Neighbor Hates Drone Questions for You Guys and Gals?

[2nckayakers]

So today was trash pickup day and before I went to work I had to roll the can to the curb. It was dark, it was foggy, and I live on a dead end road in the country so I took my mini flashlight with me. I set the can out and start back to the house with my flashlight still on. Remember how it was cool when you were a kid to shine it into the fog like a light saber? Well it is still fun when you are 50. So I am walking back and I hear a neighbor out in the front yard three houses down yelling a few explicatives that include GD and F and a few others in conjunction with Neighbor and Drone. Keep in mind it is 05:00 and well I am the only one with a drone in the neighborhood so it has to be directed to me. Last thing I heard was why the F would that GD idiot be flying that F ing drone at this time of the morning, can't he give it a F ing rest! Now of course my Mavic was in the house in my bag waiting for me to take it to work with me so I wonder if this is the drone my neighbor was talking about? Can you guys tell me the best settings to put it on so I get good smooth flight control? Do I need FAA registration for it? If it happens that it crashes into my Neighbors as I tell them to shove it somewhere, would the FAA ban me from flying it? Do I need a COA to do that?

 

[Mako79]

Buy Mavic Low-Noise Quick-Release Propellers (Gold Tip)

 

[2nckayakers]

Yeah I am not too sure that the new props are going to be compatible with this Luxpro 390 here. It has that new LED drive that is already pretty quiet anyway.

 

[sonof40]

I don't get it. He thought the light in the fog was the drone?

 

[2nckayakers]

I don't get it. He thought the light in the fog was the drone?

Yep that is exactly what they thought. It is bad when people want to blame every single near miss, un identified object, etc.. on Drones, but when neighbors are now claiming a flashlight is a drone! That is absolutely insane. I am just afraid it is going to give flashlight users a bad name.

 

[sonof40]

Thanks for the clarification. Yep, paranoia strikes deep.

 

[Flycaster]

Next time you are out playing Jedi-Master, make sure you make the "schoom, schoom" sound of the light saber......
That way the neighbor know you are keeping him and loved ones, and all on the block safe from The Dark Side....

 

[Ping^Spike]

Remember how it was cool when you were a kid to shine it into the fog like a light saber? Well it is still fun when you are 50.

LOL! Glad I'm not the only one that does this at my age

Ps. Those cheap laser pointers are great in the fog too!

 

[dirkclod]

Saw what ya did there

paranoia strikes deep.

into your life it will seep.
It starts when your always afraid .
Step out of line and da man come take ya away ....
Whoops sorry ...went back for a moment
Carry on

 

[Hollow Dog]

All I conclude from your post is you have a neighbor with mental problems and now you know about it.

 

[Flycaster]

We all do...
Know about it, that is...

 

[2nckayakers]

I knew they had mental problems before the incident. Off the drone topic but I have a gun range at my house as well, again I live in the country. I was out there practicing a few weeks ago and I hear yelling and screaming and turn around and here she comes across my yard towards the range arms flailing in the air. All that to tell me she lost her boyfriend and I needed to stop all the noise and show some respect. Well first what idiot goes hollering, yelling, screaming, arm flailing towards someone holding a loaded gun? Second it ended up her and her boyfriend got in a fight and he ran off. IDIOT is exactly what she is.

 

[Flycaster]

I sense a "5150" coming on.....
Google it.....

 

[Nikon1]

I knew they had mental problems before the incident. Off the drone topic but I have a gun range at my house as well, again I live in the country. I was out there practicing a few weeks ago and I hear yelling and screaming and turn around and here she comes across my yard towards the range arms flailing in the air. All that to tell me she lost her boyfriend and I needed to stop all the noise and show some respect. Well first what idiot goes hollering, yelling, screaming, arm flailing towards someone holding a loaded gun? Second it ended up her and her boyfriend got in a fight and he ran off. IDIOT is exactly what she is.

Guessing the boyfriend finally saw what he had hooked up with and beat feet before it was too late?

Good luck with this nutbag!

 

[MavicBouvier]

That's a very quiet drone you have.... loll

 

[Ron_Dog]

It sounds like you live in "Nut Valley Estates"! Tell them all to take a Flying ****! Apprently you are the only one in the neighborhood,"allowed" to own firearms! The next time one of them comes on YOUR property yelling at you and flailing their arms, POINT out to them that. #1 They are on your property, #2 they are trespassing,and are a uninvited guest! #3 you have a firearm in your hands,incase they didn't notice!, #4,you could give a Ratt's *** less,about her boyfriend leaving her, but everyone needs a break once in a while! And #5 You flying your Drone,is the LEAST of their Problems!

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

I've got those dual LED mini flashlights that attach to a landing gear extender. These things are stupid bright -- and if you fly into fog it really makes a nice beam!

RE: The cranky neighbor. I think we *all* have at least one. One of mine called the cops on me for night flying (called in as noise complaint). It was before 9pm and I was up 400 feet. Cop couldn't even here it over the AC units and frogs croaking. I told him to tell the complainant to reach out to me and I will be happy to talk to him (If I knew who it was, I'd avoid their house). Well no one ever called or came by so I just do my thing. Haven't had any issues since.

I want to be a good neighbor and a responsible flyer, but I also am not going to apologize for my hobby and asserting my rights.

 

[flyNfrank]

2nckayakers, here is a little good advice.

When you launch your A/C take it up to around 300ft altitude and out of the neighborhood at that altitude as well. The neighbors will likely never know you are flying which allows things to cool down for awhile. Keep in mind there is several of us who has gone through this same exact issue. I had the police at my house 3 times in a month back in summer of 2015. They came only to please the complaining neighbor who eventually got into it with a couple of other neighbors for different reasons. At that point the complaining neighbor never bothered me again.

Btw, another good thing to do is launch your A/C on the opposite side of your house from your neighbor/s that complain. You basically don't want them looking at you while you have the R/C setup.

Just hang in there as these particular issues do not last that long. Mine seem to come about around the time that outside temps are low enough to the point some open windows in their house.

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

One point I've made here before: Aircraft operating in accordance to FCC regs are exempt from noise ordinance in most jurisdictions. This is not a license to buzz rooftops are be a nuisance, but rather as a defense against a cranky neighbor or overzealous LEO.

 

[2nckayakers]

I don't really have a neighbor problem. Most of my neighbors can't see my house directly from theirs so I can launch anywhere in the yard and they don't see it. We have some huge fields in the back and front of the yard and that is where I usually fly over. The only time the neighbors can really see it is when I have it down low in the front yard and I am practicing low level tripod mode moves. I am always directly over my yard though when I do that. So really I don't give a crap about what they think or do. I am good friends with our Sheriff, I grew up next door to his dad. I have never had anyone call the Sheriff to come out because of me flying, which I think they don't call because they are afraid they are going to find out they are doing something wrong themselves as the Sheriff visits most of them frequently. Which I think that is part of the whole reason they have a problem with me flying is because they are doing things they shouldn't be doing and they are paranoid that I am filming them and they don't want to get caught. But I really couldn't give a rat's behind what they are doing as long as they stay away from me and off my property. Which usually I don't have to worry about them for long because with the exception of two other families on my road, none of my neighbors are property owners, they all rent. Renters usually don't stay very long so I just have to give them 6 months to a year and they will be gone.