Positive RID experience

[Paint Rock Drones]

Yesterday I was at a large event on a college campus with lots of people at outdoor activities and moving between buildings. There was a significant security presence.
At one point I heard the familiar buzz, looked up, and clearly saw a drone overhead. It looked to be about the size of a Mavic 2 but was pretty high so I'm not sure. It was over a building, not over a crowd.
Thinking it was odd that a drone was flying near an event of this kind I pulled up DroneScanner on my Android. Sure enough it picked up an RID right away. It showed the operator about 1000 feet away, just down the street over a hill off campus. I took a stroll, and found... The Middlesex (MA) Sheriff's Department command trailer. Inside a roped off perimeter around the trailer there were 2 drone landing pads, and an officer standing nearby with a controller.
I went back to the event reassured that the presence of the drone was legit.

 

[GregS]

I find it interesting that you were 'reassured the presence of a drone was legit'. If he was flying over the buildings and not the people and at a decent altitude, then he is legal.
I always contact the local Police Dept before I fly in a town. I will fly next to a parade through a town on Veterans Day and already have approval from the PD.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

As a drone flyer , this is what you want ?

You want every flight of yours to be tested like this ?

This is what people have been afraid of , I didnt get it untill right now all the people against this RID
I thought it was one step closer to flying Further out and a great Idea.

If this is how its going to be used, it will be shut down after the first couple of escalated encounters.
Based on how fast this is going to happen , maybe only security should have these apps.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

I find it interesting that you were 'reassured the presence of a drone was legit'. If he was flying over the buildings and not the people and at a decent altitude, then he is legal.
I always contact the local Police Dept before I fly in a town. I will fly next to a parade through a town on Veterans Day and already have approval from the PD.

As a drone flyer , this is what you want ?

You want every flight of yours to be tested like this ?

This is what people have been afraid of , I didnt get it untill right now all the people against this RID
I thought it was one step closer to flying Further out and a great Idea.

If this is how its going to be used, it will be shut down after the first couple of escalated encounters.
Based on how fast this is going to happen , maybe only security should have these apps.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

I don't get it. I didn't confront anyone (I never came within 100 ft of the operator), and I didn't object to the presence of the drone. But I was in an environment where there were police everywhere, including with dogs. People were on edge. As a drone pilot I know drones are not supposed to be flying over large gatherings. And while it was not over people when I saw it, I don't know how it could have arrived over the campus without crossing over people or vehicles. So I used a tool to see to make sure that the drone was not being used by whoever it was that all the security was protecting us from. I supposed I could have gone to a nearby police office and let them track it down, would that have been better?

 

[oldnoob]

As a drone flyer , this is what you want ?

You want every flight of yours to be tested like this ?

This is what people have been afraid of , I didnt get it untill right now all the people against this RID
I thought it was one step closer to flying Further out and a great Idea.

If this is how its going to be used, it will be shut down after the first couple of escalated encounters.
Based on how fast this is going to happen , maybe only security should have these apps.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

I agree. RID should only display name and drone registration # to the public. If they want to complain, they can call the info to PD and they can have access to include location. Too many crazy people out there that I don't want to meet.

 

[Felix le Chat]

As a drone flyer , this is what you want ?

You want every flight of yours to be tested like this ?

This is what people have been afraid of , I didnt get it untill right now all the people against this RID
I thought it was one step closer to flying Further out and a great Idea.

If this is how its going to be used, it will be shut down after the first couple of escalated encounters.
Based on how fast this is going to happen , maybe only security should have these apps.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

"... Maybe only security should have these apps ..." - Been saying exactly this for the last couple of years.

 

[mavic3usa]

As a drone flyer , this is what you want ?

You want every flight of yours to be tested like this ?

This is what people have been afraid of , I didnt get it untill right now all the people against this RID
I thought it was one step closer to flying Further out and a great Idea.

If this is how its going to be used, it will be shut down after the first couple of escalated encounters.
Based on how fast this is going to happen , maybe only security should have these apps.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Yeah, I flipped the Switch , I think what did it was the fact that another Drone Pilot found the need to use it without any understanding of the implications everyone was afraid of. It took a perfect example of a bad example and I have a lot of Editing to do. I am no longer a fan of RID , some changes have to be made.

#1. Registration only
#2 Police and Fire Rescue can have the name an location.

