Philadelphia vlogger Faces fines of $200,000

[jwilson]

Here's another YouTube video I found. You can delete it if it's already been posted. Most comments favor the guy.

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[GFields]

Title was modified to match video

 

[Aerophile]

Philadelphia vlogger Faces fines of $200,000​

Good! Lock him up!

 

[Squidinc]

I feel sorry for Mikey. I’ve seen a lot of his videos over the last year or so. He doesn’t mean to intentionally harm anyone or anything. I get a laugh out of his videos, as they are certainly not boring.

 

[Meta4]

Is this still going on?
It was being discussed here three years ago.

FAA FINES PHILADELPHIA DRONE PILOT

Interesting read... https://dronexl.co/2020/11/26/faa-fines-philadelphia-drone-pilot-youtuber-184500/?amp

mavicpilots.com

 

[spsphotos]

I feel sorry for Mikey. I’ve seen a lot of his videos over the last year or so. He doesn’t mean to intentionally harm anyone or anything. I get a laugh out of his videos, as they are certainly not boring.

Not the point. Many people don't have intentions to hurt others. Drunk drivers don't usually have intentions to hurt someone but they often do. Rules are in place for EVERYONE'S safety not just a lark.

 

[spsphotos]

Is this still going on?
It was being discussed here three years ago.

FAA FINES PHILADELPHIA DRONE PILOT

Interesting read... https://dronexl.co/2020/11/26/faa-fines-philadelphia-drone-pilot-youtuber-184500/?amp

mavicpilots.com

Yes, he never paid. So they are looking to criminally charge him.

 

[mavic3usa]

Not the point. Many people don't have intentions to hurt others. Drunk drivers don't usually have intentions to hurt someone but they often do. Rules are in place for EVERYONE'S safety not just a lark.

It's not the same. In both criminal and civil law, there are provisions to account for whether your actions make you responsible for certain crimes. Even if you didn't know, you should have known....for example. Not because you are an adult and you should just know the law but because if you "travel 100mph on the wrong side of the freeway you had to have known a head-on collision with another vehicle would be fatal" for example. Many of the laws require some sort of negligence to be responsible. Anything from ordinary care to gross negligence, depending on which law you are accused of breaking. Often the judge or the jury will take it into account because the punishment after you are found guilty or responsible may take it into account as well.

When you are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, this position is less like to be taken: "Rules are in place for EVERYONE'S safety not just a lark."

 

[spsphotos]

It's not the same. In both criminal and civil law, there are provisions to account for whether your actions make you responsible for certain crimes. Even if you didn't know, you should have known....for example. Not because you are an adult and you should just know the law but because if you "travel 100mph on the wrong side of the freeway you had to have known a head-on collision with another vehicle would be fatal" for example. Many of the laws require some sort of negligence to be responsible. Anything from ordinary care to gross negligence, depending on which law you are accused of breaking. Often the judge or the jury will take it into account because the punishment after you are found guilty or responsible may take it into account as well.

When you are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, this position is less like to be taken: "Rules are in place for EVERYONE'S safety not just a lark."

You are making my point. As a drone pilot, you HAVE to be aware that your actions can hurt someone, especially flying in crowded cities. Do you seem to think that he has no responsibility for his actions? Even though he kept doing it AFTER he was fined. That is criminal malice and disregard for the safety of others.

 

[Vic Moss]

I feel sorry for Mikey. I’ve seen a lot of his videos over the last year or so. He doesn’t mean to intentionally harm anyone or anything. I get a laugh out of his videos, as they are certainly not boring.

He 100% intentionally does what he does to annoy people and harm this industry. He does it strictly for views.

The fact that he has so many supportive comments on his videos proves he does harm this industry. He is a menace, and I hope he violates rules again so they arrest him and put him in jail!

 

[orionshooter]

His defense theory seems to be, “I have nothing and that’s why I should be exempt from the rules.” I’m no expert but I sense a mental health issue here.

 

[mavic3usa]

You are making my point. As a drone pilot, you HAVE to be aware that your actions can hurt someone, especially flying in crowded cities. Do you seem to think that he has no responsibility for his actions? Even though he kept doing it AFTER he was fined. That is criminal malice and disregard for the safety of others.

