Hello Karen

[Bad Santa]

Karen: Me:

Excuse me. I called the city and they said you can't fly here. It's not allowed.

OK, I won't fly here anymore. I have an app that tells me where I can't fly and it didn't say I can't fly here.

They have a non emergency number but I didn't call it yet. You need to leave.

I already said I won't fly here anymore but I am going to have to call to make sure it's not allowed.

I don't want to call the non emergency but I will if I have to.

Um, OK. (drone is landing at this moment)

You aren't allowed to fly here.

__________________________________________________________________

Today I was flying at a place that I've been flying for a couple weeks. It's a medium sized city park.
I've had a couple of people tell me things like "nice drone" or ask questions about how far it can fly, etc.
I'm not flying near people. Today there wasn't anyone within a few hundred feet of me and there was a fence between them and I.

I'm really just flying in basic simple patterns while trying to feel the limitations of waypoints. (Finding out they're kind of "close" but can drift 25 feet easily)

So, after the conversation above, I called the city to find out. The lady on the phone said "No, you're not allowed to fly there". I had already looked up the city website and there was nothing said about drones other than information about the police department having a drone program.

I asked her why the website didn't mention drones aren't allowed. She said she thought the website said something. I also mentioned there were no signs indicating drones weren't allowed and there were signs stating other things not allowed.

She finally said she didn't know why there was no info on drones but "she was told that they weren't allowed".

hmm...

Then informed me that her manager, who would know, was out sick and they would, maybe, meet on Tuesday and she'd ask.

I gave her my email address for a reply. We will see.

The questions she will be asking her manager is:
• Is it not allowed for drones to launch from the ground within the park?
• Is it not allowed for a person to be in the park while flying a drone?
• Are drones allowed to fly over the park?

I do know cities have the right to say you can't fly drones in a city park.
At question is does the city actually have a policy? If so, where's it posted.
Where would the minimum height be for someone who is operating within FAA regs flying in airspace above the park?

FWIW, I was very polite with both people. I would have easily not flown again in the park if Karen hadn't been so in your face about it and just asked me to not fly there. Her demanding from me gave me a bad taste. I don't like people, who have ZERO authority acting like they do have authority over me. You know, Karens.

I wasn't looking for trouble but I'm kind of wanting to see what I can o just to mess with this Karen, if only once.

 

[AlanL]

Assuming they have a written policy the city can tell you that you can't be standing on city park property launching/controlling your drone but they have no legal way to keep you from flying over the property. They have no jurisdiction over air space as that is exclusively administered by the FAA.

 

[Cafguy]

First the sad fact is you probably know better because you actually looked it up The employee at the city simply assumed Drones are Bad and it MUST be a rule right??
It has to be posted in clear view and the signage MUST point you directly to any city code or law that you would be violating. NO SIGN.....go flying but do your homework first!!!

 

[Bad Santa]

First the sad fact is you probably know better because you actually looked it up The employee at the city simply assumed Drones are Bad and it MUST be a rule right??
It has to be posted in clear view and the signage MUST point you directly to any city code or law that you would be violating. NO SIGN.....go flying but do your homework first!!!

I looked it up after I left the park because I saw nothing saying drones weren't allowed and I wanted to be courteous and stay within the rules.
Having said that, I didn't choose BAD Santa because I'm a goody two-shoes. I can be quite the Arse when I want to be. (No comments from the peanut gallery on that)

 

[GadgetGuy]

I looked it up after I left the park because I saw nothing saying drones weren't allowed and I wanted to be courteous and stay within the rules.
Having said that, I didn't choose BAD Santa because I'm a goody two-shoes. I can be quite the Arse when I want to be. (No comments from the peanut gallery on that)

They need to be able to cite a specific municipal code or regulation that you are supposedly violating so you can look it up, and verify that it actually prohibits what you are doing. Can't just be a "policy." Once you are on solid ground (no pun intended), you can then threaten Karen for interfering with a pilot while flying, which is also illegal!

AI Overview


Interfering with a drone pilot is illegal and can lead to severe penalties, including substantial fines and imprisonment
. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) classifies drones as aircraft, protecting them under the same federal laws that prohibit interference with manned aircraft.
How interfering with a drone pilot is illegal
Federal law prohibits interfering with aircraft and their operations. This applies to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), which consist of the drone, the controller, and the pilot.

• Shooting or jamming a drone: Destroying a drone with a firearm is a federal crime. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prohibits the use of signal jammers or similar devices to disrupt drone operation because they illegally interfere with radio communications.
• Causing a collision: Recklessly operating a drone or interfering with one in a way that causes a collision or near-miss with another aircraft can trigger federal charges.
• Disrupting an emergency response: Interfering with authorized law enforcement, firefighting, or other emergency personnel operating a drone is illegal. This can lead to criminal charges and even restitution for damages.
• Assaulting or intimidating the pilot: Physically confronting or harassing a drone pilot on the ground while they are operating their aircraft can be considered assault or intimidation.

Potential penalties

The consequences for interfering with a drone pilot depend on the severity of the offense and can include both civil and criminal penalties.

• Heavy fines: Fines can reach tens of thousands of dollars, especially for violations that endanger the safety of the national airspace. Recent updates to FAA regulations have increased the maximum fine per violation to $75,000. For instance, one person who interfered with a law enforcement helicopter received a proposed fine of over $32,000.
• Jail time: Criminal charges, particularly for egregious cases, can result in imprisonment for up to a year for a first offense. Willfully interfering with the operation of an aircraft with the intent to endanger lives can result in up to 20 years in prison.
• Civil lawsuits: In addition to federal charges, a pilot can sue an individual for property damage or for violating state privacy laws. Some state laws allow for fines between $5,000 and $50,000 in a successful lawsuit for invasion of privacy.