I Don't want to be "that guy" or a "Kevin" but......

[anotherlab]

I'm not the type of person who is going to report someone for posting a "look how far my drone can go" video, but I also don't have much sympathy for anyone getting caught doing that. We all know what the rules are, if you don't you shouldn't be flying.

I used to post to "this is why we can't have nice things". We have restrictions on what we can and can not do in part because of stuff that people have done. But only in part. Some of the restrictions are just a reflection of the growth in this field. This is all relatively new and there are growing pains. If you think about it, a motion stabilized 4K camera that you can fly is a commodity item.

I'm not exactly comfortable with Remote ID, but if it keeps people from interfering with LE/SAR/Emergency operations and prevents us from being completely banned; then I'm fine with it. When Remote ID is out, it's going to end (in the US) the videos where people why way beyond VLOS. It will just be too easy to get caught doing that. It will be easy to set up a collection device that logs Remote ID data and flags ones where the drone location and the pilot location is greater than 1 km.

 

[chakalakasp]

I'm not the type of person who is going to report someone for posting a "look how far my drone can go" video, but I also don't have much sympathy for anyone getting caught doing that. We all know what the rules are, if you don't you shouldn't be flying.

I used to post to "this is why we can't have nice things". We have restrictions on what we can and can not do in part because of stuff that people have done. But only in part. Some of the restrictions are just a reflection of the growth in this field. This is all relatively new and there are growing pains. If you think about it, a motion stabilized 4K camera that you can fly is a commodity item.

I'm not exactly comfortable with Remote ID, but if it keeps people from interfering with LE/SAR/Emergency operations and prevents us from being completely banned; then I'm fine with it. When Remote ID is out, it's going to end (in the US) the videos where people why way beyond VLOS. It will just be too easy to get caught doing that. It will be easy to set up a collection device that logs Remote ID data and flags ones where the drone location and the pilot location is greater than 1 km.

I have a suspicion BVLOS will be FAA permitted in some circumstances for part 104 pilots by then.

 

[ChrisOutdoors]

You don't want to be that guy, but you are being that guy.

 

[TnDronePilot]

I've seen on this forum that the FAA has no infractions against flying BVLOS. Yes if something happens you then can be held accountable, but not for just flying BVLOS.

I've always wondered how the FAA would even know you were flying miles away especially if you're not posting the flight on internet somewhere.

 

[BigAl07]

Here's my 2-cents (take it for what you paid for it):

If you have the pilot's contact information etc then by all means report him and let the FAA investigate. Here's the online reporting portal (you can include your contact info or do it anonymously):

FHWIS

As a community we are expected to Self Police. To me that means:

• a) Being an Ambassador and try to reach out to other operators who may not actually KNOW the rules.
• b) if they are knowingly breaking the rules or causing a genuine safety hazard then I will promptly report them via the hotline (website).

I've been reported and it was a very interesting and informative interaction (was a competitor who stated I wasn't credentialed LOL).

 

[anotherlab]

I've always wondered how the FAA would even know you were flying miles away especially if you're not posting the flight on internet somewhere.

They wouldn't unless someone reported it and had some proof that could identify the drone and the pilot. Like when that Phantom 4 crashed into an Army helicopter. That flight wasn't posted anywhere, they traced it back to the pilot from the serial number of the motor that was embedded into the helicopter.

 

[chakalakasp]

Here's my 2-cents (take it for what you paid for it):

If you have the pilot's contact information etc then by all means report him and let the FAA investigate. Here's the online reporting portal (you can include your contact info or do it anonymously):

FHWIS

As a community we are expected to Self Police. To me that means:

• a) Being an Ambassador and try to reach out to other operators who may not actually KNOW the rules.
• b) if they are knowingly breaking the rules or causing a genuine safety hazard then I will promptly report them via the hotline (website).

I've been reported and it was a very interesting and informative interaction (was a competitor who stated I wasn't credentialed LOL).

So, uh, should we report the OP of this thread for flying for commercial purposes without a part 107? (Tongue in cheek of course, but if you look at his intro post, that's basically what he's copping to). I tend to agree that it's perfectly OK to ask other pilots questions and to point them to resources to help them to understand the rules -- when you get a drone there is little to no information other than what you seek out yourself as to what is and isn't OK, so I assume the majority of new drone pilots get their toy in the mail and immediately fly as high as they can until they get the scare screen popup, then fly BVLOS to the other side of town, then freak out when it auto RTH's on low battery. I assume horseless carriages were equally alien when they first came around.