I want this to go to trial so a judge or a jury can determine how responsible he is for his actions. We need resolution on this...and a lot of other "drone laws." Not saying we will get it but we might. We can't continue with the idea that flying a drone is a dangerous task full of peril and everything you do puts lives at risk so the penalties are *always* life in prison, $1M fines, etc. 100% culpable, 100% liable, even if a plane crashes into you it's your fault, even if you didn't know you still must know, guilty until proven innocent. Even the government knows this and they are abusing it by overcharging and then letting you plea to a $100 fine and time served and 6 month probation. The people are pushing back on that....not the drone flying. Nobody here condones menacing, harassing, unlawful, and unsafe activities.

 

[Vic Moss]

I want this to go to trial so a judge or a jury can determine how responsible he is for his actions. We need resolution on this...and a lot of other "drone laws." Not saying we will get it but we might. We can't continue with the idea that flying a drone is a dangerous task full of peril and everything you do puts lives at risk so the penalties are *always* life in prison, $1M fines, etc. 100% culpable, 100% liable, even if a plane crashes into you it's your fault, even if you didn't know you still must know, guilty until proven innocent. Even the government knows this and they are abusing it by overcharging and then letting you plea to a $100 fine and time served and 6 month probation. The people are pushing back on that....not the drone flying. Nobody here condones menacing, harassing, unlawful, and unsafe activities.

This industry is certainly pushing on drone flying, especially in cases like PDL.

He's a menace to our industry, and he deserves everything coming to him.

The only reason the FAA went after him in such an drastic fashion two or three years ago is because he repeatedly ignored attempts by the FAA to talk to him about his actions. They found a way to finally get his attention.

Even after that, he continued to fly recklessly and goad the FAA into trying to catch him. They finally had enough and filed a petition to collect on the fine. Since you can't get blood from a stone, they know full well they won't get the money from him. But they've effectively shut him down.

Personally, as stated above, I hope he does something stupid again and gets arrested. It will finally prove to this industry, and his moronic minions who egg him on, that stupidity and recklessness have a price.

 

[mavic3usa]

This industry is certainly pushing on drone flying, especially in cases like PDL.

He's a menace to our industry, and he deserves everything coming to him.

The only reason the FAA went after him in such an drastic fashion two or three years ago is because he repeatedly ignored attempts by the FAA to talk to him about his actions. They found a way to finally get his attention.

Even after that, he continued to fly recklessly and goad the FAA into trying to catch him. They finally had enough and filed a petition to collect on the fine. Since you can't get blood from a stone, they know full well they won't get the money from him. But they've effectively shut him down.

Personally, as stated above, I hope he does something stupid again and gets arrested. It will finally prove to this industry, and his moronic minions who egg him on, that stupidity and recklessness have a price.

I hope so too. And I hope we get a trial out of it as well; that would be a good thing.

 

[orionshooter]

I hope so too. And I hope we get a trial out of it as well; that would be a good thing.

If the guy is as broke as he says, what will he use to fund a defense? Lawyers are expensive.

Just hope he negotiates a settlement, shuts up and stops trashing the industry.

 

[GFields]

I agree with @Vic Moss, this guy is a menace to our industry. I had not viewed any of his content until now, and I must say the two videos that I watched made my stomach turn. I don't know why anyone would watch him. He is full of misinformation and stupidity.

What is just as sad, in my opinion, is the type of content that drives clicks and views on Facebook.

 

[EricJT]

If the guy is as broke as he says, what will he use to fund a defense? Lawyers are expensive.

Just hope he negotiates a settlement, shuts up and stops trashing the industry.

Go

If the guy is as broke as he says, what will he use to fund a defense? Lawyers are expensive.

Just hope he negotiates a settlement, shuts up and stops trashing the industry.

GoFundMe?

 

[AlaninAZ]

I think there are many aspects to what he is doing. Mental Illness is no excuse for breaking the law.
He has made a mockery of all the laws that we follow and he is bad for the industry. Is he making money off of his videos and his channel? Then he needs to get a Part 107. I am certainly not condoning what he has done, but if he were to get legal and get his Part 107 and make a statement that he will only continue to fly legally, maybe they could cut him a little slack. However, if he keeps this up status quo, then I think the government needs to set an example and make a statement that violating FAA drone laws has serious consequences!

 

[mavic3usa]

Mental Illness is no excuse for breaking the law.

Of course it does, are we just being facetious? We are still in America, you know that right? We don't just lay the full weight of the law down people who cannot fully understand what they are doing. That's not what is going on here obviously but we don't need to lose our sensibilities over this, it's just one dude with a drone.

 

[Meta4]

if he were to get legal and get his Part 107 and make a statement that he will only continue to fly legally, maybe they could cut him a little slack.

The time for that was three years ago (see post #5).
It's gone far beyond that now.