Drone Pilot 30 Days In Jail

[dkotinsky]

Pilot whose drone knocked a woman unconscious gets 30 days in jail

Dkotinsky
IG: Dkotinsky

 

[The Editor]

Moved to news section

 

[licensed pilot]

Well done judge. About time Dridiots are held accountable.

 

[EDDSkitz]

I'm confused as to how an accident constitutes a crime...

The article wasn't clear on if he had a 107, or waiver/COA... they hinted at the fact he was hired, but that wasn't clear either. If he was a recreational pilot, he wasn't doing anything wrong really besides not being in total control (again an accident).

I'm all for sending these idiots to jail for the right thing, but this, like almost every other, smells like a hit piece.

And with the way the news agencies are these days with propaganda, I don't take anything like this at face value without more information.

 

[lake_flyer]

Needless to say this wasn't a professional drone operation, although the guy calls himself an aerial photographer. If he was a licensed pilot he would most definitely call himself a pilot! Too many photo and video enthousiasts make the jump into our airspaces without realising that they are actually piloting an aircraft, even if it's just a small 2 pound toy. Crashing down from 100m it can still kill.

Flying over uncontrolled crowds, with a non redundant quadcopter (like in this case a Phantom2 with Gopro probably), and without commercial operator license (the article isn't clear if he had, part 107 didn't exist in 2015 anyway), as well as proper Aviation Authorities approved safety procedures and exemptions, is a real crime.

We have television networks working with amateurs just like that. I think they should go after the ones who hired him and set an example for the world to see.

 

[EDDSkitz]

Needless to say this wasn't a professional drone operation, although the guy calls himself an aerial photographer. If he was a licensed pilot he would most definitely call himself a pilot! Too many photo and video enthousiasts make the jump into our airspaces without realising that they are actually piloting an aircraft, even if it's just a small 2 pound toy. Crashing down from 100m it can still kill.

Flying over uncontrolled crowds, with a non redundant quadcopter (like in this case a Phantom2 with Gopro probably), and without commercial operator license (the article isn't clear if he had, part 107 didn't exist in 2015 anyway), as well as proper Aviation Authorities approved safety procedures and exemptions, is a real crime.

We have television networks working with amateurs just like that. I think they should go after the ones who hired him and set an example for the world to see.

Didn't notice this was 2015... technically if he wasn't being paid, he was all legal, however unsafe his flight ended up being.

Again, this is propaganda against our industry.

Think about how many people will lose their jobs or how many companies will have to spend lots to keep up....
Those people have and spend lots of money, and history shows that sometimes that money is spent to hurt growing industries that would hurt them later.

 

[lake_flyer]

Didn't notice this was 2015... technically if he wasn't being paid, he was all legal, however unsafe his flight ended up being.

Again, this is propaganda against our industry.

Think about how many people will lose their jobs or how many companies will have to spend lots to keep up....
Those people have and spend lots of money, and history shows that sometimes that money is spent to hurt growing industries that would hurt them later.

That's why I said, take it to the ones who hire people like that. In general I mean. I can't tell if this guy did it for fun. If you call yourself an Aerial Photographer you at least make it sound like you're a professional.

Once nobody hires an amateur or buys amateur footage anymore, because of the legal risk, amateurs will stick to amateur stuff and the industries are safe. Both the hobby drone and the professional operator business.

 

[lake_flyer]

technically if he wasn't being paid, he was all legal

Flying over a massive crowd, in the city, ...come on, it was the 'Pride Parade'..., is not legal for an unpaid person, never was and never will be I may hope.

 

[EDDSkitz]

Flying over a massive crowd, in the city, ...come on, it was the 'Pride Parade'..., is not legal for an unpaid person, never was and never will be I may hope.

It wasn't at the time, as the 107 rules weren't around yet.

 

[EDDSkitz]

Not saying he wasn't an idiot... but it could've happened to a 333 or a 107 pilot just the same.

 

[EDDSkitz]

Wouldn't life be dull if all we filmed was open spaces.... lol

 

[lake_flyer]

It wasn't at the time, as the 107 rules weren't around yet.

The general model aviation rules were, or am I wrong?

Wouldn't life be dull if all we filmed was open spaces.... lol

It's safe to be dull and dull to be safe.

 

[EDDSkitz]

The general model aviation rules were, or am I wrong?

A lot safer too.

Rules are not laws....

Attitudes like that are dumb... just because you don't have enough skill to make money doesn't mean all of us have to be hobby pilots, get off your high horse.

