Harrowing Final Flight - Mavic Totalled

[Flawless]

Oh yea. Have a nice day...I'm done.

...all will be awaiting your last word, we expect it.

Don't pretend to speak for anyone but yourself, not after all that ( MOD REMOVED )

 

[Guest 45469]

I watched a news story about some guys who robbed a bank, killed three people doing it...Maybe you ought to call the police and tell them other people do it and you do **** you see others do.

I crashed my drone and this guy's comparing me to a murderous bank robber. I live in an urban environment. The closest open space is the ocean. I fly over it regularly but it's not exactly comforting to know that if anything goes wrong, my drone is gone for good. The FAA regulations are quite vague and loose, and enforcement is also very sporadic and inconsistent.

I can understand that people who enjoy this hobby probably would like to keep it that way and hope that not pissing people off will serve that end. In the little time I've been flying, it seems the only person I've pissed off is you. No harm, no foul. My bird is wrecked and I won't be flying for a while. Maybe I should consider just how many pissy people there are in the world before I decide to replace or fix my drone.

 

[Randyp1234]

I'm really trying, here.

GO EDUCATE YOURSELF AND DROP the "I can do whatever the **** I want to attitude in MY favorite hobby. Don't **** it up for us, who act responsibly.

Seems to me that's what he's trying to do by asking to be shown where his actions are actually illegal rather than against best practice.

 

[ac0j]

Find me two drone pilots that both adhere to 100% of the same Rules (read courtesy's) and laws.
You cannot. Some of us wouldnt fly on a beach in a heavily occupied area, some would.
Some of us wouldnt fly at all in an urban area, some would.
It really doesnt seem that there are many LAWS about drone use. There are however many, many "RULES" or guidelines. For any one of us to force our perceptions on others is plain wrong.
So after reading some of the most holier than thow things I have seen here to date, I say with confidence,
Its your Mavic, Its your money, Do what you want.
Now for those champions of the cause "you make the rest of us look bad" crybabies.
No one ever whines on gun forums about criminals making gun owners look bad.
No one ever complains about people at the gym make fat people look bad.
Get over it.

 

[MadValley]

Surprisingly, our government actually spent some time thinking about it and put together:

https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf

While many do not strictly adhere to all the rules in general, in this specific case had the OP landed on private property, a vehicle, or even near somebody who was disinclined to understand the need to fly as the OP was flying that night, the first hour and a half of his lawyer's fee would easily prevent him from buying another Mavic or repairing this one.

 

[ac0j]

Is it your feelings that "rule" equals "law" ? (kind of how I feel)
What is the difference in breaking a rule and breaking a law?
I cant seem to understand how that works, a lot of the armchair attorneys here say they are not the same thing.

 

[MadValley]

So a law is passed by Congress that says something like: "The FAA can make rules regarding the safe operation of aircraft." The FAA then implements rules that, in their position as part of the Executive Branch, implement that law. Something like "You can't fly passengers for money unless you're a licensed commercial pilot." The FAA, given an environment changing faster than Congress can handle, may extend their rule-making into a new environment, say, UAS. Those rules may be backed by civil penalties, criminal penalties, or may be in place to provide guidance on what the best practices are. The issue that falls under the discussion radar is that even when the FAA doesn't have the budget for enforcement to keep us all in line, when things go belly up and your drone battery tanks and it comes down after a few minutes in, maybe, a nursery school playground or a police training facility, the lawyers for that aggrieved party will use every one of those rules to flay you and tack your hide to the wall.

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

Man, it seems like every time something/someone flies in an unsafe manner the thread always comes back to the FAA rules/guidelines/laws. There no need to cite a FAA guideline in these instances, common sense should prevail here. Kinda like driving 100mph past a children's playground.

 

[ac0j]

Man, it seems like every time something/someone flies in an unsafe manner the thread always comes back to the FAA rules/guidelines/laws. There no need to cite a FAA guideline in these instances, common sense should prevail here. Kinda like driving 100mph past a children's playground.

Kind of how I see it. The rules are not that hard to follow. And they make perfect sense to me. I am pretty sure it is up to the individual whether to follow the guidelines or not. I dont think it is up to other toy owners to make everybody interpret things the same way they do.. Of course, some of the use of fuzzy logic may find your drone thrown into an ocean or something, BUT that is the price you pay for loose interpretations of right and wrong.

 

[MadValley]

Is it your feelings that "rule" equals "law" ? (kind of how I feel)
What is the difference in breaking a rule and breaking a law?
I cant seem to understand how that works, a lot of the armchair attorneys here say they are not the same thing.

