What do you think you are doing? This is a No-Drone Zone…

[aeciolemos]

While on this topic, I was at the botanic gardens in Dublin a couple of months ago and I looked at the Fly app and it was NOT a restricted area. I took off and started flying and taking amazing pictures and videos. About 10min later, an employee comes up and tells me I can't fly there because of the airport.
I checked the map again and the National Botanic Gardens are in an Enhanced Warning Zone, but not in the airport flight path, where flight is prohibited.
I tried to argue with the man but he just said to land or he would call the Garda (police). I didn't want to argue, so I just landed and left.

I carry papers around showing the class of drone my Mavic Mini 2 is and that I don't need any registration, etc. but I don't know how to argue about flight areas with someone that thinks they are right, despite what the app say. I even registered with the local equivallent of the FAA to make myself more official after that and I am trying to keep up with all the rules and regulations and, thus, trying to educate people on what I can or cannot do, but sometimes, it's just better to walk away.

 

[cgmaxed]

While on this topic, I was at the botanic gardens in Dublin a couple of months ago and I looked at the Fly app and it was NOT a restricted area. I took off and started flying and taking amazing pictures and videos. About 10min later, an employee comes up and tells me I can't fly there because of the airport.
I checked the map again and the National Botanic Gardens are in an Enhanced Warning Zone, but not in the airport flight path, where flight is prohibited.
I tried to argue with the man but he just said to land or he would call the Garda (police). I didn't want to argue, so I just landed and left.

I carry papers around showing the class of drone my Mavic Mini 2 is and that I don't need any registration, etc. but I don't know how to argue about flight areas with someone that thinks they are right, despite what the app say. I even registered with the local equivallent of the FAA to make myself more official after that and I am trying to keep up with all the rules and regulations and, thus, trying to educate people on what I can or cannot do, but sometimes, it's just better to walk away.

I do the same, I leave even when I'm right. But, When people are given authority, they subconciously develope a slight god complex. They suddenly become all knowing and omnipotent. If you tell them they are wrong they just won't or can't accept that they could be wrong. Maybe they think, "How could I be wrong? I must have been given this authority over others because I am smarter than them."

 

[slozukimc]

I do the same, I leave even when I'm right. But, When people are given authority, they subconciously develope a slight god complex. They suddenly become all knowing and omnipotent. If you tell them they are wrong they just won't or can't accept that they could be wrong. Maybe they think, "How could I be wrong? I must have been given this authority over others because I am smarter than them."

I will never leave a site if I know for sure I am legal. They can call the cops and I will be glad to teach them the rules as well. If you let people who are wrong chase you away then that person believes even more that they were right. They will spout off their mouth to everyone to tell how they were right and shut down this law breaking drone pilot. That isn’t going to help at all.

 

[aeciolemos]

I will never leave a site if I know for sure I am legal. They can call the cops and I will be glad to teach them the rules as well. If you let people who are wrong chase you away then that person believes even more that they were right. They will spout off their mouth to everyone to tell how they were right and shut down this law breaking drone pilot. That isn’t going to help at all.

I understand that and I mostly do that when I am in public places. However, in private places or places where, how would I put it, they reserve the right to kick you out at their discretion, I tend to fold. On that day, to be honest, I just went outside the gardens to another public park and took off from there. I flew over the gardens and if they noticed or went about looking for me, I do not know. I got my footage and photos without any further problems.

BTW, I do respect the no-fly and restricted areas as well as altitude restrictions whenever I am flying. I went back up because as I pointed out in the map, that was NOT a restrictedd area, so I was doing nothing illegal.

 

[slozukimc]

I understand that and I mostly do that when I am in public places. However, in private places or places where, how would I put it, they reserve the right to kick you out at their discretion, I tend to fold. On that day, to be honest, I just went outside the gardens to another public park and took off from there. I flew over the gardens and if they noticed or went about looking for me, I do not know. I got my footage and photos without any further problems.

BTW, I do respect the no-fly and restricted areas as well as altitude restrictions whenever I am flying. I went back up because as I pointed out in the map, that was NOT a restrictedd area, so I was doing nothing illegal.

I certainly agree on the private property. But if I am in a public park where I know I am not breaking any rules they can go get me the printed rules to show me I am wrong or they can buzz off. I am still learning here but is it not a punishable offense to disturb a UAS pilot during flight?

 

[aeciolemos]

I certainly agree on the private property. But if I am in a public park where I know I am not breaking any rules they can go get me the printed rules to show me I am wrong or they can buzz off. I am still learning here but is it not a punishable offense to disturb a UAS pilot during flight?

