Positive RID experience

[mavic3usa]

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

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

Irrelevant in the context of this thread.

Meet me in the other thread about "FAA RID enforcement date" if you want to have that discussion; we're trying to talk about RID experiences here. Thanks.

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?"

If it's going to distract you, just pretend like I didn't say that. I have other questions. I'll bring up the "date" later if you try to claim RID became effective in September therefore every drone you see flying today without RID is "suspicious."

 

[Droning on and on...]

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.

Was it?

They have to follow the same rules.

 

[Droning on and on...]

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.

Well, consider this was an active drone hobbyist well-informed about RID and obviously having already experimented with it.

In my opinion, that's an exceedingly poor proxy for the general public vis a vis RID. Outside of drone operators, essentially no one has any awareness of RID.

Less than 0.33% of the US population have registered a drone, and of those 41% are commercial (i.e. p.107). link

Data and events do not at present support the concern that drone enthusiasts are in any meaningful risk of being harassed or otherwise bothered by others, "Karens" or crooks, at this point in the evolution of the RID saga. That may change, but at present the occasional incident here or there doesn't indicate some widespread reason for concern.

IMO.

 

[Droning on and on...]

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.

It's a non-issue.

I'm far more persuaded by actual results than speculation and theory.

RID has been active in many drones for over a year. Every mini 3(p), Air 3, and most DJI drones updated to latest firmware are broadcasting right now.

Karen and/or dangerous (thieves) incidents have essentially been non-existent. Without some public education campaign, RID issues will continue to be confined to misuse by other drone operators, and that will be rare.

IMO, of course. Ready to change my mind when the issue, in actuality not prospectively, becomes a problem. I don't think it will.

 

[Torque]

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?

I don't get these reactions to your post either...
I've been testing the Drone Scanner app for weeks, haven't picked up a thing.
A lot of members here have posted about testing it.
Your the firts post I've seen where it actually picked up a drone. I would have done the same thing as you. See if it actually led me to the pilot. That doesn't spell confrontation - not sure why the knee jerk reactions to your post. You did nothing wrong. You satisfied your curiosity.
Thanks for posting this.
Now let me grab a snack and read the remaining comments....lol

 

[Droning on and on...]

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

I've read every one of his posts in this thread. Where did you get the idea that was his intent?

Perhaps he was planning to simply have a friendly conversation about the rules concerning flying over crowds of people, maybe finding a noob pilot who might not have bothered with TRUST yet?

We don't know, so it seems a little unfair to assume the worst about his character.

 

[Droning on and on...]

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.

Why aren't you being hassled NOW? You've been flying around out there (capturing some of the most stunning stills on the forum, BTW) broadcasting RID off and on for well over a year.

How is it a single anecdote has, in your words, flipped the switch?

Your own experience over the time RID and apps have been available would seem to me to be reassuring, not concerning.

 

[Droning on and on...]

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

Hasn't yet, and I fly a lot.

What condition do you think is going to occur that will change this?

 

[Ty Pilot]

I think if we step back and look at consumer drones from their inception barely 10 years ago till today, we can see some progress in terms of being accepted by the general public. I still think RID is necessary and will eventually be part of the process of "normalization" of drones to the general public.

Incidents always have (and may continue to), happen but lets not forget that drones burst onto the national stage in a most unwelcome way as far as non-flyers are concerned. The main stream media and entertainment industry has been no help to our cause for the most part.

I don't think the general public are any more likely to walk around with some app on the phone looking to pick fights with drone pilots than they are going to write your license plate down, find out where you live and rob you just because of the car you drive. And if any drone pilots' curiosity is peeked by RID and the available tech to see it in action - meh - so what. Personally I don't have any need to know who is flying.

At some point in the future, people will look with no more interest at a drone, than they do a Cessna 172. Before that happens the 'wild west drone days' of being able to go and fly carefree without any regards to rules or airspace must pass into the history books. RID is a step in that direction in my opinion.

 

[Droning on and on...]

At some point in the future, people will look with no more interest at a drone, than they do a Cessna 172. Before that happens the 'wild west drone days' of being able to go and fly carefree without any regards to rules or airspace must pass into the history books. RID is a step in that direction in my opinion.

And this will be the result of millions of commercial drones flying semi-autonomously through urban skies, not because of enthusiasts.

Drone delivery, like self-driving cars, is coming. It's a done deal already. That's what RID is really about. If it was about identifying rule-breaking private operators, the sub-250g exception would not be there.

 

[Ty Pilot]

. . . .Drone delivery, like self-driving cars, is coming. It's a done deal already. That's what RID is really about. If it was about identifying rule-breaking private operators, the sub-250g exception would not be there.

Well thats a topic for a different thread that has been discussed over and over. Specialized drone delivery or delivery by drone into certain geographical regions where it is economically viable will become the nom.

The idea that multi billion-dollar entities like FedEX, UPS and Amazon are going to eventually deliver everything, or even a small percentage by drone, is delusional. Simple economics make such deliveries so expensive compared to the way they are delivered now.