Thanks for your Patience , I will be scratching off my RID stickers . lol

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[tuliofotos]

Yesterday I was at a large event on a college campus with lots of people at outdoor activities and moving between buildings. There was a significant security presence.
At one point I heard the familiar buzz, looked up, and clearly saw a drone overhead. It looked to be about the size of a Mavic 2 but was pretty high so I'm not sure. It was over a building, not over a crowd.
Thinking it was odd that a drone was flying near an event of this kind I pulled up DroneScanner on my Android. Sure enough it picked up an RID right away. It showed the operator about 1000 feet away, just down the street over a hill off campus. I took a stroll, and found... The Middlesex (MA) Sheriff's Department command trailer. Inside a roped off perimeter around the trailer there were 2 drone landing pads, and an officer standing nearby with a controller.
I went back to the event reassured that the presence of the drone was legit.

Ok, so rewrite your story: same thing but instead of the "event on campus", the drone is flying near someone's house (but not over or even trying to film it or anything) and, instead of you getting the location, is your hot-headed neighbour who wrongly believes you're stalking him with your drone...

That's why giving the location isn't such a good idea...

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

Ok, so rewrite your story: same thing but instead of the "event on campus", the drone is flying near someone's house (but not over or even trying to film it or anything) and, instead of you getting the location, is your hot-headed neighbour who wrongly believes you're stalking him with your drone...

That's why giving the location isn't such a good idea...

And there is the issue. Is the risk of say, a terrorist using a drone as part of an attack on a large event lower or higher (weighted by impact) than an irate neighbor doing more than being annoying? I don't know the answer. I guess that's why there is disagreement on this question.

 

[RoarRoar]

Yesterday I was at a large event on a college campus with lots of people at outdoor activities and moving between buildings. There was a significant security presence.
At one point I heard the familiar buzz, looked up, and clearly saw a drone overhead. It looked to be about the size of a Mavic 2 but was pretty high so I'm not sure. It was over a building, not over a crowd.
Thinking it was odd that a drone was flying near an event of this kind I pulled up DroneScanner on my Android. Sure enough it picked up an RID right away. It showed the operator about 1000 feet away, just down the street over a hill off campus. I took a stroll, and found... The Middlesex (MA) Sheriff's Department command trailer. Inside a roped off perimeter around the trailer there were 2 drone landing pads, and an officer standing nearby with a controller.
I went back to the event reassured that the presence of the drone was legit.

So you were basically going to “tell” on another drone operator? It turned out to be police so you felt better about yourself?

Would it have been ok if it was your drone?

Im more concerned about what was so special about the event?

 

[mavic3usa]

And there is the issue. Is the risk of say, a terrorist using a drone as part of an attack on a large event lower or higher (weighted by impact) than an irate neighbor doing more than being annoying? I don't know the answer. I guess that's why there is disagreement on this question.

Terrorists don't fly drones transmitting RID signals for the entire region to see what they are up to and where they are located. Only the honest, law-abiding pilots transmit RID.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

Terrorists don't fly drones transmitting RID signals for the entire region to see what they are up to and where they are located. Only the honest, law-abiding pilots transmit RID.

In which case there would be a drone operating in the vicinity of an event without an RID, which would be an immediate source of concern.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

So you were basically going to “tell” on another drone operator? It turned out to be police so you felt better about yourself?

Would it have been ok if it was your drone?

Im more concerned about what was so special about the event?

The event was the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Brandeis University. While the Brandeis undergraduate population is now only around 35% Jewish, I imagine there was particular concern about a gathering at a University with Jewish roots, given what is going on in the Middle East. Participants were certainly nervous. I know of no specific threats, but I have no connection to law enforcement, so I suppose I wouldn't know if there was one. I just saw the large security presence (and presume that there was additional security that I did not see). I'm not sure this was much more security than would be at, say a sporting event of a similar size, but it is probably harder to protect an open campus than an enclosed stadium.

 

[mavic3usa]

In which case there would be a drone operating in the vicinity of an event without an RID, which would be an immediate source of concern.

Why? There are thousands and thousands of recreational drones flown by hobbyist less than 250g not required to transmit ID....ever.

I would like to thank you for personally letting everyone here know your views on these types of situations; you're not wrong. But prior to now, it was widely believed that nobody actually thought much about it. I must say I am surprised to hear such feedback from a fellow drone pilot but I had my suspicions that the biggest proponents were actually from within the drone community.

