Drones - good or bad ?


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He knew what the law was regarding drones, possibly not at first, but certainly later, yet persisted.

I wonder what carnage would be caused if a drone like that actually crashed into a packed stand at a football match? Fatalities would be expected. Even from a very light drone, it would do lots of harm.

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From what I have read he was probably using a DJI Phantom 3, only weighs about 1280 grams and the blades are guarded and of course plastic.

Risk of injury most certainly, fatality unlikely.

Still it will hurt him if they confiscate it they cost between £850 and £1000.

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Whilst I agree with your sentiments Michael they have all on to lift their own weight.

Its the surveillance risk that I think would be more important, they are almost silent in use, and some like the Phantom 3 have very good cameras with zoom lenses etc. Whist their flight time is limited around 20 minutes for a good one they can record video and send back live images to a ground based screen.

Another problem is light aircraft, only the other day one had to make an emergency landing after a mid air collision with a traditional model aircraft.

I suppose really they are like a lot of things used properly they are useful, fun, entertaining etc, but misused they are a definite problem.

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Newbasfordlad

A weight of more than 1 kg from such a height would be more than enough to cause death. The panic caused even by such a small object in a packed stadium would be horrific and I would still expect fatalities.

You are quite right, that many things that have useful applications can be misused. I am a very amateur astronomer and my telescope has a green laser pointer. Some pilot friends have told me how totally distracting a laser can be. Its harmless enough for what I use it for, but I am not far from the flight path to an airport, and also the police helicopter has to get from the airport over the estate I live in if it is going to get to Teesside. I hear a helicopter, and the laser goes off. I check the times for the flights, and the laser goes off.

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#6. It's not just distracting but also illegal. People have been fined, given community service and, in the US, been jailed for pointing lasers at helicopters.

UK: 12 months probation, 120 hours community service, £145 in fines for Nottinghamshire area woman

Aug 15 2014 -- Filed in: Probation | Court cost or fee | Fine | Sex: Female

Leanne Martin, 20
Bircotes, Nottinghamshire, UK


Martin was sentenced August 14 2014 to 12 months of community order (probation/supervision) and 120 hours unpaid work, £85 in court costs, and a £60 victim surcharge. On January 28 2014, she aimed a laser pen about three times at a police helicopter flying over Bircotes -- even though her boyfriend told her not to aim at the aircraft. Her lawyer said Martin did not realize the laser’s power, had not read the label, and did not understand the hazard.

US: Two years for 24-year-old woman

May 12 2014 -- Filed in: Jail/Prison | Probation | Sex: Female

Jennifer Lorraine Coleman, 24
Clovis, California, US


In the summer of 2012, Coleman and her then-boyfriend, Sergio Patrick Rodriguez, 26, were arrested for repeatedly aiming a green laser at a Fresno Police Department helicopter. It had been called out to investigate an earlier illumination of a children’s hospital medical helicopter. On May 12 2014, Coleman was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiming a laser pointer at a law enforcement aircraft. Rodriguez had earlier been sentenced to 14 years in prison: eight for the laser incident and an additional six due to his prior criminal record.

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Moving target practice over here. Been a few shot down...

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DJ brenton

There should be fines and imprisonment. A pilot friend took a mobile phone recording of a green laser hitting his cockpit. I did ask him why he was using his mobile instead of landing his plane, and I got the time honoured reply. He is a good mate.

The recording was alarming. Even the instruments in the cockpit could not be easily seen.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A crashed drone was found in the back of beyond up a strath in Caithness the other week. Oddly, they cannot find the owner.

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  • 8 months later...

I am now a registered drone pilot with the FAA, Mandatory here if you want to fly up to $25000 fine if you don't have the license.

My son and I build & fly the racing drones they do about 65mph and could do some damage if they hit a person.

I call it my flying house brick.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Several members at our model flying club have them, they are not too difficult to fly, but you do need proper

instruction on how to set up everything to get it in the air, and of course how to fly the thing

A decent drone with camera and FPV ( first person view ) costs between £400 / £500, and a few more £s on

other bits and bobs, such as a Lithium Polymer battery charger, batteries, battery checker etc etc.

The professional top quality drones can cost between £4000 and £5000 and even more.

The CAA ( Civil Aviation Authority ) have rules you must follow when flying drones.

Type into Google CAA Drones. utube

Just make sure you get as much info as possible before you even attempt to buy one, its good fun but expensive

if you try to fly and crash the damn thing without knowing what your doing.

You also need some kind of Insurance, I am insured through the BMFA ( British Model Association )

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Hello Tompa....thanks for the information. I only want one for holidays...just for a few aerial shots of where I will be staying. I have got my eyes on a Walkera Runner 250.....costs about £200.....do you recommend starting with one as expensive as this. Everything that is needed is in the box.....so they say lol

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Hi Just Me, that sounds about right to me, but I am not an expert on quadcopters, I fly fast EDF ( electric ducted fan ) jets.

The most important thing is to get somebody to help you the first few times so you get some understanding of what it is all about.

I think £200 is about the average price for a start.... and when you get hooked on it then you had better get an extra job to pay for the new found love. LOL

Hope you have a great time with it, far more exiting than digging the garden. lol

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  • 4 months later...

This is interesting although slightly underwhelming. And the background music is annoying because it's played on an out-of-tune piano. Apart from that, it's not bad.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/amazing-drone-footage-captures-beauty-of-nottingham-from-the-air/story-29519820-detail/story.html

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Moving targets around here, I'd get my SKS out and get some practice in if one came flying over my property.

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