But I'm really not a big fan of calling the FAA for stuff I see on Youtube unless it's really obvious that what's being done is reckless and illegal. I wasn't there, so what the heck do I know? Some of the stuff Ken does on Youtube seems mighty suspect from the drone camera view, but I know it's not -- Ken has even shown this in videos in the past, how the drone camera view often makes it appear that the drone is over or near something it is not. If you're not there you don't know.

Closest I ever came to reporting was some dude who intentionally flew his Phantom 3 into a tornado (well, almost -- tornadoes are often accompanied by a curtain of rapidly descending air, which in this case pushed the drone rapidly from hundreds of feet of altitude to zero altitude in seconds as it got within 50 yards of the tornado); dude flew from inside his parked car to a distance of over a mile, lost signal, then spent a day and half collecting the crashed parts to try to find the camera and then the SD card. It was clear he knew something this would probably happen as he zip tied a cellphone to the drone so he could more easily geolocate it in a crash. But it came down in an empty (private property) field, nobody was hurt, and anyone who would have been hurt would also have been hurt by the giant tornado that accompanied the falling drone. I guess that stuff just doesn't feel like my business; he put it on Youtube for the world to see, so if the FAA wants a piece of him I'm sure they'll go take it.

 

[BigAl07]

So, uh, should we report the OP of this thread for flying for commercial purposes without a part 107? (Tongue in cheek of course, but if you look at his intro post, that's basically what he's copping to). I tend to agree that it's perfectly OK to ask other pilots questions and to point them to resources to help them to understand the rules -- when you get a drone there is little to no information other than what you seek out yourself as to what is and isn't OK, so I assume the majority of new drone pilots get their toy in the mail and immediately fly as high as they can until they get the scare screen popup, then fly BVLOS to the other side of town, then freak out when it auto RTH's on low battery. I assume horseless carriages were equally alien when they first came around.

Huh? I'm missing something in your post or I have my wires crossed here.....

The OP is asking about turning in another UAS operator for seemingly illegal flights. Unless I just overlooked it he isn't saying anything about himself flying Part 107 without the credentials. He has seen someone potentially flying BVLOS and other possible FAA infractions etc. He specifically said, "Should I be the "Good Will" guy and give him some heads up on his page? or do I just "Sick the Dogs on him" since I have no way to discretely contact him?"

 

[chakalakasp]

Huh? I'm missing something in your post or I have my wires crossed here.....

The OP is asking about turning in another UAS operator for seemingly illegal flights. Unless I just overlooked it he isn't saying anything about himself flying Part 107 without the credentials. He has seen someone potentially flying BVLOS and other possible FAA infractions etc. He specifically said, "Should I be the "Good Will" guy and give him some heads up on his page? or do I just "Sick the Dogs on him" since I have no way to discretely contact him?"

I was referring to his earlier into post here

Travelling fool new drone pilot

New MAVIC MINI pilot, I live in Phoenix AZ and travel for work as Construction Superintendent. use it for added pictures for the office and client, also for rec flying and photography.

mavicpilots.com

Basically where he says he’s a construction supervisor doing commercial work. He’s also stated he doesn’t have a 107:

Anyone fly their MM1 in light snow/sleet?

I am a noob to drones, have had mine for about a month and love it! finding places to fly where I'm at (North VA) that doesn't have trees is a challenge, and I've used it primarily for photographing my job site (I'm a Commercial Construction Superintendent). I'd love to take it out and get snow...

mavicpilots.com

Again; I don’t care, it’s none of my biz. I just don’t think we should spend our time trying to get fellow pilots in trouble unless it’s obviously reckless and dangerous and illegal.

 

[Gpop24]

While researching "places to Fly" around the area I live in (Phoenix AZ) I discovered a couple things.
1) most of the REALLY AWESOME places to fly and get video are, of course, "NO FLY" zones. It really sucks! I'm sure most everyone here experiences the same thing so.....

2) there is a Droneie that has posted NUMEROUS videos from these areas, and it's really obvious that he goes WAY out of VLOS, has video of flying over the interstate, altitude looks suspicious in quite a few as well, and due to his Day Job and having 20K plus followers there are ads in some of his drone videos.

I have no contact info for him, have never had "Eyes on" while he's flying, but there are inappropriate flights being made and it's obvious. Should I be the "Good Will" guy and give him some heads up on his page? or do I just "Sick the Dogs on him" since I have no way to discretely contact him? I don't want the rest of us in AZ (or around the Country as a whole) to suffer with more regulations due to his flagrant violations....

