On Sunday I was flying in nearby Lewes, Delaware, a popular historical summer resort that has the distinction of being "The First Town in the First State." Very parochial, very conservative, very stodgy, with a very wide line of demarcation between the old bloods who still run the Town and the influx of new people (cha ching!!) who have moved into the area and assumed their own place in the scheme of things
I was flying to capture footage of the large ferry boats that transport cars and people from Lewes to Cape May, NJ, some 75 minutes by ferry across the Delaware Bay. Being under the authority of the Delaware River Boat Authority (kind of the maritime version of the FAA in Delaware) I had previously checked to see if drone flying was permitted in the area and found a letter that allowed it. So off I went.
I obtained some excellent footage of two ferries coming and leaving the Port, finished my filming, packed up, and was about to leave the area I was flying from when a local Lewes Town police officer pulled up to talk to me. I was ready for whatever was about to come my way.
Folks, the gentleman could not have been nicer, more friendly, more informed or more fair. In fact, I wish I had written down his name so I could send his superiors a letter attesting to how well he conducted himself with me, accorded me respect the entire time, and never once established even a hint of an "Us and Them" dynamic. In short, that officer is VERY well suited for his particular job in dealing with the public and he treated me in an inclusive manner instead of approaching me as if I were an outsider doing something shady or suspect.
Basically, the officer said he stopped by just to make contact with me because I was engaged in some non-ordinary activities for the ferry Port (which did not bother me or offend me whatsoever. Why should it? He's just doing his job.). He immediately informed me that all was fine, that drone flying was permitted in the area, then he asked to see my FAA registration information, which is not only on my drones but is also always in my pocket when I fly in a cut-to-size format.
Once he saw that, we just spent some time talking, I answered some drone-related questions he had, specifics about my Mavic, and so on. He did advise me to not fly over the ferries as the DRBA stated such occurrences are a distraction for them during docking, which just makes common sense - and which I had inadvertently done while positioning my Mavic for a particular shot I was trying to get. The officer had seen that error on my part, and he did NOT make a big deal about it. Instead, he just suggested I avoid doing that again in the future. Period. We shook hands several times, I complimented him on his understanding about current drone laws and how well he handled me and conducted himself in an authoritative yet very reasonable manner that day and told him how, as a man, I appreciated his treatment of me, and left quite happy.
My point is that not every law enforcement agent out there is automatically anti-drone or anti-drone pilot, and so we as pilots should endeavor to be cooperative, professional, and up to par with clean hands whenever we have dealings with them. By having my FAA registration instantly available to him when he lawfully requested seeing it, I demonstrated my complete desire to cooperate with him and the Law and that I knew what my FAA obligations are - which instantly stopped a whole bunch of questions that COULD have been thrown my way. In short, this fine officer simply was NOT out to get me.
My Father was a Philadelphia City police officer for 8 years, from 1957-65. I remember him telling me that whenever he was on a street, it became HIS street, and that is the way I should treat and respect law enforcement every time I engaged with them, even for something as simple as a speeding ticket. Well, Dad was right. Out in public, law enforcement has the ultimate say during the moment you engage with them. If you think they mishandled a situation, then your only recourse is to take them to Court or file a complaint against them, or both. But during the moment on the streets, law enforcement rules. Therefore, I strongly suggest that all drone pilots always be mentally prepared while flying for a tap on their shoulder from law enforcement so they are prepared to be responsive, accurate, in line with all FAA regs, and be ready and willing to simply talk the situation out with them.
For me, it's the only way to fly.
I was flying to capture footage of the large ferry boats that transport cars and people from Lewes to Cape May, NJ, some 75 minutes by ferry across the Delaware Bay. Being under the authority of the Delaware River Boat Authority (kind of the maritime version of the FAA in Delaware) I had previously checked to see if drone flying was permitted in the area and found a letter that allowed it. So off I went.
I obtained some excellent footage of two ferries coming and leaving the Port, finished my filming, packed up, and was about to leave the area I was flying from when a local Lewes Town police officer pulled up to talk to me. I was ready for whatever was about to come my way.
Folks, the gentleman could not have been nicer, more friendly, more informed or more fair. In fact, I wish I had written down his name so I could send his superiors a letter attesting to how well he conducted himself with me, accorded me respect the entire time, and never once established even a hint of an "Us and Them" dynamic. In short, that officer is VERY well suited for his particular job in dealing with the public and he treated me in an inclusive manner instead of approaching me as if I were an outsider doing something shady or suspect.
Basically, the officer said he stopped by just to make contact with me because I was engaged in some non-ordinary activities for the ferry Port (which did not bother me or offend me whatsoever. Why should it? He's just doing his job.). He immediately informed me that all was fine, that drone flying was permitted in the area, then he asked to see my FAA registration information, which is not only on my drones but is also always in my pocket when I fly in a cut-to-size format.
Once he saw that, we just spent some time talking, I answered some drone-related questions he had, specifics about my Mavic, and so on. He did advise me to not fly over the ferries as the DRBA stated such occurrences are a distraction for them during docking, which just makes common sense - and which I had inadvertently done while positioning my Mavic for a particular shot I was trying to get. The officer had seen that error on my part, and he did NOT make a big deal about it. Instead, he just suggested I avoid doing that again in the future. Period. We shook hands several times, I complimented him on his understanding about current drone laws and how well he handled me and conducted himself in an authoritative yet very reasonable manner that day and told him how, as a man, I appreciated his treatment of me, and left quite happy.
My point is that not every law enforcement agent out there is automatically anti-drone or anti-drone pilot, and so we as pilots should endeavor to be cooperative, professional, and up to par with clean hands whenever we have dealings with them. By having my FAA registration instantly available to him when he lawfully requested seeing it, I demonstrated my complete desire to cooperate with him and the Law and that I knew what my FAA obligations are - which instantly stopped a whole bunch of questions that COULD have been thrown my way. In short, this fine officer simply was NOT out to get me.
My Father was a Philadelphia City police officer for 8 years, from 1957-65. I remember him telling me that whenever he was on a street, it became HIS street, and that is the way I should treat and respect law enforcement every time I engaged with them, even for something as simple as a speeding ticket. Well, Dad was right. Out in public, law enforcement has the ultimate say during the moment you engage with them. If you think they mishandled a situation, then your only recourse is to take them to Court or file a complaint against them, or both. But during the moment on the streets, law enforcement rules. Therefore, I strongly suggest that all drone pilots always be mentally prepared while flying for a tap on their shoulder from law enforcement so they are prepared to be responsive, accurate, in line with all FAA regs, and be ready and willing to simply talk the situation out with them.
For me, it's the only way to fly.
