Take off and landing from the top of an apartment bullding - handling complaints

[oxal]

I bought a mini 3 pro recently, passed exam etc. I live at the top of an apartment building, and control my drone from the balcony.

I literally shoot off to the Thames (it’s a few 100ms away) not circling around. I like to enjoy the view with my goggles not even recording.

I received some complaints and warnings from the building that they will call the police and council because I’m spying on them and invade their privacy.

First off, I don’t care (edit: don’t care about their lives, not interested in it, I.e. I have no intentions of spying on people), second, there are many high buildings around, there’s no privacy.

I don’t want to cause any inconvenience to anyone, but I also didn’t spend almost a thousand quid so that someone who cannot bear the thought of a drone existing in the building can have peace.

Any thoughts?

 

[Cafguy]

Welcome to the hobby. This won't be the last complaint you will hear, Sorry.
The only thing you can really do is be smile and apologize. Just obey the law and the rules in your area and don't worry about all the complainers too much, its sometimes part of the hobby. Just be the bigger person (perhaps address and nullify their concerns in a friendly way) and you will win out in the end. If you are doing nothing wrong then you have no worries.

 

[DoomMeister]

Try posting the main drone regs on the building announcements board along with a URL to the complete online version.

Schedule a conference with the building supervisor and any apartment dwellers association that you may have to discuss the issue. Let them know you are flying by the CAA regulations, that you are not being a voyeur, and plan to continue using your drone lawfully.

 

[bmwbob]

So much easier to go someplace where there's no one to complain. I live in the country in a development with one archer lots and I just take the drone straight up and leave the development area into the surrounding countryside.

 

[Meta4]

Any thoughts?

You don't have to fly from your home.
You could go somewhere else to fly and maintain a lower profile.

 

[mavic3usa]

I disagree you should go somewhere else to fly. Only when it gets to the point where you actually care but you mentioned that you don't care and unfortunately in the state of the world today, that matters.

 

[Felix le Chat]

If you really "...don't care...", why have you joined a forum that is an international Community of serious drone users? a lot of whom are professionals, if you weren't bothered: why ask for "...Thoughts..."?

Not all of the responses to your post are going to tell you "...you've got the right to do what you like - screw 'em all..." - most of the feedback will end up telling you that what you're doing as a drone user doesn't just affect you: in the long run, it'll end up affecting everyone else who uses drones. A Community tends to make sure it acts in a manner that is in the best long-term interests of all the other members.

Current CAA regulations say you are allowed to operate a sub-250grm drone "...within 50 metres of a building..." fly "...within 50 metres of uninvolved persons..." and fly over groups of people as long as the number of people does not constitute "...a crowd...".

London is a densely populated city, so it's pretty much a given that on the way to the Thames and on the way back: at some point you'll be flying over "...a crowd..." of uninvolved people.

You're also hammering out of a tower block a substantial number of metres in the air - which puts your drone about zero metres from a built structure on the way out - and on the way back in again.

If anyone wanted to make your life difficult and get your door knocked by the boys & girls in Blue: 15 minutes on-line reading and they find out that you've given them two perfect excuses.

On top of that: if you're a Council tenant - the local Council may have in place specific bye-laws about operating drones from property under their control... have you checked out whether they have a formal drone policy?

 

[oxal]

If you really "...don't care...", why have you joined a forum that is an international Community of serious drone users? a lot of whom are professionals, if you weren't bothered: why ask for "...Thoughts..."?

Not all of the responses to your post are going to tell you "...you've got the right to do what you like - screw 'em all..." - most of the feedback will end up telling you that what you're doing as a drone user doesn't just affect you: in the long run, it'll end up affecting everyone else who uses drones. A Community tends to make sure it acts in a manner that is in the best long-term interests of all the other members.

Current CAA regulations say you are allowed to operate a sub-250grm drone "...within 50 metres of a building..." fly "...within 50 metres of uninvolved persons..." and fly over groups of people as long as the number of people does not constitute "...a crowd...".

London is a densely populated city, so it's pretty much a given that on the way to the Thames and on the way back: at some point you'll be flying over "...a crowd..." of uninvolved people.

You're also hammering out of a tower block a substantial number of metres in the air - which puts your drone about zero metres from a built structure on the way out - and on the way back in again.

If anyone wanted to make your life difficult and get your door knocked by the boys & girls in Blue: 15 minutes on-line reading and they find out that you've given them two perfect excuses.

