Welcome Inspire Pilots!
Join our free DJI Inspire community today!
Sign up

Seaplane pilot.

Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
16
Reaction score
9
Age
49
I live in South Central Maine..

There's this guy who has a unregulated airport at this lake within 4 miles of me. I try calling him every time I take off with my bird, and they never answer.. Nor do they have voice mail.

Off and on I'd see him taking off and flying away from my location normally.

Well, today, I tried to call, with the same results. So, I did what I normally do, watch the skies for a few minutes then take off. I flew around for a bit, got near the lake where his little airport and seaplane reside, and just when I got there, I see his plane, flying at 110 feet, practically scraping trees as he circles around. My drone was at 300 feet or so, he was so close to the ground I could see him looking at me then looking up and veering straight for my bird. I switched to sport mode and zipped back to my airspace quick as heck, moving up to 350 so when it was all said and done, it looked like he was trying to stall his engine on purpose. Luckily he didn't, but it makes me wonder..

There's all this talk about manned aircraft hitting drones and whatnot. He was clearly not flying his aircraft legally, at least that's what it looked like. He was flying rather low over the highway, an auto dealership and a trucker gas station. Like, sub 150 feet AGL. Could he then be considered a hazard in MY airspace at that point, not to mention a hazard to everything else below him? If he tries to report me to the FAA, what recourse do I have? I have like 5-10 witnesses to his behaviour and it seems like he does this sort of thing all the time in the area, from what others tell me. Granted, it is technically the airspace of the unregulated airport, but does this mean he can be a dangerous jerk in his own airspace?
 
  • Like
Reactions: slim.slamma
"got near the lake where his little airport and seaplane reside, and just when I got there" If you know where airplane traffic is why don't you try to find a better spot away from the airstrip?
Seems like a better solution. I have concerns about the expression "my airspace." No pilot owns any portion of the national airspace, you or him, but we are permitted to operate within the airspace rules.

Keep in mind under part 107 UAS must yield to all manned aircraft.

If you feel it is worth escalating the conflict to your Flight Standards District Office, then get all those witnesses to write and sign statements, you'll be in a better position. It is simpler, and less of a hassle, to just fly away from the airstrip.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kestrel
Well, today, I tried to call, with the same results. So, I did what I normally do, watch the skies for a few minutes then take off. I flew around for a bit, got near the lake where his little airport and seaplane reside, and just when I got there, I see his plane, flying at 110 feet, practically scraping trees as he circles around. My drone was at 300 feet or so, he was so close to the ground I could see him looking at me then looking up and veering straight for my bird. I switched to sport mode and zipped back to my airspace quick as heck, moving up to 350 so when it was all said and done, it looked like he was trying to stall his engine on purpose. Luckily he didn't, but it makes me wonder..

There's all this talk about manned aircraft hitting drones and whatnot. He was clearly not flying his aircraft legally, at least that's what it looked like. He was flying rather low over the highway, an auto dealership and a trucker gas station. Like, sub 150 feet AGL. Could he then be considered a hazard in MY airspace at that point, not to mention a hazard to everything else below him? If he tries to report me to the FAA, what recourse do I have? I have like 5-10 witnesses to his behaviour and it seems like he does this sort of thing all the time in the area, from what others tell me. Granted, it is technically the airspace of the unregulated airport, but does this mean he can be a dangerous jerk in his own airspace?

What is this "My airspace that you talk of? No such thing as your airspace and there is no drone airspace. YOU are to yield to manned aircraft no exception. what are you trying to say when you claim that he was "Trying to stall his engine"? what does that mean?
 
I think it was more of an observation that while we are required to follow laws and regulations that are slightly different than a manned pilot, we are still in the skies, suas are the same as manned according to the FAA. So, we are not given the same rights, though.

Y’all are so quick to say this and that and react without considering the issue. This is going to be an issue in the future I am sure.

What I had meant is this; I was flying in an area, much lower than most aircraft. Then this guy saw my drone, took his seaplane up, and from what we saw.. tried to hit said drone with his plane.

Why? No idea. But you’re quick to say I am in the wrong. I don’t want to associate a humanistic quality. But the way y’all throw the suas under the bus.

And y’all probably still won’t see it.
 
Do as you please, my friend. You came here and asked, don't like my answer, ignore it. You want a confrontation with this guy?
Vaya con Dios.

Not my monkeys, not my circus.

Obviously you don’t feel that we as suas operators have any rights in the skies. We’re held to the manned and unmanned laws, yet given half the rights. And you don’t see a problem with it?
 
