I've never owned a quadcopter, but have often thought of getting one. I work in the remote robotics industry and have been a fan of quadcopters, FPV and personal "drones" for years. That may change, though, if what I experienced yesterday is what we can expect in the future.
My wife and I were at the beach most of the day yesterday. There were probably a hundred other people in our small area, mostly families with kids. People had their awnings set up, bar-b-ques grilling, and kids running around just having fun. About mid afternoon a fellow showed up with a DJI Phantom (I recognized it because I often thought of buying one) and full FPV gear, not 10 feet from where my wife and I were, and not more than 30 feet from all the kids running around. He then launched and flew the drone up and down the beach, sometimes hovering over people, sometimes flying over boats and paddleboards that were passing by.
While I was in the water, his drone buzzed over my head, hovering maybe 5 feet away from me and stayed there. Just out of reach but definitely "studying me" like a buzzing giant mosquito. It was my first experience like this and I gotta tell you, it was creepy. I don't know this guy. I don't know his flying skills. I don't know how well he maintains his equipment. I don't know if he's shooting video of me and, if he is, what he plans on doing with that video. Is he a convict? Is he a child molester? I know nothing about this guy who is flying his quad just feet above me and is watching me so intently. The one thing I did know was that this guy's drone was invading my space and my privacy. He was watching (and probably videoing me) and I didn't like it. And I'm a guy, I can only imagine how I would have felt if I were a woman. Or a parent watching this drone hover over my small child. In that brief moment my feelings about personal drones reversed 180 degrees.
If what I just witnessed is the future of the technology, where people no can no longer live with any degree of privacy or space, I, for one, can no longer support it.
Comments
I noticed a couple people have made similar comments. Imagine a world that where ever you go, be it hiking to the top of some desolate mountain, or sailing in the middle of an ocean, or sitting in your own back yard reading a book, somebody (individual, government, or otherwise) can fly their drone within feet of you and just watch you. Perhaps this is the direction the world is going, but I certainly hope not.
Whether or not the law allows it is almost irrelevant (and although I never mentioned my location, everyone has assumed I'm in the US). I remember as a child we learned to respect other people's space and their right to privacy. When we talk to each other, we stand several feet apart, not inches. It's not a law, it's how we respect each other's space. My fear is that drones have the potential to allow people (or governments, etc.) to invade other people's space and privacy anonymously.
Is it legal? Perhaps, but laws change often based on public sentiment. Before this encounter I never really considered the negative effect a single, small drone can have. This one encounter really changed my perspective.
Rob, sorry, but I think that is the worst thing you can do... (hopefully you were joking)
If you damage the drone while it's flying, it could make it go in a spin, and be uncontrollable, and if there are other people around, it might crash into someone else (or even yourself!), if the drone has carbon fibre props, you will have scars for life!
Best thing to do, is to stay away from the drone, and find the operator, and go have a CHAT with him, but do not start arguing with him, because he will loose his concetration and be distracted, and that could cause a nasty crash too!! When his drone is safely on the ground, then sure... give him hell :)
Don't worry too much, what happened there is not the future. It is a phenomenon that will end as soon the novelty wears off and those, ah, idiots will find some other way to believe they appear cool.
Also, the photos or vids from 10 ft over peoples heads will not be all that useful for anything else than someone bragging to his friends about his aireal video. If wanting pictures for some sinister purpose, staying at a distance with a telephoto lens would make more sense?
Of course he shouldn't be flying over people, camera or not. Many "drone consumers" believe their toys are super reliable and won't crash or lose control and that nothing can possibly happen.. hmm many young drivers are the same anyway, till they crash after all.
I hate Phantoms, they ruined my job with bunch of people buzzing around with gopros and making videos for 50$!but that is inevitable.. that is a fact...
AT THE MOMENT DJI IS SELING PHANTOMS2 AT RATE OF FEW THUSANDS A DAY
Paranoid people can not stop it but it can only help government to charge you big $$$ for flying around
THAT IS THE FUTURE AND I DO NOT LIKE IT TOO!
That sounds like pretty standard DJI Phantom flying. These 'consumer' models seem to attract the dickheads out there.
Bigkahuna and others....almost every step you take on US soil is filmed is it? security cameras with face recognition all over and everywhere...
do they ask you if is allowed to film you?
do you know who is operator behind camera?
do you know for what that video is used?
do you know if there is security cameras with powerful zoom who can peak into your bedroom?
do you know how good are gen5 or higher night vision cameras attached to government real silent drones flying around at night?
Hi Peter,
I wasn't talking about the FAA, I was talking about the normal legal system.
Any jurisdiction anywhere can prosecute you for reckless endangerment and if they think you are a serious danger they can and will shoot you as in the case of the woman plowing her car into the barricades around the nations capital last year.
And if you are flying a potentially dangerous multicopter over peoples heads, they have every reason to make that call.
I am not speaking for every person on the beach, not any of them in fact I am commenting on a currently largely pervasive public perception of being both endangered and with a media driven frenzy of fear for their own privacy being violated even though for the most part it is highly bogus.
My comments simply relate to the reality that we have to do more than simply be reasonable, we have to react to an unreasonable situation and compensate for it.
It isn't easy and I still strongly feel that the demons, totems and icons (of drone) will win out over common sense.
You really ought to read what I have actually said before you accuse me of spouting BS because I didn't actually say what you base it on.
Where does that leave you?
Gary McCray -
Sorry but the FAA does not have any jurisdiction as you just described! You should get your facts straight before you spout such BS! You seem like a very wound up kind of person with statements such as: "The fact is that a lot of people are "creeped" out or feel exposed, and certainly even more so when they are stand around semi-naked on a beach as is normal." If you have such feelings why do you even bother to go to the beach? "semi-naked", gosh man get a grip!!!
I think it is highly presumptuous of you to speak for everyone on the beach. Maybe you and your friends feel this way but I have spoken to many people during my past few years as a drone user and the majority of persons I have encountered during one of my many flights do not get freaked out as you describe as long as the person uses common sense and respects others stated misgivings. I am not aware of any drone user who blatantly refuses to abide by others if they feel their privacy or safety is at risk so where is the the problem? Although you will occasionally hear of reckless operation of drones I feel that the vast majority of drone users follow common sense and safety procedures and as such we need to point out when persons make claims of law which is not based on any fact?
@Peter - As a dual citizen of Aus and US I just had the biggest LOL reading your post. I thought bringing up pedophiles was silly enough but I knew it was only a matter of time before a Yank brought up guns. I was expecting someone to say it wouldn't be safe to talk to the operator because he might have a gun. :-)
Believe me, you don't know a thing about Australians. I'd explain it to you but being an American you would never get it.
Again, LOL!
RE Scott Penrose -
I think you Ausie's have serious issues with total obedience to law and order! It's not enough that you totally decimated your citizens right to defend themselves with draconian gun laws you now advocate total control over drones? Excellent example of a society gone amok thinking they can legislate common sense and morality. This is especially astonishing considering the beginnings of your nation as a penal colony. You would think that by now you would have grown tired of government running every detail of your lives...
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