Hundreds violate FAA's no drone fly zone at Balloon Fiesta
- Thread starter JPdeJager
- Start date
Or it could have been 50 drones doing 10 flights each. They didnt specify. Still, not cool to violate.
I would assume since they can track serial numbers they identified over a hundred unique drones? This event attracts thousands of people from all over the world.
Not sure, but they didnt specify that in the news footage or the interview with the drone tracker employee. Most drone owners dont just go to an event and fly once. Difficult to get that shot you want on one battery especially over a multiday event. Most drone owners, if going to an event, will fly multiple times in one day, and possibly nearly a dozen flights in 3 or 4 days.
True. And especially (our) local media never lets an opportunity for hyperbole get away.
Turn over the info to the FBI? I'm wondering if the reported got FBI and FAA confused.
The real problem from this article is that most people are not given information about NFZ.
BTW, can anyone checked to see if Fiesta Park is really a NFZ? I honestly don't know.
Illegal flights happen all of the time. I see the _real_ issue as a lack of education. Heck, lots of people within this very forum get the laws incorrect.
How many times have people stated there is a 400' cap for hoppy flight. How many times have people not understood what VLOS means. How many times have people asked if they need to call an airport. The list goes on and on. Again, the _REAL_ problem is that people are not getting the correct information. I'd semi-agree that requiring people to take a test would help... but only a little. A better and easier thing would be for drone manufactures to include simply guidelines with every drone they sell. Put something in the box that someone can read. The drone registration did _nothing_ to help with these _real_ issues. The FAA continues to screw up this job.
The real problem from this article is that most people are not given information about NFZ.
BTW, can anyone checked to see if Fiesta Park is really a NFZ? I honestly don't know.
Illegal flights happen all of the time. I see the _real_ issue as a lack of education. Heck, lots of people within this very forum get the laws incorrect.
How many times have people stated there is a 400' cap for hoppy flight. How many times have people not understood what VLOS means. How many times have people asked if they need to call an airport. The list goes on and on. Again, the _REAL_ problem is that people are not getting the correct information. I'd semi-agree that requiring people to take a test would help... but only a little. A better and easier thing would be for drone manufactures to include simply guidelines with every drone they sell. Put something in the box that someone can read. The drone registration did _nothing_ to help with these _real_ issues. The FAA continues to screw up this job.
"There's no news like bad news" ... Elliot Carver (James Bond villain):
Maybe but maybe not. FBI sounds so much more dramatic and criminal than FAA to the viewers. The Nielsens are everything.
It did get the FAA some good money, and now that DJI will be a supplier of LAANC, guess where that money will be going to? The circle of life (drone life). Maybe DJI should give us all a $5 credit toward the purchase of our next drone, or include free FAA registration with a purchase.
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There's a TFR for the area of Balloon Fiesta Field: 8/0288 NOTAM Details
I agree that most who fly have no clue what responsibilities they have. But whose fault is that? Maybe including a guideline in the box would help, but most people don't read any instructions anyway. I have a friend who is a realtor and is using his Mavic for his business. When I casually asked him if he had his Part 107 he answered "what's that?" Ignorance is not an excuse for the law, but especially when it comes to drones, an often used one.
That is what I kind of expected. FBI vs FAA. NFZ vs TFR... have to love reporters who don't have a clue about a subject.
Ultimately the blame for not knowing rests with the flier. That is the way a law works. However, is it realistic to think that everyone knows all of the laws that apply to them? Who here knows all 74,000 pages of the tax code? So what we _really_ need to look at is why these people are not following the law. I think there is a _very_ small percentage of people who simply choose to ignore the laws. I think a _much_ higher number (so it is the real issue) is that people simply don't know the law. Again, look at the people even in this forum who don't know the correct laws. The FAA is in charge of airspace and regulating that airspace so who else should I be looking at for education? The FAA has been known to give out incorrect information and even lie to people about the status of drone use. Yesterday and some today I went back and opened up the B4UFly app. This app is STILL a _huge hunk of junk_! I think the FAA hired a 10 year old to create it. No... I think I'm insulting 10 year olds. I'm sure a 10 year old could do a better job. It is either something the FAA does not see as a big issue of they have failed at part of their job. I'll give them a choice on that call.
When I bought a fondue pot the heating stand had a big sticker on it.... basically saying that it got hot. I think DJI should do the same (modify what the sticker says.... getting hot would not apply) but DJI is not known for details. Someone (the FAA?) should have a heart to heart with them and "ask" then to include certain information. I doubt this has been done. But yes, we get complicated things such as the registration that solves all problems. How many people don't even know about the registration? LOTS! Might just be me but seems like a sticker on a drone might solve that problem as well. But hey, that is just crazy talk.
I have no doubt that the FAA simply farmed out the registration to a 3rd party company and it is that company that gets the $5.00. Well, after the FAA takes their cut. So yes, we simply pay for this pointless registration and, because it does not do anything the FAA claimed it would do, we end up with laws stacked on top of laws. But that is the American way.
I'm not doubting it but where are you getting this information from?
With so many hundreds of deadly drones flying illegally, chasing people and balloons to kill them, I wonder how many dead and injured were during this bloody fiesta.
ac0j
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The FBI could certainly be used to enforce the FAA federal laws. In fact that is exactly who I would expect to be knocking on my door if I screwed up with my Mavic.
I HOPE that the information collected IS handed over to authorities and all violators are fined to the fullest extent of the law. The only way to get the message across is to have many people paying fines. Downed or damaged Balloons or not.
I HOPE that the information collected IS handed over to authorities and all violators are fined to the fullest extent of the law. The only way to get the message across is to have many people paying fines. Downed or damaged Balloons or not.
More likely Homeland Security would be knocking. If so, I hope the offender likes the food at Gitmo.
ac0j
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actually, it could be almost any law enforcement agency on behalf of the FAA. local police, State police, FBI, ATF, game and parks, US Marshals.... It doesnt really matter.
But I really think the only way to stop the idiots is to fine them out of existence.
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