Flying over dams

[WNYBill]

Just a darn minute! If you were fishing or boating on the lake, are they saying you can't take pictures? I think you ran into a guy who wanted to jerk you around because you were a "rich plutocrat" with a drone. How did they find you so fast, they had to be watching. Now if it is an "off limits" government impoundment, that's a different story.

 

[Dbez1]

I’ve found that [email protected] will tell you if it’s critical infrastructure or not, and also if there are any local ordinances to be concerned about. I always go to the final authority and then I’m covered.

 

[MS Coast]

I’ve found that [email protected] will tell you if it’s critical infrastructure or not, and also if there are any local ordinances to be concerned about. I always go to the final authority and then I’m covered.

How long does it typically take to get a response? Available on weekends?

 

[Dbez1]

How long does it typically take to get a response? Available on weekends?

Within one day has been my experience. Unsure about weekends but guessing probably not.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Why did you give him your ID? If he is just a regular employee he does not have the authority to do that.

I would have. I would also, after being asked, go to detailed lengths to show him how I was deleting the imagery. And be friendly, cooperative, and honest. Show that I'm fully on board with any security concerns that, before he talked to me, I was unaware of.

I've found in my long life the absolute best way to stay off "lists", held in suspicion, etc. is to, well, not act suspicious. Be an honest, real, good, law-abiding person, and come off that way.

Really works. In as trivial situations as traffic stops too. I've gotten many verbal warnings for driving mistakes rather than a citation simply by being cooperative, friendly, remorseful, and respectful.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Russia and China have satellite imagery capabilities that far exceed Google Earth images.

Yes, but not that exceed the resolution and detail that can be captured from far more oblique angles close to the subject.

High resolution satellites are limited by their perspective. If you're plotting to blow up a dam covertly, near photography can provide invaluable information for ingress/egress, explosives placement, etc. that no satellite image can provide.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Just a darn minute! If you were fishing or boating on the lake, are they saying you can't take pictures? I think you ran into a guy who wanted to jerk you around because you were a "rich plutocrat" with a drone. How did they find you so fast, they had to be watching. Now if it is an "off limits" government impoundment, that's a different story.

Oh, in that case it's not then "a guy who wanted to jerk you around because you were a 'rich plutocrat' with a drone"? That's the means by which we judge the motives of the army dude?

They got there fast, and as you guess they were probably watching. You think they were watching because they hate rich people with drones and want to harass them?

Or could it be they were ordered to by their superiors, on the motive that it's a sensitive security situation, and perhaps some Lieutenant or Captain simply exceeded their authority with a little too much enthusiasm...

 

[MS Coast]

Yes, but not that exceed the resolution and detail that can be captured from far more oblique angles close to the subject.

High resolution satellites are limited by their perspective. If you're plotting to blow up a dam covertly, near photography can provide invaluable information for ingress/egress, explosives placement, etc. that no satellite image can provide.

Oblique satellite imagery has been around for a while. Here's one publicly known endeavor. I imagine that the other guys' military has much fancier gear.

Satellite images from highly oblique angles are pretty mindblowing

“I thought it would be great to take some imagery of the world’s most vertical places.”…

arstechnica.com

 

[Droning on and on...]

Oblique satellite imagery has been around for a while. Here's one publicly known endeavor. I imagine that the other guys' military has much fancier gear.

Satellite images from highly oblique angles are pretty mindblowing

“I thought it would be great to take some imagery of the world’s most vertical places.”…

arstechnica.com

Thanks! Didn't know that.

Do you contend there is no possible value, then, in imagery captured near to the subject, particularly for Intel purposes?

Seems to me topography, in particular, could interfere with a satellite capturing oblique, side-view images that can only be obtained near by. Many dams, by their nature, would seem to have this condition, often being built in canyons.

Also, there's the reality that many bad actors that might want to blow up a dam don't have access to such satellite imagery. Al Qaeda, Hamas, to name some contemporary adversaries, come to mind.

What do you think, @MS Coast?

 

[MS Coast]

Thanks! Didn't know that.

Do you contend there is no possible value, then, in imagery captured near to the subject, particularly for Intel purposes?

Seems to me topography, in particular, could interfere with a satellite capturing oblique, side-view images that can only be obtained near by. Many dams, by their nature, would seem to have this condition, often being built in canyons.

Also, there's the reality that many bad actors that might want to blow up a dam don't have access to such satellite imagery. Al Qaeda, Hamas, to name some contemporary adversaries, come to mind.

What do you think, @MS Coast?

I suspect that Russia and China already have targets of significant strategic importance identified and analyzed and have attack plans, just as we do. As for terrorists, they'd select simpler infrastructure targets that can be easily disabled or disrupted without the need for detailed imagery or massive destructive devices. In both cases, if something serious were being planned, on-site human observation rather than second-hand snapshots from intercepted drone photos would be more effective and would provide a greater array of information than visual imagery alone.

Plus, I cannot imagine any group of bad guys being able, or willing, to wade through millions and millions of John Q. Public's ho-hum, boring drone photos and videos hoping to find something that somehow revealed a weakness in an adversary.

 

[Shuttersky597]

I have always talking with the authorities worked out. Most understand the intent. If our enemies want videos or pictures they can look at the tens of thousands posted from visitors with cell phones on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

 

[WNYBill]

Oh, in that case it's not then "a guy who wanted to jerk you around because you were a 'rich plutocrat' with a drone"? That's the means by which we judge the motives of the army dude?

They got there fast, and as you guess they were probably watching. You think they were watching because they hate rich people with drones and want to harass them?

Or could it be they were ordered to by their superiors, on the motive that it's a sensitive security situation, and perhaps some Lieutenant or Captain simply exceeded their authority with a little too much enthusiasm...

Now if it is an "off limits" government impoundment, that's a different story. If it was an open impoundment, I'll stick with my original feelings. Over reaction and part of the reason LEO has a poor reputation. Being honest, cooperative and polite goes both ways.

 

[Prop Wash]

There are several dams in CA. According to the Autopylot app, some have a DNF w/a National Security Warning including a POC (with the Bureau of Reclamation) name & number. Some of them do not. Don't know what the criteria is to have the DNF. As mentioned, dams can be a part of "Critical Infrusructure" locations.