First Drone Encounter

Two weeks ago at Watson Lake,  Prescott, Arizona.  It came upon me from behind) much quieter than I would have imagined, scared away the birds I was photographing, and came within 8 feet of my head. I turned around to see the drone operator about 50 yards away.

Because I felt threatened, and prefer to not use a firearm (on the drone), are there any electronic devices available that can "jam" drones causing them to crash?

Has anyone complied a list of natural areas where drones are banned? Someone suggested certain State and / or Federal Parks?

Thank You

stevenmajor wrote:Two weeks ago at Watson Lake,  Prescott, Arizona.  It came upon me from behind) much quieter than I would have imagined, scared away the birds I was photographing, and came within 8 feet of my head. I turned around to see the drone operator about 50 yards away.

Because I felt threatened, and prefer to not use a firearm (on the drone), are there any electronic devices available that can "jam" drones causing them to crash?

Has anyone complied a list of natural areas where drones are banned? Someone suggested certain State and / or Federal Parks?

Thank You

They sort of make one feel like there is an invasion going on....

I believe the parks have banned them...but I have not read official documents about it..

Bans in National Parks, NWRs, and within 5 miles of an airport.
I believe a wider area around the AF bases.

The thing that bothers me most is that the bushwhackers are gong to use these to spot animals who can have no idea what a drone is.

Te FAA is implementing rules concerning identification of drones via signal monitoring coupled with a database of required registered drones identifying the operator. I don't know if these identifying devices are generally available. There are also rules about operating in minimum range of people and property for safety applications.

There are signal devices that will jam a drone's receiver. Depending on a drone's design it may auto-land when losing its control signal or just crash.

In the OP's case the drone obviously was was violating safety rules being in close proximity to him and causing a drone crash via a jammer might be legal as self-defense. There is a question though, if not a safety issue, if you get vigilante rights just for annoyance even in drone banned areas such as mentioned. You can notify the local gendarmes to investigate but acting on your own might place you in a position of being sued for equipment destruction (unless a safety issue) especially if safety was not an issue and the operator had a permit for operating (safely) in the restricted area.

Just annoyance in itself may not be a valid defense.

I wonder if basic drones will ever be a "toy" in a cereal box.

I figure it won't be long and one will be used to down an airliner and that will be the end of them for good!

I don't know that jamming the signal and making the drone crash is the smartest thing one can do.  If the drone operator is behaving badly is forcing the drone to crash and possibly endangering others somehow a morally justifiable response?  

Some drones cost less than $1K while others are more than $10K and having the general population decide for themselves that they can destroy $1k or even $10K of someone else's major investment.  How about hikers knocking over your tripod with your $3K camera and $10K lens on it because you were hogging the scene and approaching wildlife and scaring it away.

There are a subset of drone operators that behave badly but there's also a subset of the larger populace that just have it in for drones and appear to be looking for reasons to bad mouth them.  The media and many in government love to attack drones and it appears many in the general population have latched onto this anti drone thing.  

Yes, there are irresponsible drone operators just as there is irresponsible photographers, but I don't see how responding irresponsibly is the answer.  Can't we all just get along?


Brian

Drones aren't going away and it is daft to think otherwise. Your best bet is to train an eagle to go after them just like the Dutch police. Google -"trained police eagles and drones"

Cheers,

Jim

They can easily be jammed by any transmitter on the same frequency but not legally!

Honestly I have not flown mine in a year because it has just become a PIA... Today some idiot flew one into the 40th floorof the empire state building prompting an FBI investigation.

It was fun and a learning experience but what I bought it for has been banned for flight...

I don't feel drones themselves are the issue...it's the person flying them. Obviously a few bad apples will get the headlines while thousands of other drones are being sensibly used.

Not much different than photographers. I've seen photographers getting too close to wildlife, endangering both the photographer and the wildlife. I've seen photographers come to a scene, pluck themselves in front of people who were already there without even a hesitation. I've seen photographers walk of the trails into very sensative vegetation just to get a better composition.

So before we paint all drone's with the same brush...maybe we need to do some reflecting back on the photography community and see how we look to the general public. I'm quite ashamed from what I witness out in the field.

Chez:

Person + Drone = Drone in the air

Person + No Drone = No Drone in the air

No Person + Drone = No Drone in the air

No Drone in the air= either getting rid of people(not)  Or  getting rid of drones........

Personally a Drone is way too easy of something for it's use not to get abused.....

It's like as if we could turn ourselves invisible......Oh who wouldn't have fun!!!!


Paul

Also maybe Drones need to be regulated as guns are, but best yet sue the bastards!! When people start getting lawsuits for invasion of privacy I would think that might make a difference.

Sure there are idiots that will fly drones, just like there are idiot photographers that will think nothing of setting up in front of others.

Cars kill thousands of people each year...should we get rid of cars?

"A car is way too easy of something for it's use not to get abused....."

Looks like the military has the best solution to the drones.

http://gizmodo.com/this-rifle-doesnt-ne ... 1736854023

chez wrote:Sure there are idiots that will fly drones, just like there are idiot photographers that will think nothing of setting up in front of others.

Cars kill thousands of people each year...should we get rid of cars?

"A car is way too easy of something for it's use not to get abused....."

Harry, with all respect, those are red herring arguments...

Thank You all for your responses...

pleverington wrote:

chez wrote:Sure there are idiots that will fly drones, just like there are idiot photographers that will think nothing of setting up in front of others.

Cars kill thousands of people each year...should we get rid of cars?

"A car is way too easy of something for it's use not to get abused....."

Harry, with all respect, those are red herring arguments...

Just showing how ridiculous your post was...that's all. If Drones are a problem because of some idiotic people...cars are a much bigger problem.

Pleverington suggests regulating drones like guns; like the US has done a great job with that, LOL.

Incident in CT:
A couple of years ago a high school kid was at a beach overlook flying a drone with video camera. He had it hovering low directly over a bikini-clad woman who was not pleased.
The woman beat on the kid and filed complaints.
Don't know what happened with the complaints, BUT ...
A couple of months later the same high school kid posted footage of his drone with a pistol attached - firing shots at targets in his backyard.
I think the police spoke with him about that.

P