As for where RID is required currently? Things change. Here again if we look back at the rules from the beginning there has been a constant evolving in the rules and we should not expect that to stop.

 

[Droning on and on...]

The idea that multi billion-dollar entities like FedEX, UPS and Amazon are going to eventually deliver everything, or even a small percentage by drone, is delusional. Simple economics make such deliveries so expensive compared to the way they are delivered now.

Those companies see this very differently, and are investing large sums in realizing this future.

For some reason.

And for the record, I am insulted being called delusional. Please be more civil.

 

[mavic3usa]

It's a non-issue.

I'm far more persuaded by actual results than speculation and theory.

RID has been active in many drones for over a year. Every mini 3(p), Air 3, and most DJI drones updated to latest firmware are broadcasting right now.

Karen and/or dangerous (thieves) incidents have essentially been non-existent. Without some public education campaign, RID issues will continue to be confined to misuse by other drone operators, and that will be rare.

IMO, of course. Ready to change my mind when the issue, in actuality not prospectively, becomes a problem. I don't think it will.

Glad to see you are softening your position on the topic. Social media is a real thing and it basically exponential changes the way things happen these days. Sometimes the impact is shocking and it only requires a single incident to become a catalyst. At this point, if it happens I won't be able to say I told you so unlike few months ago where you thought we are completely crazy for even thinking it would happen. Now, it's a "small" possibility. I honestly feel it's yet another tool in the toolbox at their disposal that I have to deal with.

I agree sometimes bad things never happen as predicted. People claimed there would be radio-controlled lock pickers that thieves would use to break into your car by pressing a button instead smashing your window. The argument was remote-controlled locks have been around for decades and thieves don't need a new way to steal your car. Today cars are being stolen at a record rate and it's not because someone came up with a universal "skeleton" program that works on all cars with remote-controlled locks. So that turned out to be untrue. Hope RID turns out that way as well. But something tells me, we're not done yet.

 

[Torque]

LOL, people are on here P!ss!ng themselves over a non event. Making fully unfounded accusations against the OP for doing what so many drone pilots have done over the past month. Ridiculous the reactions here.
Y2K all over.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Glad to see you are softening your position on the topic.

Haven't. As I said above, I don't think it will become a problem, which is what I've thought all along.

My position hasn't softened simply because if reality and real data prove me wrong, I'll accept that.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

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.

My Mini 2 makes one noise. My AIR 2s makes a different one. Based on size and sound, the drone I saw was well over 250 g. But also, I periodically encounter other people flying drones, and really don't care if they are transmitting RID or not, and I have never before tried to locate an operator. I cared because of the particular circumstances. And in those circumstances, a large drone without RID I would find suspicious.

 

[TrabSeyn]

While I'm exercising the "privilege" of flying a drone in the FAA jurisdictional airspace I'll also be exercising my 2nd Amendment right to ensure my personal safety if the location from RID becomes an issue for a combative Karen/Ken. The law can only protect you from rational law-abiding people that will not present a problem to begin with. If it is my responsibility to fly safely my personal safety is equally important. While I haven't heard of instances of "drone hijacking" there have been spoofs of RID. So what if someone spoofs YOUR RID info and "flys off the handle" and does something idiotic, dangerous, or catastrophic? There is an issue I don't see talked about very often.

 

[Droning on and on...]

So what if someone spoofs YOUR RID info and "flys off the handle" and does something idiotic, dangerous, or catastrophic? There is an issue I don't see talked about very often.

No it isn't. Probably because it's ridiculously paranoid.

There are plenty of other issues that many many more people might get upset about. How many times have you had to threaten an irate person with your gun to protect yourself? And over what dispute?

Baffled as to why so many think RID is going to cause some sort of rabies infection among the general population. Virtually no one outside the drone community knows about RID or cares. Without an expensive public education campaign, that's not going to meaningfully change.

Be careful when you brandish that weapon at an unarmed Karen. You're likely to get in a lot of trouble.

Oh, and you have a right to have that gun, it's no privilege.

 

[Jurgen]

So much to unpack here... fear, speculation, privacy and safety concerns. My drone took a swim this summer and I haven't decided if I want to replace it. This thread didn't help.

Off the top, OP saw a drone. We see birds, planes, helicopters, hang gliders, powered sails, etc... in the sky every day. But a drone causes enough concern to track down the pilot? Why? It's just another flying craft operating legally. And others are now sufficiently concerned that we're flying from cars and arming ourselves because.... something is airborne?

I had a Blackhawk fly into my neighborhood this week, stand on its nose, hover and do multiple low circles. I pulled out my camera and thought "Cool! Personal airshow!" But fear, panic, call the cops weren't any of my reactions. Especially when Blackhawk on my head is far worse than 250g or 2500g of drone.

We need to settle down.

 

[FlyNorth]

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?

Great point, Player. It won't be long before the "non-dronies' turn drone monitoring into a hobby... similar to police scanning, or air traffic monitoring...which is fine, as long as you don't interfere or harass the operators. But, we all know what the results will be.