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Phantom pilot arrested

Posted by Chris Anderson on October 18, 2013 at 11:50am

The pilot of the Phantom that crashed on a Manhattan street earlier this month has been arrested, ABC reports:

David Zablidowsky of Brooklyn has been charged with "Reckless Endangerment" for allegedly losing control of a helicopter drone at "an unreasonable height creating a substantial risk of serious physical injury". 

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Comments

  • Andy Horka October 24, 2013 at 4:59pm

    The exact time of his statement is at 3:39.

  • Andy Horka October 24, 2013 at 10:28am

    Saw a video with Collin Guinn, the ShamWow salesman and CEO of DJI North America, telling a Fox Network anchor he could teach him to fly in five minutes. Maybe the guy that crashed the Phantom saw that video and took it seriously.

    This kind of hucksterism is going to kill the possibilities for commercial work. I can't imagine going out flying before spending hours of practicing hovering, nose in and nose out, basic figure of eight flying. Saying "I can teach you to fly in 5 minutes is irresponsible.

    And here is the video:

    http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/2737515711001/civilian-drones-cleare...

  • Brendan Schulman October 24, 2013 at 10:09am

    Bloomberg News article of interest.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-24/drone-pilot-fine-tests-ind...

  • Edgar Scott October 23, 2013 at 6:42pm

    Its illegal to sell a large coke in a restaurant in NY so this is really no surprise.  No you should not do it and I would not, but no one was hit or hurt so an arrest is overboard, I feel a fine would have been more appropriate.  

    If these are the most important things the cops have to do in NY then I guess it must be the safest city on earth.

    Its only a matter of time that the press and public start pushing grounding UAV things in the US.

  • Matt October 23, 2013 at 4:30pm

    Perhaps the dumbest thing I have ever seen. Not the pilot. But the media reaction.

  • SOAR October 23, 2013 at 10:21am

    So appropriate.

  • Martin October 23, 2013 at 9:44am

    I like the first thing the guy does is remove and take the card. Is that not called theft? Then he calls a TV news station then posts the video online. Looking for fame maybe. 

  • Pat Jack October 22, 2013 at 8:51pm

    My thoughts on the potentially damaging consequence of this event to the "brand" of small, and small business drone and UAV is that the more that drone communities work towards successful and important business applications, the more dependent the population and business might become on them. Becoming an important part of business in as many different sectors as possible, and demonstrating that continued importance and documenting that importance gets the lobbyists and the politicians on your side. For lawmakers to be thinking of how drones and the future of drones in business applications affect their bottom line, and provide for investment and profit opportunities is the big plus.

  • Sean Miles October 22, 2013 at 8:48pm

    Unfortunately it only takes one dickhead like this to ruin it for the rest of us..

    Thanks - hope it was worth the You tube hits moron.

  • Joe Gordon October 22, 2013 at 1:13pm

    I don't think this case changes anything.  Any RC pilot in the past could have been charged as this fellow. Given his behavior he should have been charged.  

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