industrial property and nowhere near a runway.

I showed them the photos I took and explained who the client was.
Looks like they were just ensuring I wasn't there for nefarious reasons.

It was interesting to me how long ago the flight was and the fact that they came in person.
I mean, they figured out my cell number and could have just called me.

A personal visit with a business card left in door is more likely to elicit a response, rather than a random phone call ... "Hi this is the FBI calling" tends to result in a lot of "oh, yeah, sure buddy" responses.

Source: I work for a Canadian federal agency, and I try to avoid cold calling people when I am trying to reach out to them, unless a home or work visit is challenging or inappropriate.

 

[MS Coast]

Sorry to hear that happened to you; you're better than me, I don't think I could have shown up without my lawyer.

You'd have ended up with the same benign result and would been on the hook for the attorney's bill.|

There's a very simple way to avoid situations like this. Don't fly your drone over military bases.

 

[Droning on and on...]

There's a very simple way to avoid situations like this. Don't fly your drone over military bases.

I don't think he did.

 

[MS Coast]

I don't think he did.

From post #1:

"Apparently, I had flown over the boundary of an air force base by just a few feet."

"Few" being undefined.

 

[Droning on and on...]

From post #1:

"Apparently, I had flown over the boundary of an air force base by just a few feet."

"Few" being undefined.

Thanks... I missed that

 

[Wreckhunter]

All this is filling me with dread as we approach our annual holiday in SW Florida in April. I am hoping DJI will have satisfied the FAA for my MA2 by the time of the RID implementation date late March! The FAA are not happy at the moment but one hopes it will be sorted by then, after all I have the latest firmware on the drone and my RC.

Your MA2 is now broadcasting RID with the very latest Fly app and firmware.
I know my MAR is now broadcasting it.

 

[StevenBrodsky]

Your MA2 is now broadcasting RID with the very latest Fly app and firmware.
I know my MAR is now broadcasting it.

I have a question about RID. My Air 3 and Mav 3 E don't show up on any apps that are supposed to detect RID. I was told to look at my list of WIFI connections on my tablet for my drones' serial numbers, beginning with RID then drone serialnumber. They don't show up there either.

Do you have a sure fire way to make sure your RID is broadcasting. I can't tell if my RID is broadcasting. All firmware is up to date.

 

[MS Coast]

I have a question about RID. My Air 3 and Mav 3 E don't show up on any apps that are supposed to detect RID. I was told to look at my list of WIFI connections on my tablet for my drones' serial numbers, beginning with RID then drone serialnumber. They don't show up there either.

Do you have a sure fire way to make sure your RID is broadcasting. I can't tell if my RID is broadcasting. All firmware is up to date.

The Drone Scanner android app detects my drones reliably and consistently.

 

[twickers14]

Your MA2 is now broadcasting RID with the very latest Fly app and firmware.
I know my MAR is now broadcasting it.

Thanks. All sorted and Registered. Now the main challenge is when I power up in Florida when we arrive-will the RID be operational? See no reason why not

 

[hank970]

The FBI has knocked on my door twice in the last three years, both times to gather background information on neighbors who had applied for sensitive government positions. One of the neighbors, a young gal with a recently earned PhD in psychology, was subsequently hired by the FBI and was posted to Quantico, VA for her initial training as an agent. Both gentlemen who interviewed me were actually retired special agents who'd been contracted specifically to conduct background investigations. Oftentimes, contacts between ordinary folks and law enforcement are as innocuous as that. There's no need for paranoia. Big Brother isn't interested in tricking or hanging offenses on innocent people.

 

[Ex Coelis]

And I'll be the first to say as scary and unpleasant as this was for you, and you have my sympathy,

Actually, I think you’re the ONLY one to surmise anything was “scary & unpleasant”, or that sympathy is called for?!
I don’t now why you California guys are getting so lathered about this, but it sure is entertaining !!