Blow back has started...

[andrew259]

So for the last couple of years I've had no problem getting permission to fly my x3/x5 around the world, getting great footage for clients at venues like Hotels, and other private locations.
My insurance and PFAW along with BNUC pilot card, and a great showreel made people excited to see what we could do...

The Press LOVE drone stories... Negative ones that is....

People who don't give a @&$& about the rules and fly all over the place causing concern and angst. More and more reports now talk not of the amazing opportunities Drones bring, but of the nuisance they are, and the peace and privacy they "destroy" along with the safety concerns of Pillocks who fly near aircraft (and yes some have) or over congested areas/public spaces...

The blowback is now that the mental attitude has shifted completely. If people now see me flying - before they'd think "wow- that's great" and now it's "have you got a licence" and "you shouldn't be flying there"

That mental attitude has crept through to a much wider network of drone uneducated people - but those which have the responsibility of granting permissions to fly....

Already this year - 3 locations where I flew last year have implemented blanket "no permission will be given" edicts - with no recourse.... I can only see this becoming more of an issue as time moves forward....

My message is simple... Whoever you are, whatever you use drones for.... Keep within the rules for the future protection of our industry.... Even if you are a hobbyist who hasn't given a #%^* before now, please think about the long term effects of flying carelessly or without consideration.... You are potentially going to ruin the future of an extremely exciting area of film making....

Just my 2 cents worth. Or pence.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Editor]

Agree with all the comments above.
The irony is, these same people who are complaining and declaring drones as the work of the Devil and evil machines that must be banned will be the same individuals who will have their packages from Amazon delivered by UAV because it will be quicker and more convenient for them!

 

[CactusJackSlade]

Agree with all the comments above.
The irony is, these same people who are complaining and declaring drones as the work of the Devil and evil machines that must be banned will be the same individuals who will have their packages from Amazon delivered by UAV because it will be quicker and more convenient for them!

Or the same agencies that will use drone technology for their own internal uses...

 

[gregdd]

I think you're preaching to the choir by posting in this forum. By and large the people who read this forum are more likely to be educated about their hobby or profession. The people you need to target are those that pull a new "toy" out of the box and start flying without reading the manual let alone going on a forum to learn more.

Recently I was kicked off a Facebook group because I chastised somebody for not reading their manual when they were clearly flying and didn't know the very fundamental procedures to operate their toy. So even moderators of what would appear to be legitimate groups are promoting people to fly without reading the manuals.

 

[andrew259]

I think you're preaching to the choir by posting in this forum. By and large the people who read this forum are more likely to be educated about their hobby or profession. The people you need to target are those that pull a new "toy" out of the box and start flying without reading the manual let alone going on a forum to learn more.

Recently I was kicked off a Facebook group because I chastised somebody for not reading their manual when they were clearly flying and didn't know the very fundamental procedures to operate their toy. So even moderators of what would appear to be legitimate groups are promoting people to fly without reading the manuals.

There are a few bad singers even in this choir...
I've seen the evidence!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Editor]

The people you need to target are those that pull a new "toy" out of the box and start flying without reading the manual let alone going on a forum to learn more.

Seen more than just a few like that on here as well.

 

[spero]

The public, in general, are always scared of things they do not understand. Most people only see "drone hits airliner in the UK" and have no other knowledge of what a real UAV pilot can do. This has been repeated in history many times. Its always easier to ban something that scares grandma than it is to educate her. Also, as mentioned above, the few bad or just uneducated apples that fly in an unsafe manner are not helping. The news does not care about your breathtaking images of whales in Mexico. They only care about a parent that "was sure" a drone was taking pictures of their daughter in the backyard, or some other sensational polarizing story. Things will get worse before they get better. We need to get SAR drones and some other "good" UAV's up in the air making news to balance it out a bit.

 

[huppe]

Yeap this all sound familiar to me.
Last weekend I was threatened that the guy will shoot me out of the air,despite I was in the middle of nowhere.He took his car to look for me and allthough I was 1 km from his house he did his "warning" in front of me,standing almost on my toes..
Hard to get myself together and not getting physical.
After he drove away(with a lot of spinning wheels and mud) I went to the policestation and report him.
Police did listening but I was not convinced about them.Got the idea that it was my own fault.
But I'm certain that when a fight was there it would be in the newspaper that "a dronepilot started a fight".Not "guy hit dronepilot".

 

[licensed pilot]

Report every encounter where you feel threatened to the police and insist on a report or at least a police log entry. Get the case# in case u need it later. Advice from a retired cop; it helps to have a recorded history of threats if things go south later...

 

[huppe]

Report every encounter where you feel threatened to the police and insist on a report or at least a police log entry. Get the case# in case u need it later. Advice from a retired cop; it helps to have a recorded history of threats if things go south later...

Thanks LP.
I have the report here so I will keep this certainly.
But the main thing is that it takes the fun out of flying.At least my Sunday was ruined.

 

[Dave Stanton]

I agree. I've seen a change in people's attitudes toward drones just in the last few months. Used to be, if I was flying for work and someone saw me, they'd come up all excited and want to know about my Inspire, what it could do and, if possible, I'd let them look at my iPad screen briefly so they could see that I can see the video as I fly. They would Oooo and Ahhh and go away impressed and happy. I still get some of that but now, the first question many of them they ask is, "Do you have a license to fly that?" I NEVER got that questions before. I assume they feel if you're "licensed" you're not a terrorist, peeping Tom or crazy person. I show them the registration number on my Inspire and they go away comforted that I'm not there to destroy the world.

