I made a mistake and got a citation. Do you have any advice on the severity of this ticket?

[Seakayaker]

Doesn't sound like he impeded much but I guess it could be construed as sightseeing. There really is paranoia about drones these days - the media loves feeding sensation....kind of like a shark feeding frenzy with our drones being the bait.... and yes the laws seem increasingly draconian to me too.

 

[CarlsbadAL]

I live at the beach in San Diego and unfortunately, there was a shark attack today at our beach. I flew my drone to go past the beach and look over the ocean. About 5mins after I went up a helicopter entered the area. My instinct was to immediately clear the area but the sheriffs told me to bring it home. As I landed they came to me and gave me a citation it was a 402 (a) 2.

I completely understand now that I shouldn't of even put it up. I did not impede anything but by bringing it home instead of listening to my instinct it caused a problem for the sheriff's.

Any advice on the severity of this ticket or outcomes others have had would be appreciated.

 

[CarlsbadAL]

Hello Mavic pilots, just to clarify this post. This was a shark attack on a 13 yr.old skin diver on opening day of lobster season. The victim was brought to the beach by other divers and kayakers when first responders arrived and requested life flight helicopter it was delayed due to this drone op. Missed approach because of this op/drone !! This 13 yr.old could've died because of this idiot !! Also , it's not San Diego, it's Beacons Beach in Leucadia /Encinitas. I live here and fly here. The victim has been released from the hospital and is expected to have a full recovery !!! The shark is believed to be a juvenile Great White. AL

 

[hiflyer201]

Sightseeing at the scene of an emergency.

They were not enforcing anything to do with public airspace.

I live at the beach in San Diego and unfortunately, there was a shark attack today at our beach. I flew my drone to go past the beach and look over the ocean. About 5mins after I went up a helicopter entered the area. My instinct was to immediately clear the area but the sheriffs told me to bring it home. As I landed they came to me and gave me a citation it was a 402 (a) 2.

I completely understand now that I shouldn't of even put it up. I did not impede anything but by bringing it home instead of listening to my instinct it caused a problem for the sheriff's.

Any advice on the severity of this ticket or outcomes others have had would be appreciated.

I live at the beach in San Diego and unfortunately, there was a shark attack today at our beach. I flew my drone to go past the beach and look over the ocean. About 5mins after I went up a helicopter entered the area. My instinct was to immediately clear the area but the sheriffs told me to bring it home. As I landed they came to me and gave me a citation it was a 402 (a) 2.

I completely understand now that I shouldn't of even put it up. I did not impede anything but by bringing it home instead of listening to my instinct it caused a problem for the sheriff's.

Any advice on the severity of this ticket or outcomes others have had would be appreciated.

I live at the beach in San Diego and unfortunately, there was a shark attack today at our beach. I flew my drone to go past the beach and look over the ocean. About 5mins after I went up a helicopter entered the area. My instinct was to immediately clear the area but the sheriffs told me to bring it home. As I landed they came to me and gave me a citation it was a 402 (a) 2.

I completely understand now that I shouldn't of even put it up. I did not impede anything but by bringing it home instead of listening to my instinct it caused a problem for the sheriff's.

Any advice on the severity of this ticket or outcomes others have had would be appreciated.

I don't get it. Was the helicopter rescuing a shark victim or was he just looking for sharks. You saw the helicopter and you remained clear and returned home and landed. Was there a declared emergency or a sign of a rescue in progress or anything like that? I'm hoping that more people in law enforcement become acquainted with drones. If not we are going to be regulated out of existence.

 

[787steve]

Hello Mavic pilots, just to clarify this post. This was a shark attack on a 13 yr.old skin diver on opening day of lobster season. The victim was brought to the beach by other divers and kayakers when first responders arrived and requested life flight helicopter it was delayed due to this drone op. Missed approach because of this op/drone !! This 13 yr.old could've died because of this idiot !! Also , it's not San Diego, it's Beacons Beach in Leucadia /Encinitas. I live here and fly here. The victim has been released from the hospital and is expected to have a full recovery !!! The shark is believed to be a juvenile Great White. AL

If the shark is a juvenile, it will probably only get a slap on the fin. There is no justice! Seriously though, glad to hear of the prognosis for full recovery. Lucky guy.

