How do you deal with angry people who hate drones while you're flying?

[Bad Santa]

Pepper spray will take care of dogs and several other 'pests'.

I think there are better things to use than pepper spray.

https://www.amazon.com/Predator-Pee-Skunk-Um/dp/B07H8K3T6X?th=1

 

[MS Coast]

Reminds me of Billy Jack. His line was similar but no drone. I am going to put my foot on the side of your head right here (touches the guys head) and the neat thing is there is not a **** thing you can do about it.

And there really was nothing anyone could do about it.

Rather than Immitating an imaginary tough guy, I go with the @GFields approach described above. Works like a charm. Besides, kicking is a little girl thing.

"Just be professional, civil, and most of all, legal."

 

[Chip]

Rather than Immitating an imaginary tough guy, I go with the @GFields approach described above. Works like a charm. Besides, kicking is a little girl thing.

"Just be professional, civil, and most of all, legal."

Tom Laughlin aka Billy Jack was not imaginary but a real life Green Beret. When he said I will put my foot right on your forehead and there is nothing you can do about it he was not joking. I would not recommend trying it unless you are threatened and there is no option, you are Bad Santa or you are specially trained as a Green Beret and Hapkido Master.

 

[Xitor]

I wear a lanyard with my credentials. Be surprised how many people see you in a lanyard and move on. On my lanyard have three clear vinal card holders:
1. 107 card front / Drone Registration back
2. Trust card front / Part 107 recurrent certificate back (since original has expired)
3. Second UAS registration front / QR Code to youtube video on the back.

Yes I know if you have your 107 you don't need your trust, but you never know what law enforcement was instructed to look for so I have both.

Most important part is the QR code. Using bit.ly I generate the QR code that I can repoint to a my current "karen reel" on youtube, a little montage of drone videos that show what I'm shooting. Implied theme, its just photography not surveillance or spying. I'm not shooting your house, I'm shooting the sunset, or the creek, etc.

 

[Droning on and on...]

I think there are better things to use than pepper spray.

An excellent alternative is to bring your Home Monkey with you and let it throw its feces at people.

Everyone has one, right?

(Why do I keep making fun in this thread? Because I find many of the serious suggestions as silly as the ones I'm offering... )

 

[msinger]

I heard someone say to wear a neon vest that says something like "drone pilot at work, please do not disturb" or something like that and by looking official and standing out, it makes others leave you alone.

I'm not sure wearing a vest would be enough to prevent people from disturbing you.

If you're flying near your vehicle, it might be more effective to have some kind of signage on your vehicle (vinyl decals or a magnet) displaying your company name and a brief service description. On my street, there are workers throughout the year wearing regular street clothes, but it's always clear which company they're with because their vehicles are properly marked.

Whatever approach you take, I'd advise against encouraging people to call the police, even if you're confident you're not doing anything wrong. Provoking angry individuals is rarely a good idea and can often escalate a situation unnecessarily.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Whatever approach you take, I'd advise against encouraging people to call the police, even if you're confident you're not doing anything wrong. Provoking angry individuals is rarely a good idea and can often escalate a situation unnecessarily.

Good advice

Keep in mind that if the police are called, it's going to be quite a delay in carrying on your day for no good reason, as you're behaving lawfully. Kinda like being willing to wait around for the cops because someone thought you were dribbling illegally on the basketball court at the park. I would have a symbolic finger for someone so ridiculous, and it ain't the pinky or thumb.

Also, keep in mind if you're doing nothing wrong, you're under no obligation to stick around and be hassled if Ken or Karen decide to call the cops. Leave your phone # with Karen for the cops to call.

 

[Dronecation]

An excellent alternative is to bring your Home Monkey with you and let it throw its feces at people.

Everyone has one, right?

(Why do I keep making fun in this thread? Because I find many of the serious suggestions as silly as the ones I'm offering... )

... or better yet:

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[Bad Santa]

Also, keep in mind if you're doing nothing wrong, you're under no obligation to stick around and be hassled if Ken or Karen decide to call the cops. Leave your phone # with Karen for the cops to call.

