"Drone" spotted around JFK airport at 1500 ft.

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
How do we fix this? What can we do from the modeler's end to fix a problem they probably didn't even know they had created.
 

MrClean

Well-known member
The old fashioned way, find and punish the person who created the problem. Punishing the rest of us doesn't stop the problem.

Man, now it sounds like I'm back on the gun forum.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Okay. What if they didn't know they were breaking any rules. How do we push education? We all talk all day long about how to make this stuff and fly it, and FPV, long distances etc. but I don't ever see a thread on responsibility. Maybe when you get a plane or parts like control boards for unmanned craft there should be a leaflet explaining the dangers and risks and promoting responsible use. That would at least show intent to do good on our part. I'm not saying it would solve it, but then people couldn't plead ignorance. We have to do something before it's done to us.
 

robschonk

Senior Member
The old fashioned way, find and punish the person who created the problem. Punishing the rest of us doesn't stop the problem.

Man, now it sounds like I'm back on the gun forum.

The new fashioned way is to take anything that could possibly be misused away from us.

HEY, that's exactly what FT needs! A Firearms section!
 

zev

lumpy member
wait, what made the pilot know it was a 'drone'? not just an rc aircraft? and why can NOBODY but the friggen government have said 'drones'? I agree that whoever did this was an idiot, flying that high that near an airport, but please!
 
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MrClean

Well-known member
Okay. What if they didn't know they were breaking any rules. How do we push education?

For the most part, though I didn't check my little 949 quad, most RC equipment, CL and heck, kites have little warning sections saying not to fly around full size, airports, electrical wires, yada yada. You know, that Warning box we all just kinda ignore? If you join the AMA and read the general rules you will see that flight is limited to 400 feet and below and a whole bunch of other restrictions. Shoot, they shut down ALL flying when VIP access is given to an airport. Airforce one flys into MCI and you can't fly model airplanes in Lawrence, rediculous. But that being said, there are information sources out there already but Walmart or Hobbyking isn't going to give you a briefing on the conditions of your area though they may mention you'd want to check out permissions with your local officials.

As far as Flitetest having a rules section, you remember that we're talking multinational right? So many jurisdictions that it would just be better to answer specific questions. It's such a can of worms I actully think a gun forum would be easier to moderate, and as interesting an idea that is, I have gun forums and model airplane forums and other then tacit interactions, I'd like ta keep it that way.

I already look a big enough fool in one discipline.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
wait, what made the pilot know it was a 'drone'? not just an rc aircraft? and why can NOBODY but the friggen government have said 'drones'? I agree that whoever did this was an idiot, flying that high that near an airport, but please!

Military drones have the ability to fire on an enemy now. Do you think an airline pilot would be more afraid of seeing a drone or a fowl flyer? They have security all around them all the time, I bet drones are a topic of conversation. I can easily see how they would jump straight to "drone."

Honestly, for what the military uses real drones for (survailance, weapons deployment) I'm very very glad that only the government has them. Unlike some around here, I'm not living in fear of the government watching me. I'm more concerned with the weirdo down the street packing a seal bomb (legal fishing device) around over the neighborhood.
 

zev

lumpy member
Ak Flyer: I absolute agree that no one should not be able to buy/fly weaponized drones, but I am taking about stuff like Oregon's bill banning putting a camera on ANY unmanned flying craft, let alone flying it. or Maine's one, which is very similar.
 

CrashRecovery

I'm a care bear...Really?
Mentor
They haven't said how big, well what I have read. Could it have been a sail plane that got away? There are too many factors. I'm not sure if any of our smaller government groups like EPA or wildlife groups are using them. Like I said who knows. If its a hobbiest it comes at a bad time considering all the drone talk down in DC
 

robschonk

Senior Member
Lets look at the facts.

Three feet across, four motors, 1500' altitude. Sounds like a government surveillance quad.

It was front page news on all the news services yesterday. Big time. Cries to outlaw "drones". Today, I checked all the Internet links, and the only info was an old BBC story. The rest were gone. Who told them to suppress it?

//conspiracy mode off//