 

[noosaguy]

Under what authority? The local cops do not control airspace. If you were operating safely, and moving to avoid the copter, you are in compliance assuming you were not in controlled airspace.

Unfortunately I reckon it's a case of "Tell that to the judge."

 

[neggy]

... life flight helicopter it was delayed due to this drone op. Missed approach because of this op/drone !!

The issue is the Drone operator had no way to know there was an inbound Helicopter, but when he saw the approaching aircraft he did make an effort to clear the airspace / give way to the helicopter.

It is a slippery slope and probably why there is language in the recently signed FAA Re-Authorization legislation that addresses it, specifically giving local LEO the ability to file a report with the FAA to start action against a sUAV operator that interferes with aircraft operations related to police or firefighting operations.

Did the Helicopter pilot make the decision to do a go around because he/she saw the drone, or did some local Barney Fife start screaming on his radio that there was a drone close by, even before the sUAV operator detected the inbound helicopter or the helicopter was close enough for it to be a real issue, causing the missed approach.

Personally, I would not be posting anything if I were the subject of a prosecution because you never know who is reading the internet.

If I learned anything from the firearms forums, it is shut up and lawyer up after any incident. Say nothing to anyone, text nothing to a friend, post nothing to the internet. Anything you say or do will be found and used against you.

 

[Dmanoak]

California Penal Code 402(a) PC provides for criminal penalties for sightseeing ... at the scene of the emergency, not part of the duties of your employment.

 

[drvrbob]

I may have missed something but the OP said he had been flying for approximately 5 minutes and he was going out over the ocean to film the beach not the accident scene when a helicopter entered his area at that point he would most likely have dropped to the lowest altitude possible to stay clear of the helicopter however he was told to return it home by law enforcement this was my take on the OP' post. I think some info is missing perhaps to much to post. If law enforcements instructions to rth caused the issue and he simply went to a much lower altitude until said helicopter was safely past his operating area would have been the safer option as I take it that he was over the ocean he could have safely rth and avoided the accident scene. We do not know any distances involved. So hard to be sure how he interfered!

 

[dirkclod]

From the article I read which is posted in news .

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) deputies on Saturday cited an Encinitas resident and former lifeguard for disrupting efforts to rescue a shark-bite victim.

Deputies said David Steel, 57, was flying his drone into an area reserved for a medical response helicopter.

The Sheriff’s Department said the helicopter pilot was forced to circle the landing area and delay picking up Keane Webre-Hayes, who suffered a life-threatening shark bite while diving for lobster off the Encinitas coast.

“Several deputies saw a drone being operated in the landing zone area designated for (the helicopter),” an SDSO spokesperson told NBC 7 News. “The drone was a safety hazard, so the Fire Department Battalion Chief had to radio the helicopter to abort their landing.”

 

[JDawg]

Hello Mavic pilots, just to clarify this post. This was a shark attack on a 13 yr.old skin diver on opening day of lobster season. The victim was brought to the beach by other divers and kayakers when first responders arrived and requested life flight helicopter it was delayed due to this drone op. Missed approach because of this op/drone !! This 13 yr.old could've died because of this idiot !! Also , it's not San Diego, it's Beacons Beach in Leucadia /Encinitas. I live here and fly here. The victim has been released from the hospital and is expected to have a full recovery !!! The shark is believed to be a juvenile Great White. AL

Do you know that 'this idiot' knew there was an emergency situation in play or did it just make you feel better to call him an idiot?

 

[neggy]

Absent a TFR or NOTAM, how is anyone supposed to know that a Med Flight LZ is active?

Normally they are not marked heliports, most of them are ball fields and golf courses.

 

[dirkclod]

Being David has decided not to post on this anymore I think it's best this stops until he does at which time he can write me and I will reopen this but this stops here .
It is posted in news if you care to read that Shark Bite incident! Delaying rescue!

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