I agree with you 100%. I was at the beach a few months ago and wanted to fly when a life guard came up to me and said I should not fly there (should, not couldn't). His reason was that there were people there that would not like it. I explained I was going to fly high so nobody would be easily identified and that I would focus on nature and not people. He tried to argue that I was not allowed to fly over the beach and I showed him the printout of the local rules and showed him I am registered with the IAA and he backed off.

I don't know if disturbing a UAS pilot is an offense but I will certainly find out!

 

[slozukimc]

I agree with you 100%. I was at the beach a few months ago and wanted to fly when a life guard came up to me and said I should not fly there (should, not couldn't). His reason was that there were people there that would not like it. I explained I was going to fly high so nobody would be easily identified and that I would focus on nature and not people. He tried to argue that I was not allowed to fly over the beach and I showed him the printout of the local rules and showed him I am registered with the IAA and he backed off.

I don't know if disturbing a UAS pilot is an offense but I will certainly find out!

Federal Crime to Interfere with Drone & Pilot

Thought I would make this clear for anyone who has questions about it. A “UAS” is comprised of 3 parts. The aircraft, the controller, and the pilot. When the aircraft is flying in FAA airspace which is everywhere in the US below 400 feet it is illegal to interfere with any of those 3 entities...

mavicpilots.com

 

[aeciolemos]

Federal Crime to Interfere with Drone & Pilot

Thought I would make this clear for anyone who has questions about it. A “UAS” is comprised of 3 parts. The aircraft, the controller, and the pilot. When the aircraft is flying in FAA airspace which is everywhere in the US below 400 feet it is illegal to interfere with any of those 3 entities...

mavicpilots.com

Amazing! I have to see if that is the case here as well. I think I'll do like some other poster I read earlier that takes his doberman with him Maybe my son as backup

 

[snowghost]

My flying buddy was threatened by a guy who said he was going to shoot it down. His reply was that the drone is registered with the FAA and considered an aircraft. It's a federal crime to interfere with an aircraft. And in addition, the drone logs every flight with location and the info would be turned over to the police. That shut him down.

 

[davey1der]

I have flown recreationally for well over 3 years in the most public, albeit legal, places in Southern Idaho. I have never had anyone question the legality or motives of my activities with my drone(s). I fly many times around touristy parts of the awesome area where I live, and have only had curious and amused people stop to talk, including a Twin Falls County deputy that was interested in buying his own drone after watching the counties drone in action. Believe me, I am always prepared with the proper documentation and answers to satisfy any official’s questions, but the opportunity has never posed itself. I don’t make a spectacle of what I’m doing, but choose to be approachable to anyone with a question or a curious nature. I’m a big advocate of education. Education of my skills as a pilot, education of the rules that govern my hobby, but also education of the public about the manner in which I choose to further my love of photography. That’s really what we are, aerial photographers. People always ask “how much was your drone, I’m thinking about getting one?” I tell them what it took to get me into it, but I also let them know you just don’t buy a drone and start flying. There’s much more to do than just having it. I tell them there are rules and regulations that need to be known and everything hinges on safety, safety of the public as well as the pilot themselves. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m not a hide in the shadows kinda guy. Whether what we’re doing is a hobby or for pay, it’s different, exciting, and fun. Let’s share the love and educate. Peace.

 

[Alex Baxter]

Only once have I been accosted (since 2016). I was taking some pictures over a small UK National Trust property. Not a soul was there, if there had been, I would not have flown. A gentleman came running down the lane and demanded to know if 'that thing' was mine, I confirmed it was indeed mine. He told me it was illegal to fly over National trust property. I did not argue, I just politely listened to his tirade, landed, and left the site. Bolshie and uninformed, there's no fixing stupid..

 

[MS Coast]

Greenies and their drone / whale thing, ha ha.
Been proven in scientific tests that whales (and dolphins etc) aren't affected at all underwater by aerial drones, and while breaching, anything away at least 15m (I think it was) isn't a hassle either . . . mind you I don't reckon they'd be too worried about anything going on while moving 20 + tonnes up out of the water !!

Still, we get lumped with aircraft and 300m lateral distance is what we have to abide by.
At least not as bad as NSW where it's 500m.
WA is pretty darn good for drones and whales, it's 60m there !!

We really need uniform drone rules across Australia for flying near cetaceans, and make it 60m would be great !

Awesome area to be flying on the west coast, so much incredible coast, much like the SE Limestone Coast, only probably more rugged in many places.
We went through head of the bight and Nuytsland Nature Reserve, Baxter Cliffs etc, so good there, very remote, we saw no one around at all from Caiguna to Esperance along that coastline.