Perhaps you know that RID doesn't really go into effect until March. Nevertheless, are you suggesting that if you saw a drone operating and you couldn't detect RID, that drone is a "source of concern?" For you, law enforcement, and/or your neighbors? Would you say it rises to the level that "un-RID" drone is suspicious and should warrant investigation or a call to police? I know you didn't call it out directly but since we are talking about it, do you believe a drone flying without transmitting RID is nefarious because I mentioned "only honest citizens fly and transmit RID?"

Again, not pointing the finger at you but certainly we likely believe enough of the neighborhood may take on at least some of these uninformed views such that it adversely impacts the hobby.

 

[mavic3usa]

The event was the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Brandeis University. While the Brandeis undergraduate population is now only around 35% Jewish, I imagine there was particular concern about a gathering at a University with Jewish roots, given what is going on in the Middle East. Participants were certainly nervous. I know of no specific threats, but I have no connection to law enforcement, so I suppose I wouldn't know if there was one. I just saw the large security presence (and presume that there was additional security that I did not see). I'm not sure this was much more security than would be at, say a sporting event of a similar size, but it is probably harder to protect an open campus than an enclosed stadium.

Sure, this is understandable given the circumstances.

 

[Player-Pe]

So I wonder just like any other "sensational" news story, once the public get word on "Next on Channel ___ News: A new app that helps you locate annoying drones & drone pilots in your area!," if there's going to be this huge wave of Where's Waldo happening?

 

[Phantomrain.org]

This is a Disaster, the more I read of this thread the more I realize how much I need to Lock the Door in my car and Carry as there are snow flakes coming in all directions.

One of the Reason why I started flying from my Car was not the Rain, it was the large group of people that would gather around me on the Pier over looking the River where I live , many times RIver boaters telling me off as I stood on my Own Property. Keep in mind this is 5 Years of flying over the same river as seen in all my videos.

Some wanted me to go somewhere else.
Some thought I was just breaking the law
Some thought I was provoking attention
Some wanted to give me advice
Some wanted to look over my shoulder
Some wanted to call the Police
Some did not like the noise
Some wanted to fly my drone
Some wanted to tell me where to fly as seen in several of my videos.
Some would follow me out to the car.
when I had lights on the drone everyone called the Police this is when I realized Flashing lights were bad news.

Woman would tell me not to fly because there were children in the area.
Last time I flew someone called the Police and Two Police Cars kept me company as I flew my drone as seen in my Mavic 3 videos.

Not to mention those that fish from my own Property sceaming about my drone , lol

I am trying my best not to imagine that I am flying in a Storm late at night say 3am my favorte time and there is a Knock on the Door,

Now I think , time to upgrade my Home Defense , AR 9 should do it an that Banshee looks nice.
There are people that hate drones and Drone Pilots that fear Drones an what a mess.

Its hard to believe I was ever in Favor of RID as I thought this was something that was going to allow Drone Pilots more Privlidge, now I see its a way to be hunted down for someone Wrath of being Righteous

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain , and Hope the RID changes very quickly before escalation occurs.

 

[DARKSeifer]

Basically whoever flies a recent DJI drone does it with a 3.5Km target on its back, as long as you have line of sight with the drone, you'll pick the beacon in no time and one beacon is all you need to know the pilot's location.

I don't really care anymore about RID TBH, but it's going to cause a ton of undesired confrontations for the average user.

 

[Aerophile]

Perhaps you know that RID doesn't really go into effect until March...

That's really not true. The requirement is in effect now.

IF your drone is capable of meeting the RID requirement, the requirement is fully in effect for you.
The FAA is NOT giving everyone a pass until next March.

If your drone can not comply with the RID requirement – you need a firmware update for that and it's not yet available, or you need an external RID module but they're backordered/otherwise unavailable – then you have until next March to get that stuff squared up.

If your drone is currently capable of meeting the RID requirement (it's fully ready or the external RID required to meet it actually *is* available, and maybe you just don't have it) you are expected to be compliant now. Of course, the FAA is probably not on the hunt for edge-case non-compliance, but I thought they were pretty clear that the "extension" was just for those who could not be compliant yet, not for us all.

Perhaps a fine distinction, but folks who CAN be compliant now shouldn't sit on their hands and wait until next Spring to actually be ready. At least that's how I read the FAA's position.