On top of that: if you're a Council tenant - the local Council may have in place specific bye-laws about operating drones from property under their control... have you checked out whether they have a formal drone policy?

I see now where the confusion comes from, I’ll edit the original post. What I meant by “I don’t care” is that I’m not spying on anyone, I.e. I’m not interested in anyone else’s life, referring to the accusation of me using the drone to “spy on them”.

 

[Dronecation]

I bought a mini 3 pro recently, passed exam etc. I live at the top of an apartment building, and control my drone from the balcony.

I literally shoot off to the Thames (it’s a few 100ms away) not circling around. I like to enjoy the view with my goggles not even recording.

I received some complaints and warnings from the building that they will call the police and council because I’m spying on them and invade their privacy.

First off, I don’t care (edit: don’t care about their lives, not interested in it, I.e. I have no intentions of spying on people), second, there are many high buildings around, there’s no privacy.

I don’t want to cause any inconvenience to anyone, but I also didn’t spend almost a thousand quid so that someone who cannot bear the thought of a drone existing in the building can have peace.

Any thoughts?

When you take off and land, just head straight upwards without going forward, so folks don't hear/see the drone from your building. That drone is fairly quiet after a certain distance in the air, so it won't attract a lot of attention. What borough/postal code are you flying from if you don't mind me asking? East docklands?
Good luck!

 

[Ptrebor]

I bought a mini 3 pro recently, passed exam etc. I live at the top of an apartment building, and control my drone from the balcony.

I literally shoot off to the Thames (it’s a few 100ms away) not circling around. I like to enjoy the view with my goggles not even recording.

I received some complaints and warnings from the building that they will call the police and council because I’m spying on them and invade their privacy.

First off, I don’t care (edit: don’t care about their lives, not interested in it, I.e. I have no intentions of spying on people), second, there are many high buildings around, there’s no privacy.

I don’t want to cause any inconvenience to anyone, but I also didn’t spend almost a thousand quid so that someone who cannot bear the thought of a drone existing in the building can have peace.

Any thoughts?

So much easier to go someplace where there's no one to complain

 

[Cymruflyer]

How high above the ground is your apartment balcony? You might already be exceeding the max altitude to fly at. Simple solution is to go and fly it somewhere else. If you have had a complaint, they obviously know where you live.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Under CAA rules, are you not supposed to be in visual site of your drone, while flying? If you are using goggles to fly, is that not illegal, if you don't have a spotter to watch the drone, regarding other traffic in the sky?

 

[bmwbob]

I see now where the confusion comes from, I’ll edit the original post. What I meant by “I don’t care” is that I’m not spying on anyone, I.e. I’m not interested in anyone else’s life, referring to the accusation of me using the drone to “spy on them”.

What kills me the folks thinking they're be spied on forget Google Earth has a better view of their backyard!

 

[BossBob]

What kills me the folks thinking they're be spied on forget Google Earth has a better view of their backyard!

The problem with Goggle Earth is that it’s not live and might not be recent. Someone looking for items to steal is just as likely to use a drone. That’s the reason a local farmer gave me for wanting my drone above his yard. I’m fine with that and avoid it as there’s nothing there that is scenic or interesting.

 

[oxal]

The problem with Goggle Earth is that it’s not live and might not be recent. Someone looking for items to steal is just as likely to use a drone. That’s the reason a local farmer gave me for wanting my drone above his yard. I’m fine with that and avoid it as there’s nothing there that is scenic or interesting.

This is an understandable reason to be fair. But if you live in an apartment building with apartment buildings surrounding you, you might as well tell everyone else in the other buildings to.. well, move elsewhere because they “might” look at you.

I understand them at some level, there was a drone a few years back that brought some negative thoughts into mind, but unless it was floating close to my window, I wouldn’t complain against it.

People think in a weird way sometimes. Mass surveillance doesn’t bother them, but a local drone does because they can do something about it. They want to release their frustration. When (or if) deliveries will be done by drones I’m wondering if they will refuse using these services because “they are spying on them”. Most likely not.

 

[Max Headroom]

I literally shoot off to the Thames (it’s a few 100ms away) not circling around. I like to enjoy the view with my goggles not even recording.

Its illegal to fly with goggles whether you are recording or not if you do not have a spotter.

You could also have the height issue mentions earlier.

As many have said why not take the drone out so you are not annoying your neighbours if they keep reporting you for spying on them whether its true or not (no footage from you to prove otherwise as you say you are not recording) its not going to end well.