Drone rage

This spring while hiking in a dry creek bed at Zion in Utah, we were harrassed for 20+ min by a drone. Drones are illegal in national parks. We reported it to the rangers at the end of the hike. Today, while swimming in the Hudson near the Glen in one of my favorite swimming holes, I was subjected to the dreaded buzzing drone again as some knucklehead kept flying back and forth over the river. I couldn't spot the operator. I had been looking forward to relaxing riverside with the sound of rushing water. I pray to God that drones won't start showing up in when people are trying to escape civilization and trying to experience nature whether it be the mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Now I have a reason to buy a Glock.

Sounds like a couple of crappy experiences. Noise pollution is a complicated problem.

I'm a conflicted hypocrite. When I come to the mountains I'll use my chainsaw to build my woodpile in the morning, and hope for a quiet afternoon to ride my mtb or sleep in my hammock.  

One thing I love about the NY is the amount of land with no motors. Does that apply to drones?

Harvey wrote

One thing I love about the NY is the amount of land with no motors. Does that apply to drones?

That is why our place is way back off 28 with a ridge in between on a lake with no motors allowed. I can occasionally hear a logging truck if they use their air brakes but they usually don't. My hearing was ruined collecting data when I was young, perpetual tinnitus - a never ending 3.6kHz ring. I cherish silence but never have it.

I see a lot of problems arising with those things.

As Harv seems to be pointing out these things are much more of a problem the more people around. I don't think humans or at least a lot of us are really cut out to live in population centers like the tri-state region. It's been my observation or maybe it's just my opinion but it seems like the quality of life drastically decreases in places with more people per square mile.

I think it sucks that this happened during your visit to a NP, they apparently had no regard or respect for anyone else's experience. People like that really grind my gears.

The other issue is privacy, they often have cameras mounted on them. I don't know about you guys but I don't like being monitored. I used to want to start a campaign to get people to shoot down surveillance cameras years ago when they were being added to most of our stop lights out here. I never did though of course and now I don't even notice them anymore. I guess big brother won that one.

All kinds of problems are created or exacerbated by population density. Land is by far my most cherished possession.

Question: Can you disable or shoot a drone over your own property?

The consensus seems to be unless you have some additional wording in your deed - you own between 80 and 500' of air space. However - I also suspect you would need to put up no trespassing signs.

I use to skeet shoot in my younger days when I was working for the feds, I suspect this is a skill I should relearn.
Big brother has not won yet, but he is getting close. Cars will have black boxes in the next 5 years. Likely in 5 years after that people will have black boxes. You will wear a camera and voice recorder and your movements will be tracked and "big brother" won't have you do it, likely your insurance company will. It won't be driven by government control but rather by liability. Litigation will force all this upon us. In 15 to 20 years your biological functions will be track and every time you shit or piss your excrement will be analyzed. You will accept this because your medical insurance will require it.  

Harvey wrote

Question: Can you disable or shoot a drone over your own property?

No, you can't.  Just like you can't shoot down a plane over your property.  Same rules apply for "drones".  

Even though I hate that word, I guess we have to use from here on out.  Keep in mind that traditional model airplanes are now lumped into this group as well.  I own a few smaller ones that I built.  I don't have a camera system on mine yet... but mine are more intended for racing vs aerial photography.  As DJI further markets and cuts cost on the phantom we are going to see a lot more of these in the air.  Because most of the commercial ones really suck for racing people are going to be pushing harder and harder to take them to cool places.  Your going to start seeing them a lot more on summits and around moving water.  Beaches are already covered with them.  

There are now federal rules on operating "drones".... the cliffnotes version is...
-If your craft is over 250 grams you have to register and affix that number to your craft
-You can not fly higher than 400'
-You can not fly out of line of site of the operator
-You can not fly within 5 miles of an aiport without informing that airport that you are operating

So, if someone is flying around you and you can see the drone and can't see the pilot they are most likely breaking federal law.  With most systems you can get at least a half mile to a mile away before you get signal and lose video or control.  

It is a real problem and it is going to just get worse.  I love flying my quadcopter.  Its a ton of fun.  I rarely take it out of my backyard or the SPAC parking lots.  I'm not really sure what the right way is to stop the assholes who ruin a day for other people with them.  Personally, I won't fly if my neighbors are out or around other people in general.  Not everyone is like that.  If it happens again and you can't see the asshole, call the cops.  You should be within yelling distance of the person operating.  Finally, NYS Parks and Rec DOES have a ban on UAV's inside of any of the state parks unless you have a permit... and they don't issue permits.        

Harvey wrote

All kinds of problems are created or exacerbated by population density. Land is by far my most cherished possession.

Question: Can you disable or shoot a drone over your own property?

Sure. Shoot it and claim you thought it was a grouse. Ever heard how much noise one those make when they take off

I really don't care that much in the flatlands as there is enough ambient noise during the day so that I probably wouldn't notice it.  In the mountains our property is wooded so not sure one could get that close or within line of sight.  I think many people are concerned about cameras as much as anything.

I've done some skeet, but I'm not much of a marksman. Maybe I'd get me some PBR pounders and invite camp up for a visit.

Maybe the Gov should require drones to send out an ID signal - owner info etc. That way it could be  " read " and violators held accountable.

Footer wrote

Harvey wrote

Question: Can you disable or shoot a drone over your own property?

No, you can't.  Just like you can't shoot down a plane over your property.  Same rules apply for "drones".  

Well in Kentucky you sure can:
http://www.cnet.com/news/judge-rules-man-had-right-to-shoot-down-drone-over-his-house/

PeeTex wrote

Now I have a reason to buy a Glock.

Took the words right out of my mouth. I'd prefer to have my A5 Browning tho

Footer wrote

Harvey wrote

Question: Can you disable or shoot a drone over your own property?

No, you can't.  Just like you can't shoot down a plane over your property.  Same rules apply for "drones".  
 

Fly one in here in the Valley and I'll bet it gets shot down real quick like

Harvey wrote

 

I've done some skeet, but I'm not much of a marksman. Maybe I'd get me some PBR pounders and invite camp up for a visit.