Sydney drone incident

[MAvic_South_Oz]

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Man is charged with assaulting park ranger after being scolded for flying drone in a restricted area | Daily Mail Online

Man, 24, is charged with reversing his car into a park ranger after being scolded for flying his drone in a restricted area on Sydney's northern beaches

By ADAM MCCLEERY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 01:40 AEDT, 13 February 2019 | UPDATED: 01:44 AEDT, 13 February 2019

A Queensland man has been charged with assaulting a park ranger after he was caught flying a drone in a restricted Sydney park.
The 24-year-old man was flying his drone at Davidson Park on the northern beaches on Sunday when he was approached by another man.
The 64-year-old witness told him drones are not allowed in the park, but the accused ignored his warnings.
When the older man warned him the offense carried a $300 fine, the accused allegedly said he had plenty of money and 'didn't care about the rules', The Daily Telegraph reported.

When the park ranger arrived minutes later, the altercation allegedly became physical.
The 24-year-old allegedly became aggressive toward the ranger, who asked the accused for his name and address.

The young man refused and tried to leave the park, but when he got into his white Volkswagen Golf the ranger stood behind the car to get a photo of his number plate.
The accused then allegedly reversed his car into the ranger, before climbing out of the door and trying to take his phone away.
Witnesses to the alleged assault ran to the ranger's aid and the accused fled in his car, beeping his horn as he did so.

The man has since been charged with assault and will appear in court at a date yet to be released.

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The park concerned, in a photo from the article.
Not exactly a place to fly too far or away from the controller.

 

[NetDep]

Much less a drone problem and - like so many others - a people problem.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

True NetDep, most problems with drones (or anything for that matter) have people doing the wrong thing (or behaving badly) involved somewhere !

 

[bushie]

Interesting to know what the legal status of the ban on drones is. Only CASA can control airspace.

 

[RayOZ]

Regardless if you are legally allowed to fly at a particular spot or not, running people over with your car is a big no no.

 

[steaneb]

Another tard ruining it for the ones who follow the rules and guidelines.
I hope the ranger is OK...

Hopefully they smash his drone..and I hope it's a DJI one only because it'll hurt seeing 1500 bucks get smashed in to pieces, and then charge the idiot with attempted homicide and crush his car as well.

 

[lmel2005]

They should close the park, because someone saw a drone!

And those who drive into people with their cars, are ruining it for all of us, the responsible drivers who drive carefully within limits and regulations.

 

[nevernamed]

sometimes its best just to not get involved. do gooders and all.

 

[RayOZ]

sometimes its best just to not get involved. do gooders and all.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

 

[Remote Pilots Australia]

Whatever the legalities of flying in any given area are and whatever we may think about them there's absolutely no excuse for that sort of action. I'm known for being pretty strong on the "stand up for your rights firmly but politely and don't back down" school of thought but this in the current "drone phobic" social atmosphere we need this like a hole in the head.

That park ranger has a wife and children waiting for him to come home at the end of the day, they risked having their lives shattered so a self entitled idiot can be so reckless?

I see R.P.A. being in many ways like firearms, they should be able to be owned by responsible owners and you don't give firearms or R.P.A. to morons, the unstable, the violent or criminally minded or just plain negligent.

Like most of us, I'm pretty luke warm on the incoming registration scheme, mostly because I think the only people who will register are the ones who follow the rules anyway but if it can be used to make sure people like this are never allowed to own an R.P.A. again then all the better for the rest of us.

No, I don't think owning an R.P.A. is a privilege, I think it's a right but I also think that certain people abrogate their own rights by their behaviour, here we have a prime example.

Regards
Ari

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Interesting to know what the legal status of the ban on drones is. Only CASA can control airspace.

Many councils have bylaws regarding flying drones, or rather not flying them, from council property, reserves, parks whatever they want to call them.

You would be surprised, and probably a little shocked to see just how many have done this, and very little other warnings like public notices in their literature, or signs in relative parks etc.

Here in Adelaide, most foreshore councils have this ban in place.
You can fly over their property, just not take off or land while on it.

Strange rule, as it is safer to be closer to keep a better eye on your bird, and if applicable pedestrians and other people that may wander through.

Some like BCC (Brisbane City Council) had a total ban, but after a trial have opened up 10 parks with areas for drone flying.
I visited one a while ago, Voyager Dr Park Kuraby . . . very small, uninspiring, only good for testing etc.
Not sure about the others.

If you google > (name of) council drone bylaw < you should find info on their website, most have them.
Some make their bylaws very hard to locate.
Smaller councils might not have policies on this yet.
The larger ones in metro areas probably do.

