My run-in with a security guard! (And other happy stories)

DroningOn · Jun 10, 2018

Mike_Flys said:
Don't fly close to the prison out there. They hate that

The Jean prison has been closed for many years

Mike_Flys · Jun 10, 2018

DroningOn said:
The Jean prison has been closed for many years

Really? Wow. Guess I have been gone too long. I used to fly airplanes out of North Las Vegas Airport and Jean was a nice short breakfast or lunch spot. They had a sign on the building at the airport telling you not to over fly the prison.

Mike

DroningOn · Jun 10, 2018

Mike_Flys said:
Really? Wow. Guess I have been gone too long. I used to fly airplanes out of North Las Vegas Airport and Jean was a nice short breakfast or lunch spot. They had a sign on the building at the airport telling you not to over fly the prison.

Mike

I guess vegas is running low on criminals ;-/

W7GMC · Jun 10, 2018

Qoncussion said:
I see so many stories of neighbors and police who negatively interfere with drone flights. So I wanted to tip the scales a bit with a very brief encounter I had today. There is a field near Truckee, California, where I often fly. A security guard monitors a construction site in the field during the weekends. I was in the middle of a flight, when I saw him heading my way. The field is massive, so he had to traverse about a 1/4 mile to reach me. As he approached, I smiled and threw a very friendly, "Hello!" his way. He smiled, waived and returned a very friendly, "Hello." Upon reaching me, and while I was still in-flight, I asked him what he was up to. I was bearing down on my teeth, expecting some form of a lecture. He said, "I'm guarding the job site, but what you're doing looks way more fun!" so he hung out with me while I burned up a few batteries.

Oh sorry ~ no drama here. Just know that not everyone is out to get you . A smile goes a long way...

**** shame more pilots were not great ambassadors to this hobby like yourself. After 23 yrs in the military, I can say, its a lot easier to be upfront and forthcoming on what you doing and show the public that Quadrocopter(s) (Drones) are not the enemy. I have had many interactions with "Joe Public" and when I show them the aircraft, video and still pics, their eye's go wide open with amazement. Yes, we certainly have bad pilots that make our hobby look bad.

Qoncussion · Jun 10, 2018

W7GMC said:
**** shame more pilots were not great ambassadors to this hobby like yourself....

In my five, or so, years of flying drones, it's been all puppy dogs and roses. I've really only met one negatively charged person - just three months ago in the exact same field as my original story, above. She was about to throw a snowball at the drone (which was nowhere near her), while betting her friend that she could hit it. I guess she hadn't noticed me standing just off to the side of them. I said, "Wouldn't it be better if you didn't?" She immediately shouted, "That thing's a f-ng pain in the ars!" I mean like crazy talk. She was definitely off of her meds that day. I smiled and very calmly said, "I'm sorry to hear that." They continued walking away (thank goodness). My civility has its boundaries. I'm pleased that they just kept moving. Of course on the drive home, with my blood still boiling a bit, I had to imagine to myself what "could have happened" had she kept talking. Suffice to say, there was blood everywhere, and I had to dispose of a body in the woods. On second thought, it may have been my meds that were off that day. I've said too much...

W7GMC · Jun 11, 2018

Qoncussion said:
In my five, or so, years of flying drones, it's been all puppy dogs and roses. I've really only met one negatively charged person - just three months ago in the exact same field as my original story, above. She was about to throw a snowball at the drone (which was nowhere near her), while betting her friend that she could hit it. I guess she hadn't noticed me standing just off to the side of them. I said, "Wouldn't it be better if you didn't?" She immediately shouted, "That thing's a f-ng pain in the ars!" I mean like crazy talk. She was definitely off of her meds that day. I smiled and very calmly said, "I'm sorry to hear that." They continued walking away (thank goodness). My civility has its boundaries. I'm pleased that they just kept moving. Of course on the drive home, with my blood still boiling a bit, I had to imagine to myself what "could have happened" had she kept talking. Suffice to say, there was blood everywhere, and I had to dispose of a body in the woods. On second thought, it may have been my meds that were off that day. I've said too much...

LOL, I can sympathize with that

motosx · Jun 11, 2018

had a great encounter at the local park on the sacramento river, asked the park ranger if it was ok. she said no problem and could she check out the screen. no problem,she loved the clarity of the camera and asked if i could fly over the back area that they can’t get to and was worried about homeless camp setting up. no camp and she asked for info and was going to ask county to purchase one.