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Beware of "Drone Haters" - today I got spat on

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Today I went out to try to shoot some surfers. I flew straight over the short beach, and way out past the breakers where some surfers were waiting for some action. I stayed far away from them so as to not bother them...even at the cost of missing a good shot. I checked my footage once home, and ya, I was definitely too far away to catch anything worthwile, or to be bothersome.

I saw two classic beach-bro's walking up to me chests puffed out and pissed off demaning I got out of there. "This is our beach" type stuff.
Two dudes I was standing with happily talking about how awesome quadcopters are suprised me by (verbally) taking these guys on. I could see it was going bad, so I decided to come back to land. Their main argument was that I was a creepy f&%$er who was taking pictures of kids and bikinis. The *only* words I said (a few times) were "ok, I'll go--please let me land safely". Obviously on the way home, I've thought of so many other things to say, but my primary concern was landing safely. One of the dickheads was talking back and forth with the dudes who were sticking up for me, and the main dickhead contined with me about how I was a creepy pathetic guy who gets his jollies by taking pictues of kids at the beach. Even if I *was* near the people on the sand, which I obviously wouldn't be for many reasons, people would be the size of ANTS in my frame. Not too creepy...LOL. You see all the people on the beach with their cell phones taking pictures or video of each other, or their kids? I bet he'll never get twisted up about that!

Again--please let me land safely. He was working himself up so badly looking for a fight that he finally stepped closer (scared the ****** out of me) and spat twice on me. First a huge loogey on my arm and my tablet screen (lovely), and then again--more of a spray that got on my face and shirt.

Long story (sorry) is that I landed ok on the other side of the street, and walked away as quickly as I could. I was encouraged by two other onlookers that I should go to the lifeguard stand and report him, and that they'd be my witnesses, etc. I declined because I was so shaken up and wanted to get the HELL out of there with my Inspire in one piece. This guy obviously didn't have a problem assaulting me...I know my Inspire would have been at risk with me getting deeper into the situation.

I thought this was an important story to share with this communuity to remind us all that depite that fact that most onlookers (in my experience) are interested and cool about our quadcopters, there are some who are real scary paranoid weirdos looking for a fight.
Be careful out there.
 
Dude! That is SOOO messed up on so many levels! Sorry to hear you had such a crappy encounter with a guy like that! Funny thing is if they have any interest in watching surf videos, which two 'dudes' like that probably do, they watch footage shot by drone pilots like us ALL the time! Not to mention the pros making their money off endorsements from videos, again, shot by us! They need to spend less time in the sun and more time expanding their brains! Sorry this happened! Shake it off and get back to making sweet aerial films!
-Clint
 
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dude, that sucks. you did the right thing. there seems to be a few people who think just owning/flying a uav"drone" is perverted and creepy. karma is a b, they will get theirs. most people are nice as you know, hopefully this "I'm scared of what the tv told me to think" attitude will go away soon...
 
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Sounds like a horrible experience, and the worst nightmare for UAV operators. Wish you'd gone to the authorities though, especially as you had voluntary witnesses. The freaks who threatened you will just do this to the next hobby flier they see.
 
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Sorry to hear of your "encounter" and the ensuing assault on your person!!....I also echo the thoughts of the others who have commented. When I got mine the only comments that some of my friends and regular acquaintances could say was; "Ah, you only bought it so you can fly over beaches to perve and take photos and video of women in bikinis!" Alas, I don't think some peoples negative perception or ignorance of these things is going to change soon. I now find myself trying very hard to avoid any areas where there are any people about, maybe I like the solitude anyway.
 
Similar situation here. I had a big scare when I was flying in Africa at an orphanage for the owners. There was a group of about 50-70 kids watching and in a circle around me. They were about 10 feet away, so I started to bring my Phantom down. As it got closer to the ground, the kids advanced. By the time I touched the ground, I had to shut off the motors quick to keep the kids from cutting their fingers. It took me a few minutes to make my way to my Phantom.
 
I had a guy try to attack me once because he hated drones. He accused me of spying on him, spying on naked people in a resort (I was taking pics for the owner of the resort), and then started making up contradictory "FAA regs" I was supposedly violating. When none of that worked, he started demanding my name and then tried to tackle me, but I side stepped him

He saw me going for my legally owned and legally carried gun and ran off. The police didn't arrest him, but he was told he was lucky I had a cool head and that he shouldn't attack women, drone or not.

That was the only negative experience I've ever had. Everyone else thinks it's cool and has questions, wants to see the screen, etc.

I think the news shows and some nutty politicians need to think a bit before they spread fear.
 
And spying with a Quadcopter? Really? Is there any way to be less stealthy than operating four flying weed wackers?

Or did my phantom and inspire not come with the UN "whisper mode" "black helicopter" blades?
 
Glad you kept you cool its more than i would have done .Difficult situation when the quad is in the air but once it was landed safley then i think i would have had to have done something no way would or could i let some one spit on me and get away with it .
Might help if you say where you were so others can avoid the place if they wish .
 
I would have turned the drone around, get closer and start filming evidence, if it would start going into a bad situation.
 
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Today I went out to try to shoot some surfers. I flew straight over the short beach, and way out past the breakers where some surfers were waiting for some action. I stayed far away from them so as to not bother them...even at the cost of missing a good shot. I checked my footage once home, and ya, I was definitely too far away to catch anything worthwile, or to be bothersome.