I'd agree with this but I wouldn't give my phone number to anyone. There's no valid reason to.
If a cop shows up and finds a "crime" of you flying, let them track you down. They won't.
Giving a Karen my hone number will NEVER happen.
I'm also unsure if a police officer can detain you if you've done nothing illegal. Even if the cop shows up, go about your business and let them know they can ask you questions if they desire.

This goes back to my geocaching in the middle of the night. A cop came up and asked my friend and I what we were doing. I told him "geocaching" and said "If you want to ask questions, I'll answer but I'm going to keep looking for the cache.
He asked a few before I found the cache and y friend and I answered but we never broke stride in signing the log and rehiding it. I wasn't driving so I wasn't obligated to show ID so I got in the car and waited for my friend to get done with the cop.
The cop was pretty cool about it all. We weren't doing anything "wrong" or illegal at 3AM with our flashlights looking around.

 

[Chip]

FAA DECLARES TOXIC MASCULINITY AS IMMINENT THREAT TO AIRSPACE SECURITY NOTAM/TFR PENDING​

Hazardous Attitudes​

Hazardous attitudes are attitudes that negatively affect the quality of your decisions. Recognizing them is the first step in neutralizing them. There are 5 attitudes:

• Anti-authority: Those who do not like anyone telling them what to do.
• Impulsivity: Those who feel the need to do something, anything, immediately.
• Invulnerability: Those who believe that accidents happen to others.
• Macho: Those who are trying to prove that they are better than anyone else. “Watch this!
• Resignation: Those who do not see themselves making a difference.

Here's a list of antidotes to the 5 hazardous attitudes discussed in the previous chapter.

• Anti-authority: Follow the rules. They are usually right.
• Impulsivity: Not so fast. Think first.
• Invulnerability: It could happen to me.
• Macho: Taking chances is foolish.
• Resignation: "I’m not helpless. ?I can make a difference.

Activities, Courses, Seminars & Webinars - ALC_Content - FAA - FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov

 

[Bad Santa]

FAA DECLARES TOXIC MASCULINITY AS IMMINENT THREAT TO AIRSPACE SECURITY NOTAM/TFR PENDING​

Hazardous Attitudes​

Hazardous attitudes are attitudes that negatively affect the quality of your decisions. Recognizing them is the first step in neutralizing them. There are 5 attitudes:

• Anti-authority: Those who do not like anyone telling them what to do.
• Impulsivity: Those who feel the need to do something, anything, immediately.
• Invulnerability: Those who believe that accidents happen to others.
• Macho: Those who are trying to prove that they are better than anyone else. “Watch this!
• Resignation: Those who do not see themselves making a difference.

Here's a list of antidotes to the 5 hazardous attitudes discussed in the previous chapter.

• Anti-authority: Follow the rules. They are usually right.
• Impulsivity: Not so fast. Think first.
• Invulnerability: It could happen to me.
• Macho: Taking chances is foolish.
• Resignation: "I’m not helpless. ?I can make a difference.

Activities, Courses, Seminars & Webinars - ALC_Content - FAA - FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov

I think the word "toxic" has lost it's impact in our society. It's overused. As well as "imminent threat"

 

[Droning on and on...]

The cop was pretty cool about it all. We weren't doing anything "wrong" or illegal at 3AM with our flashlights looking around.

You most certainly were.

You should either be asleep or drunk at 3 AM.

 

[Droning on and on...]

I think the word "toxic" has lost it's impact in our society. It's overused. As well as "imminent threat"

I'm far more concerned about an imminent flood than I am an imminent threat of a flood.

Just sayin'.

 

[Chip]

I think the word "toxic" has lost it's impact in our society. It's overused. As well as "imminent threat"

okay but now it sounds like you are mansplaining.

 

[Bad Santa]

okay but now it sounds like you are mansplaining.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

 

[WilliamDaugherty]

No two situations are identical. I've had a handful of negative interactions in the last 8 years of nearly daily flights. I tend to be a polite, courteous person, and in hundreds of interactions, that has worked perfectly. I do stay focused on the task at hand however, which means I have to be curt at times, but never rude.

I almost always wear a hi-viz vest and a lanyard with an "ID badge" I had made with my photo, my Part 107 number, and my work number and web URL in a QR code. I also have a laminated copy of my business card in another pouch on the lanyard. It is worth noting that I've not had a single negative interaction since donning the vest and lanyard several years ago.