Got a call from the Police about my drone

[rxlawdude]

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

I believe local yokels do not have any enforcement authority over VLOS rules.

 

[GFields]

I believe local yokels do not have any enforcement authority over VLOS rules.

Correct. They don't. But they can and should point out the safety concern.

 

[PHZ]

Correct. They don't. But they can and should point out the safety concern.

I believe the recent changes the FAA made gives law enforcement officers that power, but double check.

 

[cgmaxed]

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

Aerscope CAN be turned off. I found it in the app and turned the little blue icon switches off. I'm not going to voluntarily send my flight DATA to DJIs network and to people on the ground. I doubt they had any means of tracking a drone other than Aeroscope. My belief is, they just assumed it was the same pilot from the other day unless you actually put identifying information into Aeroscope. I have had about 5 encounters with police regarding my drone flying because my neighbors kept complaining. Now the police ignore them. No problems since. Anyway, If its aeroscope, either turn it off or delete any Identifying info.

If your going to fly too far away, you should fly high. Most people won't be able to see a drone above 375 ft. Do not fly low, if you get an itch to go BVLOS. In daylight I actually can fly 1.5 miles away and still see my drone. But that is because I attach a 2000 lumen spot light to it, that I keep pointed toward my home point. It's not BVLOS if you can still see it. Note: The further you go, the higher you have to go. There are 2 reasons for that. One, you can lose RC connection if you stay too low and 2nd, the further you go, the lower the drone appears to be, thus possibly losing sight of it..

Or you can fly an Autel EVO 1 or 2. I own 2 of them; Autel EVIL 2

 

[z28lt1]

Aerscope CAN be turned off. I found it in the app and turned the little blue icon switches off. I'm not going to voluntarily send my flight DATA to DJIs network and to people on the ground. I doubt they had any means of tracking a drone other than Aeroscope. My belief is, they just assumed it was the same pilot from the other day unless you actually put identifying information into Aeroscope. I have had about 5 encounters with police regarding my drone flying because my neighbors kept complaining. Now the police ignore them. No problems since. Anyway, If its aeroscope, either turn it off or delete any Identifying info.

If your going to fly too far away, you should fly high. Most people won't be able to see a drone above 375 ft. Do not fly low, if you get an itch to go BVLOS. In daylight I actually can fly 1.5 miles away and still see my drone. But that is because I attach a 2000 lumen spot light to it, that I keep pointed toward my home point. It's not BVLOS if you can still see it. Note: The further you go, the higher you have to go. There are 2 reasons for that. One, you can lose RC connection if you stay too low and 2nd, the further you go, the lower the drone appears to be, thus possibly losing sight of it..

Or you can fly an Autel EVO 1 or 2. I own 2 of them; Autel EVIL 2

There is optional data for Aeroscope (your unique user id and flight information) that you can turn off in the app. You can't turn off being seen by Aeroscope and it will still know the drone location, the pilots location (or at least take off point) and the drone type and serial number.

 

[cgmaxed]

There is optional data for Aeroscope (your unique user id and flight information) that you can turn off in the app. You can't turn off being seen by Aeroscope and it will still know the drone location, the pilots location (or at least take off point) and the drone type and serial number.

Really. OK. I didn't know that. I guess when I want to fly far away, i'll fly at night with strobes. Can see them for at least 4 miles. I'll stick with the 1.5 mile range of the 2000 lumen spotlight during the day. If the local police ever buy an aeroscope unit, they'll wonder how I can fly so far. They probably won't believe it, but it'll be the truth. here's a pic using a cell phone of the light on a sunny day. It's the spot in the middle of the pic. It looks better in reality, the cell phone doesn't do it justice.

 

[sar104]

Really. OK. I didn't know that. I guess when I want to fly far away, i'll fly at night with strobes. Can see them for at least 4 miles. I'll stick with the 1.5 mile range of the 2000 lumen spotlight during the day. If the local police ever buy an aeroscope unit, they'll wonder how I can fly so far. They probably won't believe it, but it'll be the truth. here's a pic using a cell phone of the light on a sunny day. It's the spot in the middle of the pic. It looks better in reality, the cell phone doesn't do it justice.

