Getting on with drone muggles

[Merrill277]

People see a drone and complain. Exactly why, I do not know. They tolerate many more things that are far more annoying from loud cars and motorcycles, loud and rude people etc. And the authorities they complain to also often do not know the laws so they move in thinking they are helping. I think we all need to carry the laws with us so that when this happens we can educate others including authorities about the laws. Further, it is gonna get to the point where we're gonna have to stand up against unfair laws regarding flying drones, particularly if we currently simply roll over and go away.
Having said that, I also know people are more destructive, rude, loud and obnoxious than ever, particularly when no one else is around. And that is how people think. They think we are sneaking our drone around taking pictures of mountains and streams as if we shouldn't. BTW: A drone is perhaps the most environmentally friendly object we have. We used to say leave only tracks and take only pictures when going into the mountains. Now with drones, we don't even leave tracks. We need to fly with dignity, follow the rules and set an example. And perhaps most of all, be nice to others. I have flown my drone in areas where other people were watching. I've taken pictures of them with my drone and included them in a nice and freindly way. Most of the time they love it. They smile and wave etc. How many of us when asked, can you please take a picture of our group, take their phone and do it. Of course we do and they do it for us. We need to all play nice in the sandbox! And then we'll keep getting those awesome pictures and videos from the air that we all love to share with others.

 

[akdrone]

thus far in my home state of Alaska I have yet to have a person complain about my drone in fact so far every encounter I have had with people nearby when I was flying was positive. In Arizona recently one woman walked by and took a photo of my license plate and said nothing. That is the most combative experience I have had . Knock on air...

 

[Ty Pilot]

Some folks think drones are dangerous for the same reasons that lot of folks are sure of soooo many things - that just aren't true. They're ignorant. And unfortunately their very nature (to ignore), is what keeps them from learning or understanding anything. Sort of like; you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Why bother trying to teach them?

I treat any would-be Karen, the same as I would a Zombie - they're gone! They can't be reasoned with or educated, and they'll never be "normal" again.

I've only had one occasion where a confrontation occurred. I was shooting a real estate job and a neighbor stood on his property line glaring at me. I politely told him I was hired by the home owner and that I would be down in moments. To that, the guy stormed into his garage and lowered the door, and moments later all of his sprinklers came on. When I was done and in the car he turned them off.

This is so true. . . . . .

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[B52-D]

People see a drone and complain. Exactly why, I do not know. They tolerate many more things that are far more annoying from loud cars and motorcycles, loud and rude people etc. And the authorities they complain to also often do not know the laws so they move in thinking they are helping. I think we all need to carry the laws with us so that when this happens we can educate others including authorities about the laws. Further, it is gonna get to the point where we're gonna have to stand up against unfair laws regarding flying drones, particularly if we currently simply roll over and go away.
Having said that, I also know people are more destructive, rude, loud and obnoxious than ever, particularly when no one else is around. And that is how people think. They think we are sneaking our drone around taking pictures of mountains and streams as if we shouldn't. BTW: A drone is perhaps the most environmentally friendly object we have. We used to say leave only tracks and take only pictures when going into the mountains. Now with drones, we don't even leave tracks. We need to fly with dignity, follow the rules and set an example. And perhaps most of all, be nice to others. I have flown my drone in areas where other people were watching. I've taken pictures of them with my drone and included them in a nice and freindly way. Most of the time they love it. They smile and wave etc. How many of us when asked, can you please take a picture of our group, take their phone and do it. Of course we do and they do it for us. We need to all play nice in the sandbox! And then we'll keep getting those awesome pictures and videos from the air that we all love to share with others.

Couldn’t have written it better myself.
Blue Skys & Happy Contrails.

B52-D

 

[lensimages]

People see a drone and complain. Exactly why, I do not know. They tolerate many more things that are far more annoying from loud cars and motorcycles, loud and rude people etc. And the authorities they complain to also often do not know the laws so they move in thinking they are helping. I think we all need to carry the laws with us so that when this happens we can educate others including authorities about the laws. Further, it is gonna get to the point where we're gonna have to stand up against unfair laws regarding flying drones, particularly if we currently simply roll over and go away.
Having said that, I also know people are more destructive, rude, loud and obnoxious than ever, particularly when no one else is around. And that is how people think. They think we are sneaking our drone around taking pictures of mountains and streams as if we shouldn't. BTW: A drone is perhaps the most environmentally friendly object we have. We used to say leave only tracks and take only pictures when going into the mountains. Now with drones, we don't even leave tracks. We need to fly with dignity, follow the rules and set an example. And perhaps most of all, be nice to others. I have flown my drone in areas where other people were watching. I've taken pictures of them with my drone and included them in a nice and freindly way. Most of the time they love it. They smile and wave etc. How many of us when asked, can you please take a picture of our group, take their phone and do it. Of course we do and they do it for us. We need to all play nice in the sandbox! And then we'll keep getting those awesome pictures and videos from the air that we all love to share with others.

