Got a call from the Police about my drone

[Heavydpj]

Perhaps you should consider abiding by the FAA rules when you are flying. I assume that, since you were talking about clients, that you have your Part 107 license.

Flying a mile away is something that is not only unsafe, but can also result in the loss of your certification.

Changing flight modes won't make a difference.

 

[Kaye]

The real answer is dont get your info into "the system". If they have your info and you want to continue to fly like you do now, you need to change your info....refresh SN, phone # etc. Im still not sure how they have the right to perform real time surveillance on someone without a warrant, I understand radar for speed a group of cars but you cannot single out a single person / car. Very interesting situation anyway.

 

[JackL]

If by chance they are using Aeroscope - DJI I think the transmitter is in the drone and CAN NOT be switched off.

I did not know this existed! I was just thinking about looking at my Mavic data stream with a SDR to see if any useful info could be extracted. Clearly it can!!

 

[Deleted member 103366]

SDR ?

 

[BigAl07]

I already know the rules. I fly RC planes and I have a PPL. Having a drone is just for fun, when I'm bored at work I can fly it in the parking lot. I'm not one of those guys who flies over people or flies miles bvr. The day I flew I was below 400ft and about a mile out, not over any houses or people

If you are so all knowing about the rules etc why did YOU ask what the rules are in this post:

And what exactly is the law regarding flying?

You asked a question about laws of UAS flight and turned around and state you already know them.... *scratches my head*


Then you spewed this bit of nonsense:
"I'm not one of those guys who flies over people or flies miles bvr."

then you immediately stated:
"..... The day I flew I was below 400ft and about a mile out....." ( BigAl07 added italics and bold for clarity)

You can't see and determine aircraft orientation etc at a mile out. This puts you voiding your protection under ~44809 and now violating Part 107 rules. Interesting how you're willing to risk your flight privs to fly a mile out like that well beyond VLOS.

 

[devgrp]

If you are so all knowing about the rules etc why did YOU ask what the rules are in this post:


You asked a question about laws of UAS flight and turned around and state you already know them.... *scratches my head*


Then you spewed this bit of nonsense:
"I'm not one of those guys who flies over people or flies miles bvr."

then you immediately stated:
"..... The day I flew I was below 400ft and about a mile out....." ( BigAl07 added italics and bold for clarity)

You can't see and determine aircraft orientation etc at a mile out. This puts you voiding your protection under ~44809 and now violating Part 107 rules. Interesting how you're willing to risk your flight privs to fly a mile out like that well beyond VLOS.

Some of you guys kill me, I'm sure you guys all fly your drones where you can actually see it and never out of Los ?

 

[JackL]

SDR ?

Software Defined Radio with HackRF - Great Scott Gadgets

greatscottgadgets.com

Software Defined Radio. Some really amazing advances being made with digital radio streams these days.

 

[BigAl07]

Some of you guys kill me, I'm sure you guys all fly your drones where you can actually see it and never out of Los ?

As shocking as this may sound, YES I do. The only time I lose VLOS is when operating around a structure etc and during those times I have a VO in place to assist and I absolutely minimize any VLOS to stay within the regulations. Sorry to pop your bubble but I operate strictly within the Regulations unless I have a waiver to deviate from them.

I notice you didn't even try to address my previous post at all . . .

 

[devgrp]

As shocking as this may sound, YES I do. The only time I lose VLOS is when operating around a structure etc and during those times I have a VO in place to assist and I absolutely minimize any VLOS to stay within the regulations. Sorry to pop your bubble but I operate strictly within the Regulations unless I have a waiver to deviate from them.

I notice you didn't even try to address my previous post at all . . .

I find that hard to believe, but I'll keep flying the way I fly

 

[BigAl07]

I find that hard to believe, but I'll keep flying the way I fly

 

[JackL]

Some of you guys kill me, I'm sure you guys all fly your drones where you can actually see it and never out of Los ?