If that's one mile out then I'm certainly not even going to ask how high it is...

 

[cgmaxed]

If that's one mile out then I'm certainly not even going to ask how high it is...

I was on a 3 story balcony. the drone was only 200ft up

 

[sar104]

I was on a 3 story balcony. the drone was only 200ft up

200 ft at one mile is an elevation of 2°.

 

[cgmaxed]

200 ft at one mile is an elevation of 2°.

I was elevated 30ft on a balcony. 1 mile is 5280ft. Not that far. I'd have to calculate height on a piece of paper, w the consideration of me being allready 30ft high. My knowledge of triangle geometry is a little rusty. Can you calculate it? All I know, is I was under 400 ft in altitude. Oh, by the way, since I launched at 30 ft above ground, I was 30ft higher than the readout on the app. Can you do the calculation? If so, go ahead and post it. I don't mind. I just know the app read under 400 ft. Where is my protractor?

 

[cgmaxed]

I was elevated 30ft on a balcony. 1 mile is 5280ft. Not that far. I'd have to calculate height on a piece of paper, w the consideration of me being allready 30ft high. My knowledge of triangle geometry is a little rusty. Can you calculate it? All I know, is I was under 400 ft in altitude. Oh, by the way, since I launched at 30 ft above ground, I was 30ft higher than the readout on the app. Can you do the calculation? If so, go ahead and post it. I don't mind. I just know the app read under 400 ft. Where is my protractor?

If i did it right it shows 5 degrees at 400ft vertical and 5280 horizontal. Am I close? Being over the tree line on the 3rd story balcony allowed me to keep VLOS, even at 2 degree elevation.

 

[cgmaxed]

200 ft at one mile is an elevation of 2°.

I just tested the light again. It was slightly overcast so, I could see the light further away. On my 3rd story balcony above the tree line, I made it 2 miles, and still the light was ultra bright when I rocked the drone forward and backward. It was like a brilliant flashing beacon. I had to increase my altitude to 350ft (380ft if you include the balconies height). 2-5 degrees is sufficient for me to still see the drone. I have nothing in my way. Florida is as flat as can be. I have invented the ultimate solution for those who need or want to fly at least one mile away in high sun conditions and 2 miles away in overcast conditions. I need to patent this idea. They just have to be above the tree line to do it. Woohoo!. My flight logs won't prove anything, except the distance and altitude I flew. The tree line was almost below me. 2 degrees was easily adequate to still see the drone.

The light I am using is a FENIX G35. It weighs 5oz. I can actually lift 2 of the lights, but I don't like the stress it puts on the motors and battery. They get hot. Regarding the light, it get's so hot it melted a hole in my carpet. I wasn't thinking and put it down. I didn't think it could melt my carpet. The price is only 70 U.S. dollars.

 

[passedpawn]

I was elevated 30ft on a balcony. 1 mile is 5280ft. Not that far. I'd have to calculate height on a piece of paper, w the consideration of me being allready 30ft high. My knowledge of triangle geometry is a little rusty. Can you calculate it? All I know, is I was under 400 ft in altitude. Oh, by the way, since I launched at 30 ft above ground, I was 30ft higher than the readout on the app. Can you do the calculation? If so, go ahead and post it. I don't mind. I just know the app read under 400 ft. Where is my protractor?

All you need is trig and SOHCAHTOA.

Anyhoo, angle = atan (170/5280) = 1.8° (angle to the drone from the balcony).

 

[CactusJackSlade]

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

Well, regardless of what technology they are using they did talk to you once already about flying within visual sight and whatever they are using they can apparently tell you are beyond that (at your stated one mile away). Flying BVLOS, especially in a city setting is extremely risky IMO and probably most of their concern. Nobody wants to be "tracked" but in the inner city areas, especially in the NYC and similar type areas, I can see why they would have an issue with drone pilots flying BVLOS.