 

[Level]

Would be interesting to see the full list of prescriptions (and other medication) the pilot may have had in his blood stream. This behaviour sounds earily similar to the attitude of some professional athletes who 'tank up' before a game.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Hmm, I just had a look for the location of Davidson Park on Sydney northern beaches.

This could have even been the Garigal Nat Pk near Davidson suburb, which of course is not any local council jurisdiction, but a step up is authority in my mind.
The local parks office is the Northern Beaches (Forestville) National Parks and Wildlife Office, so as the story states Park Ranger, I'd assume this was the location.

This idiot was probably flying right near the parks office too, as it is right at a main carpark area here

All the council property stuff still applies, just normally if you fly sensibly and with respect to others, you won't get into strife anywhere, unless there are obvious signage with bans advised etc.

 

[Aussie Oldtimer]

Much less a drone problem and - like so many others - a people problem.

Drones dont cause problems but the people using them do. i hope the idiot gets smashed in court. Using the drone in a no go zone is an offence plus he escalated it by not giving his name and address (another offence) and then the rest just adds to the extent of the penalty he gets.

 

[RayOZ]

Probably one of the reasons why most councils ban drones is that they don't want to deal with complaints and paper work when incidents occur.

 

[skyrex]

If you google > (name of) council drone bylaw < you should find info on their website, most have them.
Some make their bylaws very hard to locate.

This is a form of entrapment, to me anyway. Having these avenues of which councils can essentially covertly or discreetly list their laws, then rangers pounce on anyone breaking them is not cricket.

I don't check websites, or call councils (as hardly anyone would do), but if I have the drone with me I always canvas for local council signage of a public place, etc (if there is any when entering) to ensure it does not specifically state "No drone zone".
If it doesn't it would be reasonable to then assume you're "good to go" then-under CASA rules of course.

There is every chance this guy did not see any signs stating he couldn't fly, thought he was good then was approached by a witness telling him otherwise.
The member of the public that first approached him could have been a bit of a douche with an authorative tone and no authorative weight. That would piss me off but at the same time I wouldn't retaliate. Then I would presume the member of the public went to "dibber dobber" to the Ranger and get him involved, then the rest of the story ensued and rather than a warning the Ranger attempted to issue a cash grab, erm I mean an infringement.

In one hand I can appeal to the annoyance of someone of the general public coming to either advise of the ruling oversight, or "have a chat" and generally be a distraction.
In the other hand what he did there after was a dog act, not on at all.

 

[Aussie Oldtimer]

Casa in Aus control the use of drones so i dont know how valid any bylaw actually is. Federal laws override local laws

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

@skyrex I think you are partly right with your comments, and personally as an al as I think most councils are about parking infringements etc, most council rangers would be fairly ok with drone encounters if the drone operator uses tact in dealing with them.
Ie, sorry was unaware of bylaw, I'll land immediately and move on, etc.

But after looking for this place, as in post 13, I'd say it was probable National Park, and most drone flyers would be aware of NSW Parks outright ban on recreational flying in their various areas.
This idiot taking on a National Park Ranger was a bit step up from a council Ranger, the media story didn't identify the difference too well.

Casa in Aus control the use of drones so i dont know how valid any bylaw actually is. Federal laws override local laws

Yes, that is the big questions isn't it ?
But I guess if local council is responsible for a park, and banned flying from or to there with various models etc, then it'd be a bit like someone coming onto your block and doing that . . . although I do see that council workds for taxpayers, and like all GOVCO are supposed to make you life easier not harder.

I have seen council bylaws where operating a model boat on a lake is banned, and also kites with more than one string !!
Most bylaws however seem to be a carbon copy of the next door council, they lazily copy them or possibly these get recommended by the LGA in various states.

It might even end up that all this sort of ban thing is reversed down the track.
With changing regulations this year for owning and flying a drone, there may be seen to be more control over rogue operators.

Like now how WA has lifted total ban on flying in National Parks etc, similar to how QLD parks have always been, you can fly under CASA rules, plus not annoying other park users or animals.

 

[Harro]

In Geelong Victoria you can apply and receive free, a permit to fly drones from Council controlled land. Easily done and no hassles. The salesman that sold me the drone pointed out the Council permit requirement and the Where Can I Fly phone app., otherwise I would not have known that.

 

[AnzacJack]

Casa in Aus control the use of drones so i dont know how valid any bylaw actually is. Federal laws override local laws

Have attended a seminar where there was a talk from aviation lawyers, and what you say is true. At this stage it hasn’t been tested in court, but there is a case coming up in the Norther Territory that may set the course of future cases.
Being a member of AAUS is handy, as they are a bigger body that will advocate for your rights if you find yourself in court.