 

[licensed pilot]

we have to be assertive and unapologetic with his crowd. If they say They are calling the cops pull out ur phone and tell them you'll call the police and report harassment and/or threatening behavior...

 

[Wing Commander Smyth]

Totally agree with original post and experienced the most complaints ever yesterday....ok it was a Sunday but still.

After yesterday I decided two things.

1 - I am going to have a few signs made that state "Legal Proffessional Drone In Operation" - or something like that, and just place them in the flying area (with the landowners permission of course!).

2 - Have as many people on my team as possible (this includes retired fathers etc!) in high vis jackets and walkie talkies.

I think the issue for most people seems to be information and control.

"Why are you flying here?", "Have you got a licence?", "you can't fly over my land" etc etc

As soon as I chat with them, explain what were filming for, that I'm licensed, that I'm not breaking any rules or laws......90% leave on good terms.

I use the car driving analogy.

Just like people need a license, insurance and know the rules of the road when driving, we're doing exactly the same ...... But in the air.

I think when the silent drones come along that will help ...... A LOT!

Oh and don't fly on Sunday's!!

 

[Richard-Inspire]

I have found this too, and it's begging to take the fun out of it for me. I am not licensed, but then I'm not doing commercial work so I don't need to be (UK). I have recently had more people complain about what I'm doing than show an interest, and it does make me question whether as a hobby (stills photography) it is possible for me to enjoy it any more.

At the moment I'm toying between selling it all and finding something else to do (after nearly 4 years of drone building and flying) OR getting a license in the hope that this will put people's minds at rest and they'll leave me alone.

I'm never flying anywhere illegal, or near people - it's usually over fields or scenery to take stills. BUT people are ignorant and they just make up their mind about something being wrong, whether or not there is any truth to it. I now rule out 50% of locations to fly that I previously would have flown, simply because I get the feeling I'm going to be moaned at by the general public.

 

[Steve Bunch]

agree. i was flying the x5r at a local spot the other night when a guy drove up, rolled down his window and asked me what i was flying. he said cool, parked, and pulled out his p3. And immediately started flying like an a**hole and quickly was gettign too close. fml. so i landed and watched him fly like an a**hole for the rest of his single battery. geez.

 

[Cactuswest]

There will be a need for an advocacy association to have input in the industry and also to educate people.

 

[Steve Bunch]

There will be a need for an advocacy association to have input in the industry and also to educate people.

There is one, the AMA, and the FAA basically shut them out of the last set of rule making. Rich Hanson in Ontario, CA in January said the AMA gave input, yet most if not all of their suggestions were ignored. boo.

 

[GizaDog]

I also believe its the fact that people don't have any place to vent on the government "drone kill" programs so they take it out on the hobbyist because they can see and relate to them. The propaganda media system has programmed most of the public to say and think "drones are bad" all the while the government has full access to "kill" anyone they want.

Main Stream Media should be "held accountable" for spewing and conjuring up lies about our hobby and professional drones to instill fear in people.

We are professionals and should always send that message!!!

 

[SimonMW]

The media is, unfortunately, responsible for most of the public attitude. Truth shouldn't get in the way of a good story where they are concerned.

We were taking photos of a new housing development yesterday, and as we were packing up there was one of the workmen there who told me that he was wanting to buy a quadcopter for a hobby, but had decided not to because he now thought he had to have a license!

 

[John Archer]

A magazine I subscribe to did a FaceBook survey of the general public concerning the right to fly drones in national parks. 10%-yes. 17% Yes, but with severe restrictions. 73%-NO!
On another page they mentioned in 2014 a guy was shooting drone videos and crashed into Lake Yellowstone. The punishment? A years ban from entering the park, a years probation, and a $1600 fine. Today the guy would have probably been given a life sentence at Sing-Sing.
Not so long ago I read some knothead dropped his drone inside of geyser. You can only hope people like this are banned for having children. You get enough people stirred up, they will attempt to ban all UAV's.
On a side note, there is a city park just a few miles from my home. I contacted the park supervisor, asked, and was granted permission to fly anytime there wasn't any large crowds. I assured him that would never be a problem. I have been back twice. Last trip there he came out and talked to me telling me one of his employees saw someone dragging a huge black case out in the middle of the park. He figured it was me, but came to investigate anyway. Which I am thankful he did. I asked him to thank the guy that saw me for calling him instead of the local SWAT department.
I highly recommend anyone wanting to fly in such a place contact the Park Ranger as I did and ask if it is OK. If yes then show him your quad carrier. If the guy says no-DON'T try to argue with him. Thank him for his time and find another place to fly. What would you rather do, drive 50 miles away or face some very serious looking guys dressed in black and carrying ARs's?!
With my wife it is generally easier to ask forgiveness than ask permission. Flying safely and legally is just the opposite. Get permission first. You will be doing all of us a huge favor if you do. Obey the rules whether you like them or not. Don't cop an attitude with the people in charge. And make sure you have the name and number of the person that does grant you access to the area you are flying in.