How do you guys deal with Children when flying?

[jaysrmc]

I am not usually a park flyer unless I am testing something out because they are close to home. Today I went to a local park. I setup and started to pilot my MP. There was a fixed wing guy there with his kids. He finished up and was just hanging out at his bench talking to a friend. His kids came and were asking tons of questions, usually this is not a big deal. Normally I will just bring the bird in and talk to them but these kids kept walking over my other equipment and they were running after my drones when I had them in the air. Pretty dangerous if she falls out of the sky not to mention every time I would take off and land they would run back and stand right next to my landing pad and I would have to land further out and make sure my son grabbed my MP...

I went over to the parent and told him that his children could get hurt. He told me this is a park and to deal with it. The rangers saw the kids running after the drones and eventually came over and told the parent he is responsible for the children and that I didn't want them over there for safety reasons...

I am just curious how you guys deal with this kind of thing.. The park is just an open field designated for RC's. I know that most reasonable parents would stop their children if I told them there was a safety concern.. These were young kids around 5 and 6.

 

[The Moment Thinker]

I am not usually a park flyer unless I am testing something out because they are close to home. Today I went to a local park. I setup and started to pilot my MP. There was a fixed wing guy there with his kids. He finished up and was just hanging out at his bench talking to a friend. His kids came and were asking tons of questions, usually this is not a big deal. Normally I will just bring the bird in and talk to them but these kids kept walking over my other equipment and they were running after my drones when I had them in the air. Pretty dangerous if she falls out of the sky not to mention every time I would take off and land they would run back and stand right next to my landing pad and I would have to land further out and make sure my son grabbed my MP...

I went over to the parent and told him that his children could get hurt. He told me this is a park and to deal with it. The rangers saw the kids running after the drones and eventually came over and told the parent he is responsible for the children and that I didn't want them over there for safety reasons...

I am just curious how you guys deal with this kind of thing.. The park is just an open field designated for RC's. I know that most reasonable parents would stop their children if I told them there was a safety concern.. These were young kids around 5 and 6.

Honestly I don’t think is recommended to fly around children.

 

[jaysrmc]

Honestly I don’t think is recommended to fly around children.

It's not.. It is dangerous.. I am wondering how other people approach this kind of issue.

 

[Robert Mitchell]

I am not usually a park flyer unless I am testing something out because they are close to home. Today I went to a local park. I setup and started to pilot my MP. There was a fixed wing guy there with his kids. He finished up and was just hanging out at his bench talking to a friend. His kids came and were asking tons of questions, usually this is not a big deal. Normally I will just bring the bird in and talk to them but these kids kept walking over my other equipment and they were running after my drones when I had them in the air. Pretty dangerous if she falls out of the sky not to mention every time I would take off and land they would run back and stand right next to my landing pad and I would have to land further out and make sure my son grabbed my MP...

I went over to the parent and told him that his children could get hurt. He told me this is a park and to deal with it. The rangers saw the kids running after the drones and eventually came over and told the parent he is responsible for the children and that I didn't want them over there for safety reasons...

I am just curious how you guys deal with this kind of thing.. The park is just an open field designated for RC's. I know that most reasonable parents would stop their children if I told them there was a safety concern.. These were young kids around 5 and 6.

I think you did about all you could. At that point I'd probably land safely, wait for them to leave, or pack up and wait for another day.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot one can do, if parents aren't going to take responsibility for their kids.

You can bet he'd be going after you, if one of them got hurt.

 

[CCDD]

If the parents are around I’ll let them know when I’m getting ready to land/launch the drone and a need to keep their kids clear otherwise, I try and avoid being anywhere near children and sometime very curious adults that attempt to get a bit too close.

 

[Squamer]

Same way I deal with other people’s kids when I’m not flying. Avoid eye contact, pay them no attention and hope they go away on their own.

 

[ChipDjipro]

Usually it takes only one look from me and trust me they do leave.

 

[laurens23]

... There was a fixed wing guy there with his kids.
... I went over to the parent ...
... The park is just an open field designated for RC's.
... These were young kids around 5 and 6.

Assuming they really were unsafe after all this, and at a recognised RC place, then that is just ridiculous. My 2 year old and his friends watch me fly all the time. They know when the drone is on (specially take off and land) they should keep some distance (5+m or so). They also listen to me if I tell them to move.

Anyway as a solution for your issue, be as boring as possible and the kid(s) will lose interest in a minute or two. Fly up/out some distance and just hover, take a spherical panorama maybe.

 

[joejaxvic123]

Same way I deal with other people’s kids when I’m not flying. Avoid eye contact, pay them no attention and hope they go away on their own.