I have always tried to educate these people by showing them the image from the drone, if they are walking towards me and if it’s safe for me to do so I walk towards them, this brings them into a safe area, I do not believe in confrontation. If a person persists in bothering me I tell them to please ring the police and report me or I will ring them myself. I also always carry a few small copies of the CAA drone code that I hand to them telling them to read whilst I finish my flight. This also makes sure that they stand by me out of harms way until I land. So far it’s all ended well . Most people seeing the images I take admit that they cannot see anything bothersome in them , if it then turns more friendly I will offer to let them hold the control without touching any of the sticks and they can see for themselves how safe they are, showing that without any input they just hover and they are not deadly or dangerous and more to the point not spying. Very rarely are people in my images that can be recognised as I tend to photograph Castles , forts , Industrial Heritage mid week when not many people are about. Always be polite and at the last resort ask them to move 50 yards away so you can land safely in accordance with their wishes, then finish what you are doing and land, packup and pub time, cheers Len

 

[GregS]

Some folks think drones are dangerous for the same reasons that lot of folks are sure of soooo many things - that just aren't true. They're ignorant. And unfortunately their very nature (to ignore), is what keeps them from learning or understanding anything. Sort of like; you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Why bother trying to teach them?

I treat any would-be Karen, the same as I would a Zombie - they're gone! They can't be reasoned with or educated, and they'll never be "normal" again.

I've only had one occasion where a confrontation occurred. I was shooting a real estate job and a neighbor stood on his property line glaring at me. I politely told him I was hired by the home owner and that I would be down in moments. To that, the guy stormed into his garage and lowered the door, and moments later all of his sprinklers came on. When I was done and in the car he turned them off.

This is so true. . . . . .

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Maybe, just maybe, one reason many are afraid of drones is that what they have heard in the past is that drones are used in combat and deliver ordinance. Could they really think we are there to blow something up??

 

[DARKSeifer]

I don't really care about people coming by anymore, I usually fly either from fenced private property or do a hit&run from the bushes, I rarely fly exposed not because I'm afraid of people but because I want to fly without being interrupted and focus on the flight or the photos.

I can easily de-escalate any situation and rarely fly on controlled airspace, and apart from VLOS I usually comply with everything else.

On the other hand, no rules nor Karens will take me out of this hobby ever, depending on how many times I get fined using consumer drones, I'll just switch to a DIY drone and good luck finding me without RID or Aeroscope.

Big corps think they can kill the hobby and get us out of the <120m through over regulation and exposition (emitting your location at more than 2Km), good for them, their BVLOS autonomous drones will be just sitting ducks to any DIY kamikaze long range FPV, so better be good with the drone/RC community or prepare for a new era of aerial combat

 

[360 Guy]

Well said Merrill277, well said.

 

[Johnmcl7]

For the most part I find people don't give me any hassle and actually quite interested in the drone, they're fascinated to see how I can view a live feed of the drone and to see the area we're in from above.

In all the time I've been flying drones I've only had one person complain and she was being entirely unreasonable, I suspect she's the sort of person that would complain about anything.

 

[edfrombama]

Good morning to all-
Perhaps I have been lucky or maybe I just pick good places to fly, but I have never had anyone confront me about my flying, and the only interest I have received from occasional onlookers was positive- "how does that work? How far can it fly" How much does it cost- I want one of those".
And if anyone- especially anyone non official- ever confronts me, I will not take the time to explain anything. I will ignore and go on with my flying. I don't give a hoot in hades what ignorant, uneducated individuals think about my flying.
But I suspect I will never have any confrontations since I usually fly in isolated places.

you all be safe and keep well- Ed

 

[Yaros]

I can easily de-escalate any situation and rarely fly on controlled airspace, and apart from VLOS I usually comply with everything else.

On the other hand, no rules nor Karens will take me out of this hobby ever, depending on how many times I get fined using consumer drones, I'll just switch to a DIY drone and good luck finding me without RID or Aeroscope.

Exactly same for me. Others can agree or disagree, but I believe that RID and Aeroscope are NOT used in the correct manner nowadays, their initial purpose was good, but many many people use them incorrectly, there is absolutely no reason to give regular people the ability to track drones!