Obviously you don’t feel that we as suas operators have any rights in the skies. We’re held to the manned and unmanned laws, yet given half the rights. And you don’t see a problem with it?
An aircraft carrying souls will (and should) always have priority. If that means ditching your UAS into the ground to avoid an incident then so be it.
Air traffic control have a duty to give equivalence to requests whether UAS or manned aircraft.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DamesNY and Kestrel
An aircraft carrying souls will (and should) always have priority. If that means ditching your UAS into the ground to avoid an incident then so be it.
Air traffic control have a duty to give equivalence to requests whether UAS or manned aircraft.

I was not contesting that.
 
I was not contesting that.

What I am saying is that ANY interaction between a suas and a manned aircraft is automatically the suas operator’s fault by the law. Even if someone else is operating dangerously and possibly illegally, nope, still the drone pilot’s fault.

THAT is my point.
 
I live in South Central Maine..

There's this guy who has a unregulated airport at this lake within 4 miles of me. I try calling him every time I take off with my bird, and they never answer.. Nor do they have voice mail.

Off and on I'd see him taking off and flying away from my location normally.

Well, today, I tried to call, with the same results. So, I did what I normally do, watch the skies for a few minutes then take off. I flew around for a bit, got near the lake where his little airport and seaplane reside, and just when I got there, I see his plane, flying at 110 feet, practically scraping trees as he circles around. My drone was at 300 feet or so, he was so close to the ground I could see him looking at me then looking up and veering straight for my bird. I switched to sport mode and zipped back to my airspace quick as heck, moving up to 350 so when it was all said and done, it looked like he was trying to stall his engine on purpose. Luckily he didn't, but it makes me wonder..

There's all this talk about manned aircraft hitting drones and whatnot. He was clearly not flying his aircraft legally, at least that's what it looked like. He was flying rather low over the highway, an auto dealership and a trucker gas station. Like, sub 150 feet AGL. Could he then be considered a hazard in MY airspace at that point, not to mention a hazard to everything else below him? If he tries to report me to the FAA, what recourse do I have? I have like 5-10 witnesses to his behaviour and it seems like he does this sort of thing all the time in the area, from what others tell me. Granted, it is technically the airspace of the unregulated airport, but does this mean he can be a dangerous jerk in his own airspace?

I had 2 incidents with what I believe to be Cessna’s. I dropped down immediately to give way and they followed on both occasions. If a pilots wants to play chicken with a drone, that’s on them. Only thing we can do is clear out. ;)

After reviewing my footage. I wish I could thank the pilots. Top notch Videos/photos for me :p


I never argue with bum’s/idiots in the streets, I just give way and go about my daily life:D

@andoh666 you can report the pilot or fly elsewhere.

Fly safe and be mindful of others :cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mixchief
I often do aerial photography/videography north of Montreal where there are thousands of lakes. Float planes, helicopters and ultralights are my biggest concern. They probably fly lower than they should but it is very difficult to judge altitude and distance. I always have the radio scanning local airports and the enroute frequency but I have found being alert to sound is the best defence. For realty work, I don't need to be any further away than 600' and 200' altitude, at the first indication of a chopper blade beat or the roar of airplane propellor (a float plane taking off), I make a quick and cautions return to home point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mixchief
As long as the charts indicate that you are flying in airspace that is legal for you I'd say continue to fly and just be very observant. It seems you live close to the airport. Maybe you can determine if he flys on a schedule and if you figure out what that is, fly when he's not flying.

You could also drive to the airport and see if it has an office or trailer or building or anything and see if you can find the pilot. Be friendly and professional and introduce yourself and tell him what you are trying to do with your drone and ask how you can work together to ensure safety. He may respect that and you may make an ally instead of an enemy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jakejhonson44
I live in South Central Maine..

There's this guy who has a unregulated airport at this lake within 4 miles of me. I try calling him every time I take off with my bird, and they never answer.. Nor do they have voice mail.

Off and on I'd see him taking off and flying away from my location normally.

Well, today, I tried to call, with the same results. So, I did what I normally do, watch the skies for a few minutes then take off. I flew around for a bit, got near the lake where his little airport and seaplane reside, and just when I got there, I see his plane, flying at 110 feet, practically scraping trees as he circles around. My drone was at 300 feet or so, he was so close to the ground I could see him looking at me then looking up and veering straight for my bird. I switched to sport mode and zipped back to my airspace quick as heck, moving up to 350 so when it was all said and done, it looked like he was trying to stall his engine on purpose. Luckily he didn't, but it makes me wonder..

