Who is responsible???

[esquire]

Wait, I thought pilots are those first episodes of TV shows, where they test test audience reaction.

Haha dictionary.com got you trippin'!

 

[8BitMavics]

Wait, I thought pilots are those first episodes of TV shows, where they test test audience reaction.

@iMario, I like the cut of your jib. This is good discussion. I think the girl(s) were uncomfortable but hey, I think this might cross the unwritten drone "operators" rule.

 

[iMario]

I can simplify.

OP asked who is responsible. He is.

Example: If I bring my laptop poolside and it gets wet from a kid's cannon ball, I'm paying for it out of pocket. I'm responsible. I'm old enough to know that water doesn't mix with electronics well and I took the risk. Blame is mine.

In this case, same thing. Uncomfortable swimsuit tweens be damned. You flew that bird over water (and water guns) - You own that s***.

Good example, but not quite spot-on. In your example it's actually coincidence. Force majeure if you will.
In OP's example, he brought his laptop to the pool side, and someone spilled their martini on purpose over his keyboard

The difference is the intention to do something.

 

[Brojon]

Ultimately it is the pilot who is responsible for the flying.
Kids will be kids, you took the risk of flying that close, it's not the kids' fault for playing around.

I can see both sides but in this case no - you can't use the "kids will be kids" get out of jail free card.
Your kid keys a car - Kids Will Be Kids?
Your kid raids a mailbox and sets fire to it - KWBK?
At some point kids need to be responsible for their actions.
Now this girl may not have known the drone was susceptible to water - a little critical thinking might have gone a long way but regardless I'm quite sure the girls that knew the pilot would have mentioned they knew who it was.
As proof I offer the fact not one of the girls looked alarmed.
If the kids would have been 5 or 6 I would lean towards KWBK - but these are young adults and need to start acting like they have critical thinking skills.

 

[esquire]

Good example, but not quite spot-on. In your example it's actually coincidence. Force majeure if you will.
In OP's example, he brought his laptop to the pool side, and someone spilled their martini on purpose over his keyboard

The difference is the intention to do something.

Impossible to deduce. Neither you or I know if the little **** wanted to get my laptop wet with the cannon ball. And in the end, it doesn't matter. As a parent, I would tell you to GTFO because you aren't going into my pocket for your risky behavior.

 

[its2loud]

If that were my daughter and her teenage friends and I knew you, I would be extremely pissed and weirded out that you were filming them and most likely never invite you again to a beach outing or any other function. You assumed the risk when you decided to fly over water. A more likely comparison would be if you were filming migrating whales and one of them shot water from their spout right into your drone. Would you try to get the whale to compensate you for damages? I doubt it. The whale has no responsibility to know what kind of damages it can do to your drone and neither does that girl. You assumed the risk.

 

[esquire]

Good example, but not quite spot-on. In your example it's actually coincidence. Force majeure if you will.
In OP's example, he brought his laptop to the pool side, and someone spilled their martini on purpose over his keyboard

The difference is the intention to do something.

Also, the intention is likely to "hit the drone with water" but very unlikely "cause drone to short out and permanently damage it".

 

[esquire]

If that were my daughter and her teenage friends and I knew you, I would be extremely pissed and weirded out that you were filming them and most likely never invite you again to a beach outing or any other function. You assumed the risk when you decided to fly over water. A more likely comparison would be if you were filming migrating whales and one of them shot water from their spout right into your drone. Would you try to get the whale to compensate you for damages? I doubt it. The whale has no responsibility to know what kind of damages it can do to your drone and neither does that girl. You assumed the risk.

Here we go with the fat shaming. Rude!

*I KID, I KID!*

 

[Rabid Machina]

People who fly drones are not pilots, they are operators or enthusiasts. If somebody wants to become a real pilot they need to go to flight school, fly an actual aircraft, pass all their tests and earn the priveleges of the title.

Not true, I suggest you look up that definition again. Last time I checked drones are considered aircraft.

You can get off that horse now. Thanks.

 

[esquire]

I would also like to just add that just because OP says he "knows" them - doesn't mean that it was ok to do. There are a LOT of people who can say they "know" me but that doesn't mean I wouldn't dislocate their jaw for filming my kids in their underwear. We know nothing of their relationship. "Knowing" someone is of no substance, the relationship has two sides.

For example, we all know someone named "Joe". "Joe" calls us his friends and always comes around. But instead of calling him "Joe" we call him "Oh ******* Joe is coming" because that's all we ever say when we see him. Yeah he knows us, but when he shows up, we scatter like ants.

 

[esquire]

Conversation just prior to this incident:

Dad: "If that ******* Joe flies his drone over you guys on the beach, shoot it down with water. Do you understand me?"

Daughter: "Yes, papa"

 

[vashon100]

..... but that doesn't mean I wouldn't dislocate their jaw for filming my kids in their underwear....

...and we all know where you'd be spending your evening.

 

[esquire]

...and we all know where you'd be spending your evening.

I would consider it a civic duty.

Juice > Squeeze

 

[Islandguy27]

The reality is that no one is responsible. The drone operator was just doing his thing enjoying his drone and the young girl was enjoying the water and her water gun. She never gave it a thought and without malice squirted the drone. It's just one of those things in life that happens. The moral of the story is just get on with your life.

 

[esquire]

The reality is that no one is responsible. The drone operator was just doing his thing enjoying his drone and the young girl was enjoying the water and her water gun. She never gave it a thought and without malice squirted the drone. It's just one of those things in life that happens. The moral of the story is just get on with your life.

But, but...what about the safe space? The puppies? The hot chocolate? RISE UP, I say!

 

[dmanisgnarly]

Dude, seriously there's no reason to fly that close to people. Even if you did know them. If you were to slip a joystick or the bird hit someone after they "splashed" it, you would be looking at more than the cost of a Mavic. Use some common sense. Don't make us look like tools. /end rant

 

[Ursus Horribilis]

This is not the child's fault. You broke a rule or law. Do not fly over people. You flew over people. Children in fact, and at a very low altitude.

No disrespect here but you got what you deserved. The fault is entirely yours. Why would you fly so close to children in the first place? There was a distinct possibility here that had your drone crashed because of that squirt of salt water, you could have seriously injured a child and that is unacceptable.

Bud

To clarify, I knew all but the girl who fired the water cannon (one of the girls dad is my friend and has a Mavic also).
And if my kid did that I would be paying for any damage. I guess I am one of the minorities who take responsibility for my child's actions.

 

[wayy510]

You should not be flying over people who are not involved in the flight operation.

The pilot is 100 percent responsible.

Haha. "Flight operation", "The pilot",50 point pre/flight checklists. Jesus, some of you guys put way too much emphasis on playing with a drone.

Oh and also, trust me you're not a pilot. We all have an expensive remote controlled toy drone.

The dudes that fly helis on my department's air patrol are pilots that conduct flight operations.

 

[esquire]

Haha. "Flight operation" 50 point pre/flight checklists. Jesus, some of you guys put way too much emphasis on playing with a drone.

Oh yeah mister? I don't see your wings...

Drone. James Drone.

• esquire
• Jun 10, 2017

Come at me, bro.

PROS ONLY!

• esquire
• Jun 10, 2017

 

[FatherXmas]

Does it matter? It's a kid!
We would all have done the same thing at that age. Your never going to receive payment for damages and I assume your not looking for it anyway.

Two not so obvious things to avoid when flying.
Kids with anything in their hands like balls or sticks etc. and secondly dogs. Dogs will go after your drone like it's a flying T-Bone steak.

Rob

I agree about the dogs, my 2 go crazy, even if the drone is on YouTube.