Yet another bad news story for our hobby

[Buzz In California]

When I was young, the crew of an aircraft would call in a "UFO" report. Now any object viewed in the air are reported as drones, even if it not a drone.

Can anyone remember in the recent past anyone reporting a UFO sighting?

 

[Gimme the copperheads Dom]

I don't think drones will ever be "banned". They are clearly part of the future and their full potential, in the private field as well as the commercial, is still untapped. However, what will happen is that the requirements and rules for hobby pilots will increase. Chances are we will all need a drone license, not just a registration at some point. Also the enforcement of laws will go up. As annoying as DJI's ever evolving software restrictions are, they do help keeping our hobby alive. Other manufacturers will follow suit, no doubt.

 

[robrow]

A lot of these stories are bogus, as we all know it is almost impossible to see a drone from any kind of distance, even when you know where it is. So fairly obvious why there are no witness statements or tangible details, just vague words which anyone can string together.

Probably been said before but birds pose far more of a threat and cause actual issues to aircraft than our toy drones. Yet we don't try to exterminate birds.

Rob.

 

[geigy]

Pilots: take it easy. As drone flyers, we have determined that drones do not pose a significant risk to you or your passengers, and we may fly them wherever we want, as high as we want. How do we know this? Because we do.

 

[Boblelezard]

Yeah I wonder in the future how many unskilled pilots that screwed up or need a go around but don't want the company to go hard on them will use the drone excuse.

This has nothing to do with "SKILL" ... it's purely "common sense"!!!

 

[Rick]

Irrespective of whether this was a drone infringing air traffic movement, take a look at this link to see how costly and disruptive this incident was.
Drone disruption at Gatwick - NATS Blog

 

[Andrew Wright]

Another one of those earlier reports from the U.K. states pilot said the UAV was about 2m wide, and there was two of them that were kept in constant visual contact from 500m! I would think something that big would show up on radar. I don't think MP vs 777 would be a fair fight, but something that big would be a different story.

Unfortunately here in the UK they won't show up on radar unless they have ADS - B functionality (Transponder). Many private pilots use ADS-B via things like Garmin sat nav's to communicate with ATC. As other's have mentioned it seems fairly easy these days to jailbreak the DJI NFZ's with 3rd party software. That's where the focus should be in shutting that down.

Also here in the UK, we now have a great system introduced by the National Air Traffic Service (NAT'S) which allows drone pilots to file a flight plan via an app pre flight. Once filed, it alerts other traffic such as balloons and small aircraft that you're in the area as well as ATC.

I love this system, but then I abide via the rules. Others may disagree, but right now I think it is in everyone's interest to work with the authorities to achieve a happy medium,for flying drones.

 

[Mauri59]

There is a substantial difference, anyway. We can't explain birds to set airports area free, while it's possible to do with humans, and its proper to do and to enforce, for a number of good reasons.
One of it, because anything is seen (or may be seen) in the air, now, its a drone. Eyewitness memory, is not a playback, but a reconstruction of what he thinks he has seen.
On the other side, as a passenger, i've been scared more than once seeing bird flocks in the air, just before and along take off.
Flocks are visible, way more dangerosus, expecially during take off, but it seems we (and pilots) have to take the risk and cross fingers.

Probably been said before but birds pose far more of a threat and cause actual issues to aircraft than our toy drones. Yet we don't try to exterminate birds.
Rob.

 

[ascension]

There is a substantial difference, anyway. We can't explain birds to set airports area free, while it's possible to do with humans, and its proper to do and to enforce, for a number of good reasons.
One of it, because anything is seen (or may be seen) in the air, now, its a drone. Eyewitness memory, is not a playback, but a reconstruction of what he thinks he has seen.
On the other side, as a passenger, i've been scared more than once seeing bird flocks in the air, just before and along take off.
Flocks are visible, way more dangerosus, expecially during take off, but it seems we (and pilots) have to take the risk and cross fingers.

Pilots don't "take the risk and cross fingers."
If there's a "flock" on the move or in the way, which is extremely rare, in fact I've never seen more than a few, you don't take off, any more than you would with a deer or a coyote or any other wildlife.
Bird activity is reported on the departure information, but birds typically don't like airports. They do like watersheds near airports, but we're usually way above them.

