He claimed he was 250 feet away and that there were no other aircraft in the area. However, I believe the FAA regulations prohibit flying within 400 feet of emergency operations, which is a serious violation.
Drones are increasingly used in firefighting and other emergency operations. Some departments deploy large drones to perform continuous 360-degree scans of fires using IR imagery to detect hidden hot spots. Depending on conditions, they may also call in planes or helicopters for water or extinguishing agents, or medical helicopters to assist injured individuals.
An unknown drone in the area can disrupt these operations. If a drone is spotted, any aerial support is immediately canceled.
This issue recently came up when a civilian drone prevented a Life Flight response, resulting in a fatality.
Some people on Facebook defended the individual filming the fire, but flying over emergency scenes is illegal and potentially life-threatening. This kind of behavior only strengthens arguments against consumer drones.
We drove past a recent car accident with bodies lying by the road. When my wife took out her phone, I said, “Let’s not seek views at the expense of others’ suffering. What if his mother sees him like that?” My wife agreed.
You should note that under TRUST, you shouldn’t do that because, under Part 107, there are specific circumstances where it is allowed, such as news reporting. Using a drone can be more effective than sending a helicopter. However, Part 107 pilots will still need to check with local authorities to ensure it’s acceptable.
In some cases, Public Information Officers (PIOs) even invite Part 107 pilots to capture footage, like after a wildfire. For example, I was the only independent photographer and drone pilot invited to shoot after a wildfire when the major news stations chose not to send their helicopters.
That’s a completely different scenario and where it’s allowed. The people I’m referring to right now are the same ones that are closing their “how to fly above 400 feet” tabs and googling “what is a PIO”.
I was actually permitted to fly during the incident as well, but I didn’t want to give people the wrong idea. I received permission from the county emergency management and the Wildlands Fire Service. However, I couldn’t reach the location in time before my window of opportunity closed. Since it was quite a drive to get there, I decided not to make another attempt.
You can do it, but only with very strict permission from multiple authorities for a specific time and location. I don’t see how this changes what the original poster was saying at all.
As said before, there are TRUST pilots that can’t do it by default as this isn’t a recreational flight and there are part 107 pilots that can get permissions to fly or might have permission depending on the circumstances.
Under TRUST you would never be allowed to fly and he should have added that.
Seriously, why don’t they just do this? Do they land every time they spot a bird flying? Birds can cause similar damage.
I’m not defending reckless behavior, but let’s not let people lose their lives over making a point. There have been drone versus aircraft incidents that didn’t result in loss of life.
I’m not sure what you mean by a “drove vs aircraft incident,” but I’ve lost several friends in bird versus helicopter accidents. If you meant “drone,” my Mavic 3 Pro is heavier and potentially more damaging than birds that have historically caused severe damage to helicopters, including penetrating the cockpit or affecting pitch change links.
While there are indeed more bird strikes than drone strikes, that’s simply due to the higher number of birds in the air compared to drones.
That’s interesting. I was filming over a hospital helipad when I lost connection with my drone. The drone then descended on its own. I’m assuming this must have been triggered by some sort of forceful action?
It depends on the country you’re in. In the U.S., jammers that can interfere with drone flight are illegal for the general public, including hospital staff.
Good on you for explaining this. I agree wholeheartedly, but unfortunately, there’s absolutely nothing you me or anyone can change with how others will fly. At best, you might be able to delay the inevitable, but even that’s not guaranteed.
I will enjoy my flying for now and I’ll be responsible and respectful. What happens will happen, though. Not by my actions but by the actions of the dumbassss
Can someone let me know if I can take my DJI drone from Canada to the Gulf Coast of Florida, about an hour south of Tampa, and fly it legally on the beach?