I saw two classic beach-bro's walking up to me chests puffed out and pissed off demaning I got out of there. "This is our beach" type stuff.
Two dudes I was standing with happily talking about how awesome quadcopters are suprised me by (verbally) taking these guys on. I could see it was going bad, so I decided to come back to land. Their main argument was that I was a creepy f&%$er who was taking pictures of kids and bikinis. The *only* words I said (a few times) were "ok, I'll go--please let me land safely". Obviously on the way home, I've thought of so many other things to say, but my primary concern was landing safely. One of the dickheads was talking back and forth with the dudes who were sticking up for me, and the main dickhead contined with me about how I was a creepy pathetic guy who gets his jollies by taking pictues of kids at the beach. Even if I *was* near the people on the sand, which I obviously wouldn't be for many reasons, people would be the size of ANTS in my frame. Not too creepy...LOL. You see all the people on the beach with their cell phones taking pictures or video of each other, or their kids? I bet he'll never get twisted up about that!

Again--please let me land safely. He was working himself up so badly looking for a fight that he finally stepped closer (scared the ****** out of me) and spat twice on me. First a huge loogey on my arm and my tablet screen (lovely), and then again--more of a spray that got on my face and shirt.

Long story (sorry) is that I landed ok on the other side of the street, and walked away as quickly as I could. I was encouraged by two other onlookers that I should go to the lifeguard stand and report him, and that they'd be my witnesses, etc. I declined because I was so shaken up and wanted to get the HELL out of there with my Inspire in one piece. This guy obviously didn't have a problem assaulting me...I know my Inspire would have been at risk with me getting deeper into the situation.

I thought this was an important story to share with this communuity to remind us all that depite that fact that most onlookers (in my experience) are interested and cool about our quadcopters, there are some who are real scary paranoid weirdos looking for a fight.
Be careful out there.

That's assault. Call the police.
 
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People need to know their rights. You did the right thing by bringing it in but to leave without calling the police? People need to be educated and running away makes them look right. Sorry you went through this but I would never walk away.

I guess I can't say the same for everyone but in my case I would not back down. Then again I also always have "backup."
 
It's obvious your story has touched a nerve. Public opinion based on media bias for the most part is out of control. I remember seeing my first drone story on CBS Sunday Morning a couple years ago about a couple in Boston using the "amazing new technology " to create art photography from a different perspective. Well, that must not have brought the ratings because that was one of the last positive stories I saw in the news. Obviously the scary society view of the "spying perverted drone" draws in huge ratings as there have been countless stories with the same theme. There was even one CBS Morning Show where they did a negative piece on drones, then two stories later they broke to a commercial with the Inspire footage of the volcano stating how beautiful the footage was. Anything for ratings.
Did you see "Modern Family" this week? The whole subplot was about an evil neighborhood drone hovering in his backyard spying on the poolside sunbathers. Rediculous and irresponsible to fan the flame of intolerance (and it pissed me off since I enjoy the show).
And does everyone remember Diane Feinstein who said she saw a "drone" in her window at her home spying on her with a camera? It turned out to be a pink toy helicopter that a protest group outside her house was flying around. They were known to do that anytime they protested I read. Besides, NOONE wants to look in that lady's window. Scary!
Even my own brother in law, a structural engineer, who was intrigued by my first Phantom, was difficult to convince that people were not buying them strictly to spy on "women in bikinis". Geez, what is people's fascination with spying on girls in bikinis with a fish eye lens and a lawnmower noise, lol! There sure are a lot of guilty worried pervs out there.
It is a shame that so many small minds have no more imagination than to think that is all a drone is good for. I'm sorry you had to endure that scary situation. Fearing for one's safety while also trying to protect your investment is not something we are supposed to have to fear in our culture, but it is our culture that has helped foster those feelings towards our hobby. With all the news stories about bullying, maybe the media should be more careful about the rediculous negative hype they use towards things people don't understand, in turn creating bullies themselves.
 
Yeah, the "Frantic News Networks" are definitely using foundational human fears to drum up "outrage" for anythng that works - drones are an easy target but they'll use baby monitors, fear of psyco nannies, lurking rapist behind every bush, home invasions, etc to that end.

But for the most part, my experience with bystanders has been overwhelmingly positive. I answer their questions and give them a look if they like and the mature educated public generally sees these as a technical wonder and their imagination gets sparked and they become kids again.

Two ladies in a car parked nearby watched as I launched recently here on Cape Cod and they asked questions and when I told them the camera took 4K video they exploded with "What!??" and "Wow!" Etc. They thanked me and later drove off. They probably chatted about it later. A recent neighbor's kid saw me launch and went yelling for his parents to come look at the "airplane". I could overhear them as they watched the I1 fly out across the sea about 2km in awe wondering "Where is it going? Will it come back?"

When it reappeared on its return home the kid went yelling for his parents again "I see it! I see it! It's coming back!!" The whole family watched me land and I waved to be friendly and smiled at their wonderment, and frankly at my own, reminded of how cool and special this aircraft really is.

Don't let the bad experiences sour you. The majority of folks are like us and appreciate you taking a few minutes to answer their questions and share in your joy of flying.
 
Hey jack..
I probably would have done the same thing as you did..
I wouldn't feel good about walking away ,but what are the options? ?
Call the police. ..no..
shoot him..I wish. .
spit back.. ????
pull a Steven Sagal? ? Again I wish...
go home and cry..nope...
put a tracker on his car and follow him home and well..use your imagination. ...no definitely not...
so considering the options you did the rite thing..
because everything I mentioned isnt worth your time,but it sure be nice to punch that jerk off in the face!!!
Don't you wish you were a bad *** ?? I do.....
Turbo. ..
 
Hi Jack. Sorry to here about your problem. My question is, "What are you going to do the next time this happens?" Turbodronepilot talks about options. Calling the cops, ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!! I'm not a lawyer, but this a clear case of assault. You had an opportunity to film the confrontation, I1 in flight or land the I1 and keep the camera on. I pray that this kind of crap doesn't happen again. Good luck brother.....
 
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