I think that only works with wild monkeys...lol.

 

[colinfowler]

I just beat them with a stick, even if I don't have my MP

 

[Huge Bama Fan]

I think you did about all you could. At that point I'd probably land safely, wait for them to leave, or pack up and wait for another day.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot one can do, if parents aren't going to take responsibility for their kids.

You can bet he'd be going after you, if one of them got hurt.

This guy nailed it. You did all you could but if the parents will not handle it I roll out

 

[jaysrmc]

This guy nailed it. You did all you could but if the parents will not handle it I roll out

I know... I know.. It just sucks, adults are easy to deal with. Do it all the time.. I was just kinda shocked this dude was allowing his kids to run wild especially when he is a Fixed wing guy, he knows what can happen if his plane hits someone. It is much worse for a drone because it isn't made of foam.

 

[MavicCF]

I am not usually a park flyer unless I am testing something out because they are close to home. Today I went to a local park. I setup and started to pilot my MP. There was a fixed wing guy there with his kids. He finished up and was just hanging out at his bench talking to a friend. His kids came and were asking tons of questions, usually this is not a big deal. Normally I will just bring the bird in and talk to them but these kids kept walking over my other equipment and they were running after my drones when I had them in the air. Pretty dangerous if she falls out of the sky not to mention every time I would take off and land they would run back and stand right next to my landing pad and I would have to land further out and make sure my son grabbed my MP...

I went over to the parent and told him that his children could get hurt. He told me this is a park and to deal with it. The rangers saw the kids running after the drones and eventually came over and told the parent he is responsible for the children and that I didn't want them over there for safety reasons...

I am just curious how you guys deal with this kind of thing.. The park is just an open field designated for RC's. I know that most reasonable parents would stop their children if I told them there was a safety concern.. These were young kids around 5 and 6.

Just bring a big bag of candy, every few minutes throw a large handful into any nearby thick bushes, as soon as their done picking all those ones out, throw another handful. Seriously though, you did all you could and the fixed wing guy should have done more to keep his kids off of you. Those fixed wing people...

 

[dronasoar]

I had to drive around to three different places for my first flight last week, because there were families at the first two. Wasn't going to risk it, esp for my first MP flight.

 

[joejaxvic123]

Fixed wing guy is some kind of anti-drone-ite, droneaphobe, or something...he knew what he was doing. It's all the same, Harley guys vs the import guys, Ford vs Chevy...etc...etc..

 

[Brojon]

I usually roll with it and pack up and leave as soon as I can if they can't behave.
Last week I had two kids come over. They were acting crazy like kids do when they want attention so I let the MP hover while I explained how they had to agree to be safe if they wanted to stay.
I believe I used a weed trimmer as a cautionary tale.
They did in fact straighten up and I had fun showing them what it could do.
After a bit I took it up to 200 feet, kept my hand on the left stick and let them move it around a bit knowing the inevitable question "can I try?".
Eventually the parents wandered over and asked a few questions - they left with the kids clamoring for their own drone.
I consider that fair play for allowing them to come over to me
All in all an enjoyable experience but I enjoy being around kids - I used to be a Nintendo Tournament Organizer for the SE US.

 

[Classic flyer]

I think you did about all you could. At that point I'd probably land safely, wait for them to leave, or pack up and wait for another day.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot one can do, if parents aren't going to take responsibility for their kids.

You can bet he'd be going after you, if one of them got hurt.

Amen to that brother

 

[danCER]

[QUOTE=" The rangers saw the kids running after the drones and eventually came over and told the parent he is responsible for the children and that I didn't want them over there for safety reasons...
6.[/QUOTE]
So no one questions the fact that he was flying a drone in a park with rangers?

 

[Classic flyer]

[QUOTE=" The rangers saw the kids running after the drones and eventually came over and told the parent he is responsible for the children and that I didn't want them over there for safety reasons...
6.

So no one questions the fact that he was flying a drone in a park with rangers?[/QUOTE]
Why would that be questioned...he said he was flying in a designated area

 

[Eddington]

[QUOTE=" The rangers saw the kids running after the drones and eventually came over and told the parent he is responsible for the children and that I didn't want them over there for safety reasons...
6.

So no one questions the fact that he was flying a drone in a park with rangers?[/QUOTE]


I just did the same myself this last week. If you ask first, sometimes they are cool about letting people fly. I've been to a local historical park staffed by park rangers where they will let you fly most of the time. The only time they have said no was one time when there was a decent sized crowd, which I completely understood.