Drone sightings and Human Paranoia
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2011
Posts: 506
Wow, I had never seen that video from Vegas. That is pretty dang scary.
Edit: Talking about an earlier post where someone linked to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzXmxjGbeIk
Edit: Talking about an earlier post where someone linked to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzXmxjGbeIk
#22
First, RC airplane and helicopter pilots are controlling the plane bylooking at it rather than a monitor downlinked from an onboard camera. At a distance of 400 feet, it starts to get hard to tell the heading or attitude of "average" sized planes, so keeping the craft close is pretty important.
There is a long history of keeping models away from airports because, back in the '60s and on, the better radios operated between 72 and 75 mhz. With Marker Beacons transmitting on 75 mhz and the wider bands the RCs were using, it was quite possible to have a meaconing event.
Since a decent sized field is required to keep an RC plane out of the trees, most folks fly outside of town and usually at an RC club. All clubs I ever heard of required membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics. Some even required a written and/or flight check before becoming a full member.
There is a long history of keeping models away from airports because, back in the '60s and on, the better radios operated between 72 and 75 mhz. With Marker Beacons transmitting on 75 mhz and the wider bands the RCs were using, it was quite possible to have a meaconing event.
Since a decent sized field is required to keep an RC plane out of the trees, most folks fly outside of town and usually at an RC club. All clubs I ever heard of required membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics. Some even required a written and/or flight check before becoming a full member.
#23
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jan 2019
Posts: 6
I totally agree that it needs some sort of regulation for sure. And the ones that are causing an issue, like dampening firefighting efforts, taking the mini racing drones and flying right next to an aircraft on final, and if there are truly drones popping up near airports, the ones responsible need to be prosecuted. I've been a long time RC airplane and helicopter hobbyist for close to 30 years and flying the Multrotor (drones) about 3 years now. I got my 107 to be able to take advantage of the technology of drones and make a little money on the side to offset the cost of the RC Hobby Addiction. What has happened from the beginning of the invention of multirotor is that the word DRONE is now applied across the board to all of flying rc model by the general public. Thats why I cringe when I see the multirotor aircraft make headlines and I fear than an all out ban to all RC aircraft is coming down the line someday as a result.
Guys , I love my hobby, I intend of enjoying in for years to come ,I don't want to see it gone. I realize that there are many valid cases of truly seeing them, all I can ask is before playing that Drone card, Please Please make sure that you have without a doubt seen one.
Guys , I love my hobby, I intend of enjoying in for years to come ,I don't want to see it gone. I realize that there are many valid cases of truly seeing them, all I can ask is before playing that Drone card, Please Please make sure that you have without a doubt seen one.
#25
I hear the point you're trying to make, but if we're talking about jumping to conclusions, you're making a pretty big leap yourself in assuming professional pilots have a desire to sabotage drone hobbyists due to "paranoia." I have literally never heard another pilot express anything close to such a desire. Frustrations sometimes, sure. But it's always situational and directed at a drone operator, not their existence.
Another point worth making is that professional pilots, particularly 121 pilots, are rightfully regarded as extremely reliable witnesses. We've passed countless hurdles, examinations, background screenings, and have years (if not decades) of experience. So yes, when we report a drone sighting it's taken without much cross-examination. We see all kinds of wild and crazy things out there. We can tell the difference between birthday balloons, drones, birds, you name it.
Another point worth making is that professional pilots, particularly 121 pilots, are rightfully regarded as extremely reliable witnesses. We've passed countless hurdles, examinations, background screenings, and have years (if not decades) of experience. So yes, when we report a drone sighting it's taken without much cross-examination. We see all kinds of wild and crazy things out there. We can tell the difference between birthday balloons, drones, birds, you name it.
#26
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2011
Posts: 275
#27
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Posts: 93
I'll caveat that I'm only a general aviation pilot, so a faster approach speed might make it more difficult to identify the specifics of the drone, but I doubt it would be so drastic that the pilots of airliners are flipping coins as to what the item was that they saw.
From my GA perspective, the outcome will be a lot different for a drone to impact a propeller and acrylic windshield of a GA aircraft traveling 80kts/92mph than someone might expect if they pictured the ramifications to be similar to that of hitting a car windshield (not saying you are). We owe it to be responsible to ourselves, our passengers, and people on the ground by managing risks that are within our control. Like others have mentioned, we'll probably see technological restrictions implemented at some point.
Personally I think the reputation of drones are more at risk from intrusive drone pilots; i.e., the drone pilot who hovered over my secluded backyard at one-story roof level while my wife was on our patio and kept coming back ~once per week for a couple of months.