Drone crime

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

In the US, they are legally restricted to 400 feet max altitude. That is often ignored by the owners.

If you get into the hobby of UAVs you will soon find the web sites that have the shady guys. They build their own UAVs with parts from multiple web sites or hobby stores. They build them with no identification and they are careful to leave no clues as to the origin. We can all hope they just like playing outside the law, and have no evil intentions. But they can build those, and sell them to bad guys to have them fly contraband into prisons, and if the UAV is captured, it can't be traced.

My wife is thoroughly unexcited about me getting into the hobby of drones. I gather you can get way in really fast. I'm guessing a lot of "professionals" who offer real estate services are really just hobbyists trying to pay for their hobby.

[911 Rod]

I can see the novelty of a drone would wear off pretty quick.
Maybe I have a short attention span.
What were we talking about again?

[flipper35]

I know, the media is the largest issue. Nothing against all y'all. These are just radio controlled quad copters. Just because they are easy to fly or that they can carry a camera doesn't make them drones.

I am a big proponent of RC flying and have some aircraft at the house, but the quad copters with the tech these days are easy enough to fly and cheap enough to fly they can be bought and flown by anyone that doesn't care. Just like the laser pointers getting shone in pilots eyes. If more people had brains this wouldn't be an issue. If more people were made an example of it might diminish the idiocy somewhat.

Now y'all can get off my airspace.

[SCadaddle]

I've been an RC modeler and member of the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) for the last 44 years. I pretty much quit flying models in the summer of 2015 just prior to the "Great Drone Christmas Threat" of 2015 that instigated the FAA registration policy. Never did send them my info or my $5 bill to join their "Registry".

Just two nights ago, the local AMA clubs had a meeting with the local FAA guys to discuss current laws, regulations etc. It's my understanding, from the FAA website, that models weighing less than 0.55 lbs./250 Grams can still be flown without having to register with the FAA as a "Recreational Drone Pilot". I quickly learned that according to the FAA's "Grid Map", my residence near the local airport permits flight up to 200 feet AGL, yet to actually fly my 2 oz. foam model in the culdesac in front of my house, at mailbox height altitude, would require me to use an app on my phone (or pc) to contact their "LAANC" system where I would then input my FAA registration number (that I don't have), my location and the time frame I would be operating my model. That's pretty damn absurd in my opinion. There was mention of DJI (THE quad copter/drone proliferator) rolling out their latest model just the other day, the "Mavic Mini", that weighs all of 249 Grams ready to fly. So there must be SOME reason why DJI engineered, constructed and marketed a model that falls under the 0.55 lbs./250 gram threshold, but I've yet to figure that out.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by madcorgi

My wife is thoroughly unexcited about me getting into the hobby of drones. I gather you can get way in really fast. I'm guessing a lot of "professionals" who offer real estate services are really just hobbyists trying to pay for their hobby.

For sure. We see companies pop up on a constant basis claiming to do aerial photography, and a few actually have the license and professional gear and knowledge to do a great job.

Many are just someone that bought a DJI- pro and proclaim themselves aerial photographers. For flying a house or a simple business is easy and the real estate folks love em.

We flew the FAA campus here is OKC, for the FAA. is was a total pain in the butt just to get on campus to deliver the prints in person. Flying the site in an airplane was nothing very special or difficult.



We flew the OU-TX game a few weeks back. All 100% legal. Try that with a DJI.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

In the US, they are legally restricted to 400 feet max altitude. That is often ignored by the owners.

If you get into the hobby of UAVs you will soon find the web sites that have the shady guys. They build their own UAVs with parts from multiple web sites or hobby stores. They build them with no identification and they are careful to leave no clues as to the origin. We can all hope they just like playing outside the law, and have no evil intentions. But they can build those, and sell them to bad guys to have them fly contraband into prisons, and if the UAV is captured, it can't be traced.

When I was flying in and out of Hawaii, the airport walkways are open.

That was years ago, and I wondered about flying in contraband via stealth RC vehicles.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by madcorgi

Can't they put a cow catcher on the front of the fire fighting helicopters?

That is the most idiotic thing I have heard today... And I heard a lot of stupid **** from kids today.

Originally Posted by SCadaddle

I've been an RC modeler and member of the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) for the last 44 years. I pretty much quit flying models in the summer of 2015 just prior to the "Great Drone Christmas Threat" of 2015 that instigated the FAA registration policy. Never did send them my info or my $5 bill to join their "Registry".

Just two nights ago, the local AMA clubs had a meeting with the local FAA guys to discuss current laws, regulations etc. It's my understanding, from the FAA website, that models weighing less than 0.55 lbs./250 Grams can still be flown without having to register with the FAA as a "Recreational Drone Pilot". I quickly learned that according to the FAA's "Grid Map", my residence near the local airport permits flight up to 200 feet AGL, yet to actually fly my 2 oz. foam model in the culdesac in front of my house, at mailbox height altitude, would require me to use an app on my phone (or pc) to contact their "LAANC" system where I would then input my FAA registration number (that I don't have), my location and the time frame I would be operating my model. That's pretty damn absurd in my opinion. There was mention of DJI (THE quad copter/drone proliferator) rolling out their latest model just the other day, the "Mavic Mini", that weighs all of 249 Grams ready to fly. So there must be SOME reason why DJI engineered, constructed and marketed a model that falls under the 0.55 lbs./250 gram threshold, but I've yet to figure that out.

Just like there's a reason all my folding knives are just under three inches.

[widebody911]

Here's a clip of a crowd taking down a drone with laser pointers

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by madcorgi

Can't they put a cow catcher on the front of the fire fighting helicopters?

No.

I was in the commercial UAS business (which I sold) and now make UAS for commercial and DoD markets.

We did a lot of exhaustive market analysis and picked our target markets accordingly.

The best run group was the Forest Service and their folks out of Montana. There had their stuff wired.

On a large, active fire, the FS will generally declare the area a temporary restricted area for commercial and military flights - FS and other support aircraft only. They publish the information in what are called NOTAMs - Notice to Airmen.

Smaller fires as well get the same treatment by local jurisdictions if aircraft are employed to fight the fire. As you can imagine, the sky gets busy and the pilots need to know they can maneuver at will making their drops.

What the FS wanted from UAS EO/IR cameras when IFR conditions exist - they wanted to be able to track hot spots when manned aircraft can not fly.

They also wanted post fire inspections, communications relay, etc. The FS folks we dealt with, as well as smaller fire-fighting organizations were ultra professional and had metrics to back up their operational processes.

The rise in UAS capability, especially beyond the hobby drones, is really something. We are working with the US Navy on a UAS that can swim through the water and then go airborne.

True story.