THE "5 REASONS I’M ALLOWED TO FLY HERE" CARD

[53-63-6f-74-74]

Basically I politely asked them to delete my photo, I don't carry and "card", My FAA number was labeled under the battery and there was no need for her to make note of it, No, she couldn't take down my phone number and that I was happy to not fly there today.

You are no longer required to 'register' yourself when flying a quad for hobby purposes, in fact I think you can get your $5 back if you want to bother. I wouldn't even mention your FAA# to 'security' in the future.

 

[tcope]

What's a HOA guys?

It's code for, Satin.

 

[whiskeylover]

It's code for, Satin.

Mmm satin...

 

[tcope]

Mmm satin...

Whoops

 

[Dronebow]

You are no longer required to 'register' yourself when flying a quad for hobby purposes, in fact I think you can get your $5 back if you want to bother. I wouldn't even mention your FAA# to 'security' in the future.

So we no longer have to put the FAA number on our drones? I haven't even looked at that in a long time...

 

[Dronebow]

You are correct. I was NOT flying illegally. If I were to do it over again, I would NOT have engaged in that conversation. I was trying to be the nice guy. Unfortunately, that seems to swing the door wide open for extended conversation and gratification of their power verbal chest bumps. I really think I will be printing the finished verbiage that comes out of this forum and will keep it in my Mavic case. I can't help but hope we all consider this since it's only gonna get more regulated and paranoia will not diminish any time soon.

Go fly it again, prepared... ;-)

 

[53-63-6f-74-74]

So we no longer have to put the FAA number on our drones? I haven't even looked at that in a long time...

Registration Deletion

 

[Apocalypso]

Good points - this was put together several years ago, changed and plagiarized a few times. I believe the hobby use page was taken from the FAA website

The intention - hand the person questioning your authorization to fly your drone this paper and then walk away.

This is a great start. When I have time, I think I'll modify this a bit and post it back here.

One thought is to say "UAS" instead of drone. Maybe even have a few definitions on the back page. Then when someone approaches with a belligerent attitude or security, etc., I can hand it to them and say "here's what you need to know about my UAS". When they say "UAS?", I can say, "yeah, common people might call it a drone, but the Federal Aviation Administration calls what I'm piloting a UAS. Good reading."

 

[eroomomni]

This is a great start. When I have time, I think I'll modify this a bit and post it back here.

One thought is to say "UAS" instead of drone. Maybe even have a few definitions on the back page. Then when someone approaches with a belligerent attitude or security, etc., I can hand it to them and say "here's what you need to know about my UAS". When they say "UAS?", I can say, "yeah, common people might call it a drone, but the Federal Aviation Administration calls what I'm piloting a UAS. Good reading."

Excellent idea Apocalypso. I posted this yesterday with the sincere desire to see an intelligent but concise document to refer to and potentially hand to the uninformed. Please do modify and post.

 

[Oconnb910]

Excellent idea Apocalypso. I posted this yesterday with the sincere desire to see an intelligent but concise document to refer to and potentially hand to the uninformed. Please do modify and post.

I really do think this is a great idea and I wish I had this sooner. I've run into three different episodes of confrontations about flying my drone even though I was flying legal thank you for sharing this. I have already printed out several copies to hand out in the future. I may end up editing as I go also.

 

[ascension]

This is a great start. When I have time, I think I'll modify this a bit and post it back here.

One thought is to say "UAS" instead of drone. Maybe even have a few definitions on the back page. Then when someone approaches with a belligerent attitude or security, etc., I can hand it to them and say "here's what you need to know about my UAS". When they say "UAS?", I can say, "yeah, common people might call it a drone, but the Federal Aviation Administration calls what I'm piloting a UAS. Good reading."

Common people?
Every sane person calls it a drone.

 

[Meanee]

Common people?
Every sane person calls it a drone.

Those dang muggles...

 

[Skippy905]

I had the same type of problem in England. Trying to take some photos of Leeds Castle. I knew that the site itself is a NFZ, so I drove about a mile and half away, found a nice road near a field, and planned to take off go out a few hundred feet over the field and take some images with Leeds castle in the background. I was nowhere near the NFZ, and wouldn't be going near it. Just getting ready to take off and some guy in a Leeds Castle truck drives by, sees my drone on the ground and stops. Ask what I'm doing, I tell him I'm taking some pictures. Asks if I have a license, I showed him my FAA certificate (which really means nothing there).
Basically I explain exactly what I am doing, and how I will do it. He calls it in and denies me flying. Since I'm not at home, but in another country, I didn't bother with trying to argue. Just packed up and left.
But I really wish that I had known my regulations more when I was there and argued it. As the shot was perfect time of day and I don't really know if I will make it there again.

 

[ascension]

Those dang muggles...

Ya.
The "common people" don't know that UAS guys fly missions.