I think the part 107 commercial people all adhere to the rules. To the letter. Always.

Personally I consider myself a total rc hobby dude and fly out to the max range over the ocean. I actually do spot it with binoculars and my DLSR but I believe that doesn't actually count.

 

[pinballwiz86]

Best to avoid all this fuss by always flying a drone from and landing on private property.

 

[JohnnyChicago]

Well, that seems to have escalated...
Putting on my non-lawyer-advice civil liberty practitioner hat I would say your problems began when you engaged with the original officers and allowed them to search, examine and document your equipment.
That was totally voluntary on your part, whether you understood so or not at the time.
In similar circumstances I have simply given yes/no answers and offered my ID if DEMANDED ...and nothing more.
"Am I being detained, officer? May I leave?"
As for the drone, it is your property regardless of where you might be. You are not required to let the local police inspect your drone. People are under the impression that the police are going to confiscate your drone if you do not cooperate. Unless you are endangering people and refuse to land under direct order there should be no reason to assume that. On many occasions I have simply packed my stuff, ignored social chat and simply left the area. If the police ask for my personal information I'm happy to give whatever is required, but the information on serial numbers can be used to track the RC control signal on DJI products. This information is commercially accessible to law enforcement and can be assumed to be in use in communities everywhere.

 

[Father Cheddar]

Funny guy, eh?!
After see many posts about pilots being accosted by the public, it finally happened to me! I live in a small, everyone knows everyone community so I was surprised. She even claimed to have been part of the law to ban drone flights! It is disturbing because everyone so far is either curious or doesn’t care.
I am always courteous and ask about kids and dogs getting upset and will leave if so asked, but she barked at me before I could ask. I offered my FAA registration and LAANC flight plan, but she talked over me saying the police would be on the way. I explained the governance was by FAA not police but she refused to believe it! I flew home and packed up not wanting further issues and waited for the cops who didn’t show up. It amazes me how negative and ignorant some people are, and I wonder where they get their information . Oh well......... tips up!

Had the same thing happen to me recently. Flying it in the back yard of where I've lived for five years. Sizable backyard, small town. Just got the drone so I'm new. Wasn't doing anything special, flying around withen my area and trying not to go into another property. Would go up like 200 feet or so and mess with the settings to get familer with everything. Did this on three or so seperate days. Then one day I was flying around doing the same thing and the neighbors that live adjacent to us came out and one of them said something like "fly it over here again" or something, then one of them was yelling on the phone borderline hysterical to someone. Got a message from the landlord to not fly the drone again, on his property we live at I presume. Not like I can't just walk to a sidewalk and take off instead. He had gotten several complaints about me flying over people's property, never happened. Bums me out, they couldn't have just said something to me instead of the avenue they chose. Made me feel like they were making out like I was up to something nefarious, spying on them I guess. I can see their backyard just as clear from the ground don't really need to be up in the air if that was my intent. Thought about just returning it cause it hadn't been a week and I was already attracting karen's. Decided against it and pressed forward with getting my part 107. People are just weird and bored and want to make something from nothing.

 

[BigAl07]

Had the same thing happen to me recently. Flying it in the back yard of where I've lived for five years. Sizable backyard, small town. Just got the drone so I'm new. Wasn't doing anything special, flying around withen my area and trying not to go into another property. Would go up like 200 feet or so and mess with the settings to get familer with everything. Did this on three or so seperate days. Then one day I was flying around doing the same thing and the neighbors that live adjacent to us came out and one of them said something like "fly it over here again" or something, then one of them was yelling on the phone borderline hysterical to someone. Got a message from the landlord to not fly the drone again, on his property we live at I presume. Not like I can't just walk to a sidewalk and take off instead. He had gotten several complaints about me flying over people's property, never happened. Bums me out, they couldn't have just said something to me instead of the avenue they chose. Made me feel like they were making out like I was up to something nefarious, spying on them I guess. I can see their backyard just as clear from the ground don't really need to be up in the air if that was my intent. Thought about just returning it cause it hadn't been a week and I was already attracting karen's. Decided against it and pressed forward with getting my part 107. People are just weird and bored and want to make something from nothing.