Curious, do you apply this sort of logic/concern whenever you see someone breaking the law while driving their car?

 

[ghjcmo]

Again; I don’t care, it’s none of my biz. I just don’t think we should spend our time trying to get fellow pilots in trouble unless it’s obviously reckless and dangerous and illegal.

THIS!

 

[JOHNVOSS]

Somewhere it is written "Let him that is without sin cast the first stone"
Can I get an AMEN?

 

[ghjcmo]

Somewhere it is written "Let him that is without sin cast the first stone"
Can I get an AMEN?

Amen!

 

[BobInNM]

While researching "places to Fly" around the area I live in (Phoenix AZ) I discovered a couple things.
1) most of the REALLY AWESOME places to fly and get video are, of course, "NO FLY" zones. It really sucks! I'm sure most everyone here experiences the same thing so.....

2) there is a Droneie that has posted NUMEROUS videos from these areas, and it's really obvious that he goes WAY out of VLOS, has video of flying over the interstate, altitude looks suspicious in quite a few as well, and due to his Day Job and having 20K plus followers there are ads in some of his drone videos.

I have no contact info for him, have never had "Eyes on" while he's flying, but there are inappropriate flights being made and it's obvious. Should I be the "Good Will" guy and give him some heads up on his page? or do I just "Sick the Dogs on him" since I have no way to discretely contact him? I don't want the rest of us in AZ (or around the Country as a whole) to suffer with more regulations due to his flagrant violations....

with ads and that many followers, the pilot is probably Part 107 certified - a whole different world than Hobby flying. in fact, if you do want to get awesome video now and in the next few years, I would be studying for your 107 Exam

 

[Mr. Noob]

Before you guys string up this cat I would like to see the channel.
We have lots of members from that area .
@Mr. Noob please post the channel you are making these claims
on so we can see just what he is doing.

channel is Shad Sluiter. It’s the guys name. Scroll down to “Outdoor Drones and Hikes” or click the link -

 

[dirkclod]

From what I did look at I’ve seen way worse posted in here and there wasn’t nothing said about it. Might be missing what your so fired up about. Not from there so can’t comment on any of the legal aspects of where he was flying but sure others will look and
comment. Thank you for posting the channel.
Also seems I’ve seen one of them posted here or one of our
other forums. Might be mistaken though.

 

[halifax]

For what it is worth, and I have a lot of experience in government regulation (non-FAA), if a community can self-regulate, the regulators will generally leave them alone.

 

[DoomMeister]

Thanks for posting Shad’s channel!

I think you will find that the number of subscribers has to do with ALL of the programming videos! The drone footage is a sideline to his channel as evidenced by how far down the list they appear. His channel is monetized due to all of the programming lessons. In fact he just got another subscriber - me.

Instead of being so generalistic in your accusations, it is time to present specific videos that you call into question.

 

[BigAl07]

Ok folks... we've gone through and tried to CLEAN this thread up. Remember that the first aspect of posting on this forum is to BE NICE! If you can't be nice then skip the thread and move on to one that doesn't catch a nerve so much.

Allen

 

[African wildlife]

It's a good topic. I'm all for "Be just and fear not" and I've tackled many people in my life for flagrant rule breaking - such as getting out of a vehicle in a national park with elephants or lions close by, clearly endangering their own lives. I've had strong words with a few Chinese tourists who were flying a drone in a national park, claiming not to understand "No drones", yet able to travel around a foreign country for weeks. At the same time, I'm also someone who thinks that rules and regulations can be taken too far - that exceptions are sometimes genuinely justified. So it's a case of "Where do you draw the line?"

If anyone wants a good film to watch, based on a true story, try Official Secrets. (I'm not a fan of Keira Knightley, but she doesn't get in the way too much.) This is an extreme case of being a whistle blower.

Whenever I decide to do something or talk/challenge someone, I do so when there's no doubt as to what's what - and my approach is then straightforward and blunt. I've yet to meet anyone who is "innocent" in those instances. They were relying on others to let them get away with being irresponsible. Others might think otherwise, but appeasement is rarely (if ever) a good approach. I don't believe in "evil", but the saying "Evil prospers whilst good men do nothing" has strong merit.

BigA107: I hope you managed to book your competitor a seat on the SN9 flight?