 

[MavicPilot]

I was recently flying in Savannah Ga along the riverfront in an industrial area when I was approached by a security guard on a golf cart. I was respectful when he approached and said hello, "what's going on today"? His reply was, "You need to stop flying that drone over our facilities". When I asked him what the problem was, he told me I was spying on the US Government and I was in big trouble. Informed me that the river and shoreline belonged to the US Coast Guard and he had to report me

I'm assuming there was no Coast Guard base/port in the vicinity? I'm assuming not, but he was likely concerned that you would see them polluting the waters from the air.

Around me, I frequently see oil/gas slicks in the waters (VERY long spreading deep into marshlands) and it always comes from the same factory/pier.

I keep documenting it, but I have been reluctant to report it to the e p a because they are extremely underfunded, would likely not care, and then someone like this guy would be paid to harass people like me. Then again, the fines are so pathetic for infractions that I am probably completely off bases. So sad.

 

[Noleafclover1337]

Basically I politely asked them to delete my photo, I don't carry and "card", My FAA number was labeled under the battery and there was no need for her to make note of it, No, she couldn't take down my phone number and that I was happy to not fly there today.

What card and FAA number do they think they need? Tell them that registration isn’t required anymore lol

 

[julius13]

Recently I was flying the riverfront in Savannah in an Indusrtial area on a Saturday morning when I was approached by a Security Guard. I was polite when he pulled up on his golf cart, I said hello, "what's going on"? He said what's going on is you need to stop flying that drone over our facilities. You are spying on the US Government and you are in big trouble. He said the water and shoreline was property of the United States Coast Guard. He kept trying to intimidate me and try to make me believe I was in deep trouble. I noticed he was growing annoyed because I would not look at him while we were having this discussion. I tried to explain VFR and frankly the safety of my drone was my main focus. The conversation continued as the Mavic came home and then he started with the what's your name, address, etc.

Here's when it got interesting. I asked him specificaly what law(s) I was breaking, his only response was "you are flying/spying on the US Government, kept saying I was in trouble and whipped out his cell phone to call someone. I told him before you make the call, hear me out. First of all, I came to this area because I like shooting industrial footage (weird) and I purposely chose a Saturday because most of the facilities were closed for the weekend. Secondly, I scouted the area and in the entire Industrial complex not a single sign posted stating this was Government property. Thirdly, I was flying at 200 ft above the facilities, well above any air rights the "Gov" has established, and lastly I was outside any restricted airspace of FAA delineated Class airspace.

I calmly said, "while you keep saying that I'm in big trouble, I can assure you I'm in no trouble, perhaps inconvenienced but not in trouble". So now he tries the, you're trespassing crap. I annoyingly said, " that's false, I'm on the right of way of a public street", or are you saying that the US Coast Guard in responsible for paved roads as well? By now this guy sees I'm not backing down and decided to take a lesser abrasive approach. He says, " I need to see you land the drone, PLEASE"! Of course I will and I'll show you the shots I've taken...even delete them.

I ended the conversation with this. "Sir, since you approached me, I've been respectful, yet you are trying to intimidate me into thinking I'm in the wrong here. Let me assure you that as a FAA registered pilot, I probably know the laws better than you do and am willing proceed with whichever way you want to with this situation, so it's up to you".

He pondered, said, "could you please leave the area"? Took off on his golf cart and didn't even wait to see me land. In the end I never gave him my name, showed him my footage, or anything else.

As long as you know your rights, don't take any crap from people who think they are authoritarians. So many people think they know the rules when in fact they don't know a single one. They only know a Drone makes them uncomfortable.

 

[julius13]

I'm assuming there was no Coast Guard base/port in the vicinity? I'm assuming not, but he was likely concerned that you would see them polluting the waters from the air.

Around me, I frequently see oil/gas slicks in the waters (VERY long spreading deep into marshlands) and it always comes from the same factory/pier.

I keep documenting it, but I have been reluctant to report it to the e p a because they are extremely underfunded, would likely not care, and then someone like this guy would be paid to harass people like me. Then again, the fines are so pathetic for infractions that I am probably completely off bases. So sad.

I reposted this because I posted it erroneously. Added the whole conversation.

 

[julius13]

I would of handed them this and walked away.

This is Great. Thanks, going to print this out and keep copies in my kit

 

[BubbaDan]

My neighbor from 3 doors down harassed me when I first started flying. I was standing on my deck. He actually climbed over my locked gate, came into my yard and threatened to shoot me and my Mavic for flying over his horse. I was flying at 300 feet. I tried to be reasonable, at the same time I positioned the Mavic to be watching us. He got physical so I called the police. He denied it, so I showed the cop the footage, which had the entire conversation because the app recorded it via my iPhone. They took him away for various crimes, including assault and threatening to kill me. His entire excuse was that he has teenagers living there and he was trying to protect his home and family. They must be really tall kids, since I was at 300 feet!!