 

[lake_flyer]

just because you don't have enough skill to make money doesn't mean all of us have to be hobby pilots, get off your high horse.

Exactly what do you want to say here? Let's see:

1. I am not skilled?
2. I don't make money?
3. Being a hobby pilot is wrong?
4. My Palomino is too high and I should get an even lower one, like a Welsh pony?
5. I have a bad attitude for being against unlawful unsafe behaviour?

WOW, and all that in one sentence.

Lighten up man, spring is here

 

[lake_flyer]

Rules are not laws....

Laws are made up of rules.

Let's stop here. Nobody else is interested in our private conversation as it seems.

 

[EDDSkitz]

He could have easily been flying next to a crowd and the failure caused it to land in the crowd.... obviously that isn't the case here, but like you said, accidents happen and that's why responsible pilots keep insurance, check their gear, and keep maintenance records.

Helicopters crash into crowds sometimes, as do planes... being a PRO can't save you from mechanical failure everywhere. You can hide under a rock all your life waiting for the sky to fall, but this chicken has learned to fly.


Keep aware, and check your gear, but if I have insurance and I feel the flight is safe, you aren't gonna be able to convict me, you'll have to go after the manufacturers instead.

 

[licensed pilot]

I'm confused as to how an accident constitutes a crime...

The article wasn't clear on if he had a 107, or waiver/COA... they hinted at the fact he was hired, but that wasn't clear either. If he was a recreational pilot, he wasn't doing anything wrong really besides not being in total control (again an accident).

I'm all for sending these idiots to jail for the right thing, but this, like almost every other, smells like a hit piece.

And with the way the news agencies are these days with propaganda, I don't take anything like this at face value without more information.

In Arizona:
"13-1201. Endangerment; classification
A. A person commits endangerment by recklessly endangering another person with a substantial risk of imminent death or physical injury.
B. Endangerment involving a substantial risk of imminent death is a class 6 felony. In all other cases, it is a class 1 misdemeanor."

Paul M. Skinner, 38, was sentenced by Judge Willie Gregory of the Seattle Municipal Court on Friday after being found guilty of reckless endangerment earlier this year over the June 28, 2015 “drone strike.Skinner, the founder and senior pilot of Vivid Aerial Ascent photography, claimed he never meant to collide his two pound, 18-by-18 inch drone into a downtown Seattle building that day, rendering the $1,200 aircraft inoperable and causing it strike a woman in the head and knocking her unconscious as it crashed to Earth."

Paul Skinner, aerial photographer, lands 30-day prison sentence for Seattle drone crash

 

[EDDSkitz]

In Arizona:
"13-1201. Endangerment; classification
A. A person commits endangerment by recklessly endangering another person with a substantial risk of imminent death or physical injury.
B. Endangerment involving a substantial risk of imminent death is a class 6 felony. In all other cases, it is a class 1 misdemeanor."

Paul M. Skinner, 38, was sentenced by Judge Willie Gregory of the Seattle Municipal Court on Friday after being found guilty of reckless endangerment earlier this year over the June 28, 2015 “drone strike.Skinner, the founder and senior pilot of Vivid Aerial Ascent photography, claimed he never meant to collide his two pound, 18-by-18 inch drone into a downtown Seattle building that day, rendering the $1,200 aircraft inoperable and causing it strike a woman in the head and knocking her unconscious as it crashed to Earth."

Paul Skinner, aerial photographer, lands 30-day prison sentence for Seattle drone crash

Also, thank you for the further information

 

[licensed pilot]

He could have easily been flying next to a crowd and the failure caused it to land in the crowd.... obviously that isn't the case here, but like you said, accidents happen and that's why responsible pilots keep insurance, check their gear, and keep maintenance records.

Helicopters crash into crowds sometimes, as do planes... being a PRO can't save you from mechanical failure everywhere. You can hide under a rock all your life waiting for the sky to fall, but this chicken has learned to fly.


Keep aware, and check your gear, but if I have insurance and I feel the flight is safe, you aren't gonna be able to convict me, you'll have to go after the manufacturers instead.

If you truly believe that, La La Land is not just a movie...

 

[EDDSkitz]

If you truly believe that, La La Land is not just a movie...

Believe what?
I pay my lawyers good money, and if I'm covered for flying over people by my insurance, and have a waiver to do it based on insurance, pilot skill, and any other risk mitigation factors I wrote into the waiver. How could I be held responsible for a mechanical failure that, especially with DJI hardware, will most likely fall on a defect?