Can you pass on a reference for the tests you mentioned or any information on who conducted the tests so I can search for them?

I can use it to settle a beer bet with a friend.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Can you pass on a reference for the tests you mentioned or any information on who conducted the tests so I can search for them?

I can use it to settle a beer bet with a friend.

Sure, very easy to find the main studies done . . . a link to the PDFs . . .

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44976-9.pdf

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/1/156/pdf

I've put those links in a similar thread or two in the past here, one such thread here . . .

Boundary rule breach re drone over whales/dolphins calves

This image was recently taken off the coast of Adelaide, South Australia of a drone hovering above a humpback whale and her calf. The regulation in South Australia is no aircraft(including drones) within 300 metres, in front of or above any whale. This image clearly indicates a breach of that...

mavicpilots.com

(Page 2 post 25, but the rest is good reading too.)

 

[MS Coast]

Sure, very easy to find the main studies done . . . a link to the PDFs . . .

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44976-9.pdf

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/1/156/pdf

I've put those links in a similar thread or two in the past here, one such thread here . . .

Boundary rule breach re drone over whales/dolphins calves

This image was recently taken off the coast of Adelaide, South Australia of a drone hovering above a humpback whale and her calf. The regulation in South Australia is no aircraft(including drones) within 300 metres, in front of or above any whale. This image clearly indicates a breach of that...

mavicpilots.com

(Page 2 post 25, but the rest is good reading too.)

Thanks very much for that. Bottlenose dolphins are what we have here on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I hadn't realized they were in Australia, too.

These are on my reading list for tomorrow. A quick looks seems to say that one group found 5m an acceptable minimum altitude for flights over dolphins and the other said 20m. Seems reasonable and in line with what I'd have expected. It's good to have some factual information instead of opinions. Thanks again.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

A quick looks seems to say that one group found 5m an acceptable minimum altitude for flights over dolphins and the other said 20m. Seems reasonable and in line with what I'd have expected. It's good to have some factual information instead of opinions. Thanks again.

You are most welcome.
Having read a bit about it over the past couple of years, I personally feel 30m from Cetaceons would be a good distance for extra caution, and it'd be easy for anyone to remember here, as this is the lateral distance we can fly recreationally from people.

Very hard to get such things changed once in written policy.
About the best hope we have is when states with differing rules are prompted for uniformity to use the same distances and other such factors.
Then it would be a matter of having enough lobbying reserves and research such as this on hand to convince policy makers that 30m or even (as with Western Australia here) 60m is reasonable and safe, perhaps with a timed limit of such flights too.

 

[monteolsen1]

To all the stealth aficionados hiding in dark places while flying ... here's what you may look like on the street... lol.

View attachment 136796

That's hilarious.

 

[SilliG00s3]

I watched a YouTube video from a drone pilot and he said “Fly it like you stole it” meaning get there, hide, fly to get your footage and get out to avoid any kind of conflicts or confrontation.

 

[slozukimc]

I watched a YouTube video from a drone pilot and he said “Fly it like you stole it” meaning get there, hide, fly to get your footage and get out to avoid any kind of conflicts or confrontation.

Usually that expression means to fly like you don’t care what happens to it. It’s an old drag racer thing.

 

[Speshal]

YAY!!!

I found this thread.

Just had my first one today, open field flight, standing on a public footpath, farmer comes by on his tractor (yes really.)

"Wot you doing with a drone?"

"Taking nature photographs."

"You're flying on my land.....(yes, really)"

"I'm flying above your land sir, in accordance with all relevant CAA laws and guidelines."

"I see it again, I'll shoot it out of the sky."

And that's why I googled "The effective range of a 12 bore shotgun."

 

[Alex Baxter]

While on this topic, I was at the botanic gardens in Dublin a couple of months ago and I looked at the Fly app and it was NOT a restricted area. I took off and started flying and taking amazing pictures and videos. About 10min later, an employee comes up and tells me I can't fly there because of the airport.
I checked the map again and the National Botanic Gardens are in an Enhanced Warning Zone, but not in the airport flight path, where flight is prohibited.
I tried to argue with the man but he just said to land or he would call the Garda (police). I didn't want to argue, so I just landed and left.

I carry papers around showing the class of drone my Mavic Mini 2 is and that I don't need any registration, etc. but I don't know how to argue about flight areas with someone that thinks they are right, despite what the app say. I even registered with the local equivallent of the FAA to make myself more official after that and I am trying to keep up with all the rules and regulations and, thus, trying to educate people on what I can or cannot do, but sometimes, it's just better to walk away.

You do need registration with the IAA, the mini 2 has a camera. I'd be wary about flying there, it's always busy when I've been walking there.