Oops, there was a question there. Check out the "Scope of FAA’s Enforcement Authority" in the above referenced PDF. A "rule" may have a penalty attached if the authorizing "law" permits that or the law may specify penalties that the rule making agency can use as guidance when implementing rules and consequences.

 

[MadValley]

Man, it seems like every time something/someone flies in an unsafe manner the thread always comes back to the FAA rules/guidelines/laws. There no need to cite a FAA guideline in these instances, common sense should prevail here. Kinda like driving 100mph past a children's playground.

Exactly. But if "common sense" was actually common there would be no need for the rules. And, I respectfully disagree with you Anthony, there are (obviously) a fair number of people out there who have no common sense, did not bother to read the rules and spent no time figuring out that "yeah, flying at night over cities and moving trains, and ships, and highways is pretty stupid." Those people need to be referred back to some kind of font of common sense, which, amazingly, in this case, is the federal government.

 

[ac0j]

I am not a big fan of laws that protect me from myself. Like Motorcycle helmet laws and seat belt laws.
If people want to fly "stupid" let them. It makes for cool video. I would never do it, because I am weary of the potential consequences. Laws or rules aside.

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

Exactly. But if "common sense" was actually common there would be no need for the rules. And, I respectfully disagree with you Anthony, there are (obviously) a fair number of people out there who have no common sense, did not bother to read the rules and spent no time figuring out that "yeah, flying at night over cities and moving trains, and ships, and highways is pretty stupid." Those people need to be referred back to some kind of font of common sense, which, amazingly, in this case, is the federal government.

We could add another "twist" to this discussion...why allow the manufacturer to sell/distribute a product that has the potential to be a risk to the general public.

 

[ac0j]

We could add another "twist" to this discussion...why allow the manufacturer to sell/distribute a product that has the potential to be a risk to the general public.

You mean like guns? LOL!

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

You mean like guns? LOL!

LOL...well lets not open up that "can of worms". Look how well that governing process has worked thus far.

 

[MadValley]

We could add another "twist" to this discussion...why allow the manufacturer to sell/distribute a product that has the potential to be a risk to the general public.

Cars, lettuce, spinach, beef, 737s. The list is endless.

 

[MadValley]

Like Motorcycle helmet laws and seat belt laws.

I've got not problem with these as it keeps me from paying to save your sorry 4$$ if you don't *quite* kill yourself. It doesn't protect you. It protects me from paying for the consequences of your actions.

 

[jupiterbk]

You should purchase your drone with the American Express card. ( other cards like Visa Sapphire too etc ) as it has buyer protection with each purchase. If you lose something. Break a drone. It flys away from you. Whatever kind of issue like that, they will credit you the purchase price or repair it if you still have it for up to as long as 90 days. With my Amex Card I believe it’s limited to $50,000 in claims a year and up to I think $1000 or $5000 per incident. Varies by card. I’ve used it twice for other drones and no problem. They credited my purchase price even for the totaled drone a couple years ago when I was learning to fly one. This is a no brainer to charge things like this on the proper card. Heck. You could leave it on the roof of your car and drive away and it’s smashed by another car and you’re covered!

 

[izzy]

Flew 3.7 miles out over the port of Tacoma with a strong tailwind in sport mode. Began return flight with 71% battery and was only making around 25mph against the strong headwind. I knew I wouldn't make it back so I was trying to get to a bridge that was not on private property so I could land safely and go retrieve my drone.

About 250ft from my intended landing spot, and with 10% battery remaining, Mavic disengaged my goggles gimbal control and began to autoland. I clicked on the cancel button on the app (log shows cancel failed). I then went back into the goggles and reengaged the gimbal control.

I looked down as the goggle gimbal controller reengaged and was a few feet away from descending into a power line. I floored the controller up and forward and began moving forward but not up.

Narrowly missing another set of power lines, I approached my intended landing spot with 5% battery remaining. Thought I was going to make it when out of nowhere I clipped a set of power lines and the drone fell 20ft to it's death.

I immediately got in the car and retrieved the downed drone. Rear motor is broken off. Gimbal is hanging by it's wire. Rear body shell is cracked. Totaled?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1L-AVCPsQY

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I've had this Mavic 3 weeks and flown it at every opportunity. I'm tempted to just go buy another one but I have a feeling it won't be my last. Especially considering how much of a rush it is to take risks when flying.

Thoughts? Pretty sure this one is not worth fixing.

Did you have insurance? I have insurance on mine from State Farm $37 a year good price.

 

[wytnyt]

YYeah, I'm wondering where all of the scolding is coming from. I took a risk and paid. No biggie. But as far as rules and regs, I am not aware of any other than registering with the FAA and not flying near airports

when i read posts like this i think of an accident looking for a place to happen,,,its good law abiding people that will pay the price when it does happen