 

[Felix le Chat]

People see a drone and complain. Exactly why, I do not know. They tolerate many more things that are far more annoying from loud cars and motorcycles, loud and rude people etc. And the authorities they complain to also often do not know the laws so they move in thinking they are helping. I think we all need to carry the laws with us so that when this happens we can educate others including authorities about the laws. Further, it is gonna get to the point where we're gonna have to stand up against unfair laws regarding flying drones, particularly if we currently simply roll over and go away.
Having said that, I also know people are more destructive, rude, loud and obnoxious than ever, particularly when no one else is around. And that is how people think. They think we are sneaking our drone around taking pictures of mountains and streams as if we shouldn't. BTW: A drone is perhaps the most environmentally friendly object we have. We used to say leave only tracks and take only pictures when going into the mountains. Now with drones, we don't even leave tracks. We need to fly with dignity, follow the rules and set an example. And perhaps most of all, be nice to others. I have flown my drone in areas where other people were watching. I've taken pictures of them with my drone and included them in a nice and freindly way. Most of the time they love it. They smile and wave etc. How many of us when asked, can you please take a picture of our group, take their phone and do it. Of course we do and they do it for us. We need to all play nice in the sandbox! And then we'll keep getting those awesome pictures and videos from the air that we all love to share with others.

You're right - on both sides of the Pond. But the whingers & whiners can't be "educated" or reasoned with because they have the mentality that they can be offended by anything they want to be offended by and that their opinion and "human rights" are the single most important thing in their self-centred universe. Welcome to the Facebook Generation of over-opinionated selfish keyboard warriors who are rock-solid in their belief that they can step this attitude out into the real world with there being exactly the same consequences they encounter in the virtual playground... none.

Add to that the fact that over the last five years I've watched the progressively increasing demonization of drone hardware and operators, not only by official sources but through mainstream media outlets without there being any significant exploration of how this technology is used for useful purpose and you get pretty much a perfect storm.

I'm also fascinated that so many people get really bent out of shape by the thought that someone with a camera drone is spying on them... a ludicrous point of view from narcissistic people who are only too happy to parade their entire life in very uncomfortable detail to total strangers through all of the social network platforms... I love the smell of irony first thing in the morning.

I think the central crux of the matter revolves around control. Selfish, self-obsessed people like to think that they have the right to control and dictate to others, then when they face someone who starts off polite before telling them in short order to jog-on and mind their own business, they throw a tantrum... just like a spoilt toddler.

This is precisely why I try never to take shots of people and make the effort to shoot in locations where people are unlikely to be. Why should my passion for landscape photography and sheer child-like awe at being able to shoot from impossible perspectives (compared to a DSLR) be ruined by some huffy sticky-beak?

 

[Merrill277]

thus far in my home state of Alaska I have yet to have a person complain about my drone in fact so far every encounter I have had with people nearby when I was flying was positive. In Arizona recently one woman walked by and took a photo of my license plate and said nothing. That is the most combative experience I have had . Knock on air...

Seems most people are nonconfrontational. They simply report you.

 

[Deleted member 162835]

I have yet to encounter someone who felt the need to walk up to me and complain about my drone flights. Heck I've taken my Nazgul Evoque F5 out to public parks early in the morning and have not had people complain and that drone rips. Most of the time people seem intrigued by them. I do also adhere to proper safety and always keep the drone away from people and vehicles.

 

[wombat]

Maybe, just maybe, one reason many are afraid of drones is that what they have heard in the past is that drones are used in combat and deliver ordinance. Could they really think we are there to blow something up??

drones are used in combat, would be good if we all could refer to our hobby as RPA's and drop the drone image.

BTW I have not had any complaints from people when flying my RPA in fact most are interested in my hobby and I know of two people who have gone on to buy an RPA

 

[ericole]

Maybe, just maybe, one reason many are afraid of drones is that what they have heard in the past is that drones are used in combat and deliver ordinance. Could they really think we are there to blow something up??

Drone is definitely the wrong name for these, but it has become the denotation - which is sad. Nobody ever called RC planes or helicopters drones - these are remote-controlled aircraft, just a different type.

 

[Jamesz]

I agree most people are interested rather than confrontational and a lot depends on how we as pilots react to negative attitudes. We know just what you can and can't see on our screens, but most of the public have no idea what level of detail we can see, so to them their 'spying' concern is justified.

The one agressive confrontation I've had was a person marching up and shouting that I was flying with no right on their property etc... I had the farmer's full permission, all legal, insured and professional, so I was perpared to tough it out. Instead I listened patiently to the rant and eventually found out I was in the one in the wrong. The land I was on did not belong to the farmer after all. Also, this person's daughter had suffered a serious spinal injury after her horse had been spooked in the very same spot, so was now protective to point of near paranoia. It gave me a different perspective on how to deal with any future issues.