There's all this talk about manned aircraft hitting drones and whatnot. He was clearly not flying his aircraft legally, at least that's what it looked like. He was flying rather low over the highway, an auto dealership and a trucker gas station. Like, sub 150 feet AGL. Could he then be considered a hazard in MY airspace at that point, not to mention a hazard to everything else below him? If he tries to report me to the FAA, what recourse do I have? I have like 5-10 witnesses to his behaviour and it seems like he does this sort of thing all the time in the area, from what others tell me. Granted, it is technically the airspace of the unregulated airport, but does this mean he can be a dangerous jerk in his own airspace?
This wouldn't happen to be the "Labrador" seaplane base on the sectional, Damarsicotta Lake, would it?
 
I live in South Central Maine..

There's this guy who has a unregulated airport at this lake within 4 miles of me. I try calling him every time I take off with my bird, and they never answer.. Nor do they have voice mail.

Off and on I'd see him taking off and flying away from my location normally.

Well, today, I tried to call, with the same results. So, I did what I normally do, watch the skies for a few minutes then take off. I flew around for a bit, got near the lake where his little airport and seaplane reside, and just when I got there, I see his plane, flying at 110 feet, practically scraping trees as he circles around. My drone was at 300 feet or so, he was so close to the ground I could see him looking at me then looking up and veering straight for my bird. I switched to sport mode and zipped back to my airspace quick as heck, moving up to 350 so when it was all said and done, it looked like he was trying to stall his engine on purpose. Luckily he didn't, but it makes me wonder..

There's all this talk about manned aircraft hitting drones and whatnot. He was clearly not flying his aircraft legally, at least that's what it looked like. He was flying rather low over the highway, an auto dealership and a trucker gas station. Like, sub 150 feet AGL. Could he then be considered a hazard in MY airspace at that point, not to mention a hazard to everything else below him? If he tries to report me to the FAA, what recourse do I have? I have like 5-10 witnesses to his behaviour and it seems like he does this sort of thing all the time in the area, from what others tell me. Granted, it is technically the airspace of the unregulated airport, but does this mean he can be a dangerous jerk in his own airspace?

Generally speaking “stalls” refer to stalling the wing/airfoil rather than the engine. Stalling an airfoil (wing in this case) is when lift is lost because critical angle-of-attack is exceeded. Perhaps he was pulling up hard and thats what you saw but that is in fact a common way to stall a wing (not so much the motor itself). Just sayin’......
 
Last edited:
Generally speaking “stalls” refer to stalling the wing/airfoil rather than the engine. Stalling an airfoil (wing in this case) is when lift is lost because the critical angle-of-attack is exceeded. Perhaps he was pulling up hard and thats what you saw but that is in fact a common way to stall a wing (not so much the motor itself). Just sayin’......

Hope that’s not taken as pedantry. I am a long time professional/commercial pilot and am concerned sometimes when i hear/see drone pilots (every bit members of the traditional aviation community as far as i am concerned) reveal lack of understanding of basic aviation/aerodynamic concepts. Don’t wanna give the haters any more “ammo”.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SWINDY
As long as the charts indicate that you are flying in airspace that is legal for you I'd say continue to fly and just be very observant. It seems you live close to the airport. Maybe you can determine if he flys on a schedule and if you figure out what that is, fly when he's not flying.

You could also drive to the airport and see if it has an office or trailer or building or anything and see if you can find the pilot. Be friendly and professional and introduce yourself and tell him what you are trying to do with your drone and ask how you can work together to ensure safety. He may respect that and you may make an ally instead of an enemy.

Rob is correct i agree with this :)
 
Hope that’s not taken as pedantry. I am a long time professional/commercial pilot and am concerned sometimes when i hear/see drone pilots (every bit members of the traditional aviation community as far as i am concerned) reveal lack of understanding of basic aviation/aerodynamic concepts. Don’t wanna give the haters any more “ammo”.

That is what I was referring to when I said "stall" in my original post. My mistake for thinking most of you knew what I meant. Though, a few did.

No, it's not that one in Canada.

The guy ended up getting drunk again, clipped a treetop and had to make a hard landing back at his lake. I think he blamed a drone for it.
 
I think everyone missed the point.. Drone pilots are not given the same rights as manned pilots, even though we're expected to follow the same laws. You can say, "Oh, you could have avoided that aircraft!" But, what if the manned pilot is actively trying to hit your drone? According to the armchair lawyers here, you're still at fault as a drone operator.
 
  • Like
Reactions: slim.slamma

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
22,277
Messages
210,655
Members
34,321
Latest member
powerdry