 

[Mauri59]

Not in my experience, throughout nearly four decades as passenger, in four continents.
Moreover, as well as other species, we see now bird species in areas we haven't seen them ever before.
For examples, seagulls hundred Km away from sea, far from rivers, or herons and other big predators over towns, and so on.

but birds typically don't like airports

 

[jazar]

There have been cases in the US where someone on the ground pointed a laser at an aircraft and the authorities treated it very seriously. I see no difference in the consequences of flying a drone too close to an airport or pointing a laser at an aircraft. In both cases, it is individual stupidity. I haven't heard anyone suggesting banning laser pointers, just punish the people who do these things.

 

[mlaczek]

Drone Incident At Gatwick Airport Was Probably Not A Drone | DroningON - Drone News and Reviews

 

[Robbyg]

mlaczek that never gets old
Where have you been my friend? I thought your Mavic might have gone down and you got lost searching for it

Rob

 

[mlaczek]

mlaczek that never gets old
Where have you been my friend? I thought your Mavic might have gone down and you got lost searching for it

Rob

Hi Rob,

I was here every day for reading, but.. you know... my poor english... and i'm a shy guy

no, i didn't fall down, my mavic and me are okay

yes, you right, i never grow up

i was on vacation, and yet i have to work a lot. but now i'm here for you again

friendly hug, mlaczek

 

[747P4]

Let'say that I've been professional in aerospace industry... and this, ends my comments here and forever.
I' have a bigger one than you, it's not exactly my favourite game. Moreover, I've seen enough "springs" to know when a conversation it's a waste of time and efforts.

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Engineer?

 

[Robbyg]

Hi Rob,

I was here every day for reading, but.. you know... my poor english... and i'm a shy guy

no, i didn't fall down, my mavic and me are okay

yes, you right, i never grow up

i was on vacation, and yet i have to work a lot. but now i'm here for you again

friendly hug, mlaczek

No my friend I meant the Aircraft Identification chart never gets old, I laugh every time I see it.

That is great that you were able to go on vacation, I hope you were able to carry your Mavic and get some good video shots. I am glad that you are back, I look forward to seeing you more on the forum.

Rob

 

[mlaczek]

No my friend I meant the Aircraft Identification chart never gets old, I laugh every time I see it.

That is great that you were able to go on vacation, I hope you were able to carry your Mavic and get some good video shots. I am glad that you are back, I look forward to seeing you more on the forum.

Rob

hehehe... did you see? my poor language ability. i always misunderstood something

anyway... I appreciate it did you miss me

so yes, my little bird came with me to kefalonia, and i made my first drone videos there (i had lot of difficulty at the hungarian airport because my drone, but it's an other story). i had just couple of hours for filming in Kefalonia, because my wife and my son was with me. but i don't mind, it was an incredible vacation. you know we can't traveling too much on the island because of the warmth (my son two years old, and don't wanted to "kill" him) and no license for car, but next year we will go back there and rent a car, blahblah... when we got home I had an hour to make a video. it's not really video. i call it just some trailer. do you know, i wanted to see, what i did with my birdy. you can check it on my channel, if you would like to. here it is

 

[mlaczek]

When I was young, the crew of an aircraft would call in a "UFO" report. Now any object viewed in the air are reported as drones, even if it not a drone.

Can anyone remember in the recent past anyone reporting a UFO sighting?

same in hungary. it's funny, because we don't have Area 51 but everybody saw the serial The X-files

 

[mlaczek]

This has nothing to do with "SKILL" ... it's purely "common sense"!!!

yes, the common sense is very important. but the skill are important too. not really for flying or filming, but also saving in bad situation. this is just my opinion.

 

[mlaczek]

What I absolutely do not understand is why would anyone want to fly their drone near an airport? I just don't get it. Airports are not scenic, its asphalt and planes.

Its just dumb in every regard.

i think because some people want more visitors on they youtube channel. i'm afraid they can kill people (i hope don't want!) for more celebrity without thinking. it's very sad and abnormal. really abnormal!