WELCOME to the forum

 

[anotherlab]

Had the same thing happen to me recently. Flying it in the back yard of where I've lived for five years. Sizable backyard, small town. Just got the drone so I'm new. Wasn't doing anything special, flying around withen my area and trying not to go into another property. Would go up like 200 feet or so and mess with the settings to get familer with everything. Did this on three or so seperate days. Then one day I was flying around doing the same thing and the neighbors that live adjacent to us came out and one of them said something like "fly it over here again" or something, then one of them was yelling on the phone borderline hysterical to someone. Got a message from the landlord to not fly the drone again, on his property we live at I presume. Not like I can't just walk to a sidewalk and take off instead. He had gotten several complaints about me flying over people's property, never happened. Bums me out, they couldn't have just said something to me instead of the avenue they chose. Made me feel like they were making out like I was up to something nefarious, spying on them I guess. I can see their backyard just as clear from the ground don't really need to be up in the air if that was my intent. Thought about just returning it cause it hadn't been a week and I was already attracting karen's. Decided against it and pressed forward with getting my part 107. People are just weird and bored and want to make something from nothing.

Welcome aboard @Father Cheddar and greetings from Albany, NY!?
Sorry to hear about the landlord/neighbor situation.

 

[Papabri]

Hi guys I had a run in with cops the last summer. I was out flying in Charlotte NC in the city and a cop pulled up and asked if I was flying a drone. I said yes. I told him I was just getting some pics for the skyline and the panthers stadium. After I landed, another cop on a segway pulled up and the other cop asked him if he saw the drone on some tracker. Could'nt make out the name, but they took my name and phone number and took a pic of my serial number etc under the battery. They just told me to fly los and always keep the drone in my sight.

Now yesterday I had another run in with them. I was at my studio in the parking lot waiting for my client, so I decided to do a little flight. I flew about a mile away then came back and landed. About 5 minutes later I get a call from a detective asking why I'm flying so far away and how one of his officers had already talked to me about it. I was surprised because I didnt know how they are tracking my drone.

Then I started doing some research. Turns out the drone is sending all its telemetry data to an internet website database and cops are able to access this information. Never though about this and I never fly in airplane mode.

So I will start flying in airplane mode to avoid being tracked

You can turn that off in settings

 

[BigAl07]

You can turn that off in settings

You're only turning off some portions of the data but your DATA STREAM is still very much being sent out from the aircraft and transmitter so long as they are powered ON and operational.

 

[Thomas B]

Had the same thing happen to me recently. Flying it in the back yard of where I've lived for five years. Sizable backyard, small town. Just got the drone so I'm new. Wasn't doing anything special, flying around withen my area and trying not to go into another property. Would go up like 200 feet or so and mess with the settings to get familer with everything. Did this on three or so seperate days. Then one day I was flying around doing the same thing and the neighbors that live adjacent to us came out and one of them said something like "fly it over here again" or something, then one of them was yelling on the phone borderline hysterical to someone. Got a message from the landlord to not fly the drone again, on his property we live at I presume. Not like I can't just walk to a sidewalk and take off instead. He had gotten several complaints about me flying over people's property, never happened. Bums me out, they couldn't have just said something to me instead of the avenue they chose. Made me feel like they were making out like I was up to something nefarious, spying on them I guess. I can see their backyard just as clear from the ground don't really need to be up in the air if that was my intent. Thought about just returning it cause it hadn't been a week and I was already attracting karen's. Decided against it and pressed forward with getting my part 107. People are just weird and bored and want to make something from nothing.

Welcome to the forum from the deserts of Arizona!

 

[GFields]

I think the point they may be trying to make is flying beyond VLOS. Being able to see a small drone a mile away is difficult if not impossible