Frustrating, frustrating

[edfrombama]

Good evening to all-
Last night I called to speak with a very good buddy and friend from college days. We talk every couple of months or so. This guy is a good person and good friend.
Anyway, when he asked me what I'd been doing lately, i told him that I was really into flying my drones and seeing what I could see.
He said, "Oh, so you can spy on folks and look at women, right?"

After a moment I explained that with my drone and at the height I fly, I could detect a person on the ground, but I sure as hell could not "spy" on anyone or even determine male or female in most cases.

How do people get these crazy notions of what drones can do and not do? Why do people automatically assume we're "spying" on others?

It is a frustration to me, I assure you.


You all be safe and keep well- Ed

 

[KLRSKIR]

Meh, if you ever get the chance to elaborate to him what you really can do, do it. Otherwise, those who are clueless usually just follow a group, who are generally clueless themselves.

Happy flying!

 

[Gagey52]

Unfortunately, some nutters out there do that sort of thing, then the media picks it up, and we are all tarred with the same brush.
Regards

 

[AZDave]

Good evening to all-
Last night I called to speak with a very good buddy and friend from college days. We talk every couple of months or so. This guy is a good person and good friend.
Anyway, when he asked me what I'd been doing lately, i told him that I was really into flying my drones and seeing what I could see.
He said, "Oh, so you can spy on folks and look at women, right?"

After a moment I explained that with my drone and at the height I fly, I could detect a person on the ground, but I sure as hell could not "spy" on anyone or even determine male or female in most cases.

How do people get these crazy notions of what drones can do and not do? Why do people automatically assume we're "spying" on others?

It is a frustration to me, I assure you.


You all be safe and keep well- Ed

People who think and speak in absolutes don't think for themselves and merely parrot what they hear.

And yes, I am completely aware of the high level of irony in that comment.

 

[MA2 317]

He said, "Oh, so you can spy on folks and look at women, right?"

Sounds like a good mate ribbing you a bit.

Seems like that's a common first response about the topic of a drone.

Just flyin', not spyin'.

 

[Ty Pilot]

If I had a good friend that said that to me I would ask if he has a cell phone. If he does - I might point out that he is a Peeping Tom because he obviously has that to spy on folks as well. Right? After all, a cell phone and a drone camera have almost the same usefulness as a spy camera. Just kidding - the cell phone is a much better spying camera - because it is silent. Nevertheless - no one would own a drone or a cell phone for any reason other than spying. Right?

>Sarcastic reply over<

The logic (or lack there of) by some folks is mind boggling.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

Unfortunately, some nutters out there do that sort of thing, then the media picks it up, and we are all tarred with the same brush.
Regards

Not sure what even the nutters are doing. I suppose you could spy on people at the beach, or at a backyard pool. But out of curiosity I hovered my Mini 2 over my own skylight and could see absolutely nothing inside my house. I didn't try actually landing on the skylight, but I doubt that would have shown much more.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Good buddies, they joke around , its a privilege , I would not read into this much as being anything more than that.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[Robert Prior]

the cell phone is a much better spying camera - because it is silent

Which is why Korea and Japan require cell phone cameras to make an audible shutter sound — to provide a disincentive to people taking not-so-nice pictures of unsuspecting women…

 

[dronerdave]

...he asked me what I'd been doing lately, i told him that I was really into flying my drones and seeing what I could see.
He said, "Oh, so you can spy on folks and look at women, right?"

One of the first questions I hear from those who don't know anything about drones is "how close can you see things". But only you know your buddy enough to decide if he's joking or not! I have a friend who purchased a parrot drone for just that purpose, so they're out there. It must have not worked out for him cause he lost interest quick. He bought a pair of these when we were kids.

 

[SoCal2S]

If he’s a good friend and you didn’t catch that he was just rubbing you, then he’s probably serious. And it’s an uphill battle.

 

[rgarjr]

I don’t know, they probably hear some crazy story on the news about someone using drones to peep windows on high tower buildings, then they assume everyone with one is doing the same.

 

[mooncusser]

If it's any consolation, I got asked if my Mini 2 was loaded with missiles. My response: "not today..."

 

[Eagle Eye 62]

I have found that a lot of people are paranoid about drones and have no real understanding of what most "normal" folks actually do with them. I have been on commercial projects near residential properties and had people come out and "warn" me not to fly over their property. While I could have explained that the air space above them is free game, I chose to play along instead of creating a potential conflict. I think the FAA needs to create an educational campaign for the general public so they understand the rules and limitations and that it is not ok to harass pilots when they are doing nothing wrong.

 

[fate]

it is not frustrating at all for me

 

[samtex]

I noticed a comment earlier that makes good sense.. If you say you are flying a small quadcopter would they relate that name to a "drone?" Earlier, before I started flying, when I heard "drone" I assumed it was a large unmanned aircraft.

I have not heard of complaints when a law enforcement helicopter flys over?

It is unfortunate that there are folks that hover too close over property intimidating those on the ground.

If your quad is 100 to 400 feet in elevation, who is going to notice? I strain to keep up with the location of my mini 2 when it ascends beyond 100 feet, and of course, there is no sound that can be heard from that elevation. If quads were designed to limit the sounds of motors there would most likely be fewer complaints.

 

[wardtom084]

Dealing with the rescue squad here. Had the chopper in the other night and I was flying. Did not break any rules and the closest I got to try and take a pix was over a thousand feet away. They posted on their FB page that the chopper pad is a no fly zone. You can deal with all kinds of people. Might get real bad with remote ID but we will have to see.

 

[Chaosrider]

Good evening to all-
Last night I called to speak with a very good buddy and friend from college days. We talk every couple of months or so. This guy is a good person and good friend.
Anyway, when he asked me what I'd been doing lately, i told him that I was really into flying my drones and seeing what I could see.
He said, "Oh, so you can spy on folks and look at women, right?"

After a moment I explained that with my drone and at the height I fly, I could detect a person on the ground, but I sure as hell could not "spy" on anyone or even determine male or female in most cases.

How do people get these crazy notions of what drones can do and not do? Why do people automatically assume we're "spying" on others?

It is a frustration to me, I assure you.


You all be safe and keep well- Ed

When someone asks a question like that, it's more of a reflection of their perverse desires, than it is those of the pilot, if any.

Pervs see other pervs everywhere, so they don't feel as lonely...

 

[FLDave]

Whatever the reason for the question it does seem odd that one good buddy would post comments from a private conversion on a public forum. Why would a good buddy do that? I think good buddies do joke a lot with private conversations.

 

[Transition]

Good evening to all-
Last night I called to speak with a very good buddy and friend from college days. We talk every couple of months or so. This guy is a good person and good friend.
Anyway, when he asked me what I'd been doing lately, i told him that I was really into flying my drones and seeing what I could see.
He said, "Oh, so you can spy on folks and look at women, right?"

After a moment I explained that with my drone and at the height I fly, I could detect a person on the ground, but I sure as hell could not "spy" on anyone or even determine male or female in most cases.

How do people get these crazy notions of what drones can do and not do? Why do people automatically assume we're "spying" on others?

It is a frustration to me, I assure you.


You all be safe and keep well- Ed

Yeap crazy! If you where walking along the beach with a video camera or a camera with telephoto lens, knowbody would say anything. I had a lady say basically the same thing to me last week. So I explained about the super wide angle lens etc. because drones are still relatively new, people are wary. In another ten years we should all be fine!