Help Identifying a Drone - Drone Database?

dculberson said:

DrBoost said:

It is not illegal to fly over residential property, this includes private property.
 

But it is illegal to fly outside of the operator or spotter's visual line of sight, and if it's 50' off the ground and the person whose property it is over can't see the operator then they are not in line of sight. So, illegal.

Maybe yes, maybe no. If it's 50' AGL and only 5' away, but on the other side of a tree line where the operator can't see it, it's illegal. Depending on what I'm flying I can see my drone for a very long distance. A  all black 6-prop monster like a Typhoon H can be seen much farther away than a slightly smaller white Phantom. An Autel that is orange can be seen even further away than the Typhoon H. How far? It depends on the operator and the sky behind it. But with the Typhoon or Autel, 3,000 feet isn't hard. 
That being said, remember we are talking VLOS (visual line of sight) so if there is an obstruction in the way, it's illegal. 

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to DrBoost :

That's some cool info.  Can you share any fun stories about surveilling?

 

Not really, I have gone undetected every time except one. And it was a neighbor, not the occupant of the target residence. I explained vaguely what I was doing, showed him the screen so he could see what I was seeing (turned the camera to the horizon so nothing specific was visible). He thought it was cool and let me do my thing. 
Typically I get the address and look it up on google earth to figure out where I'll park and take off / land from. I'm given a specific shot list and sometimes told what to do or say if I'm confronted. Sometimes they have a lie constructed, sometimes they just say to leave. Personally I won't lie, but I also won't name the client to anyone but a LEO, and maybe not even then depending on how it's going. 
The shot list is pretty straight forward so I'll part 1/2 a mile away, away from houses as much as possible. Take off, nab my shots, upload and invoice. It's fun.   

BoxheadTim said:

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

I think I've read here that the FAA frowns upon firing on any kind of flying machine.

They do, and as with anything FAA, my understanding is that it's both an unpleasant and expensive frown.

It's not "shooting down a drone" in the eyes of the FAA, it's "downing an aircraft". If you shoot a drone, it's likely the operator won't have control of the aircraft. If it crashes on a highway or a person there could be serious injuries or death. That's why they take it as seriously as they do. 

Jerry said:

As a new drone pilot of one month, even I know that's not appropriate.

Looks a lot like my DJI Fly 2 Mini.

But maybe it is appropriate? Maybe he's getting real estate shots of the house next door? Maybe he's performing a roofing inspection of the house next door? Maybe he's innocently hovering while he's making camera adjustments? 
It's a slippery slope. People vilify drones but have zero experience with them. When I'm out flying and people show interest, or maybe distrust, I invite them to look at my screen. 50-75% of the time they realize, on their own, you can't look in windows or 'spy' with these. 

RevRico said:

In reply to SV reX :

It's nothing in a parking lot. A parking lot/strip mall is not a residential neighborhood with hills, valleys, houses, trees in the way. 

I don't care either way, nobody is dumb enough to fly drones over peoples houses where I live, because they know they'll never get them back. 

That's a pretty crappy way to be. Somebody has picked up a hobby and you don't like it so you're willing to destroy/steal their property? Maybe I don't like cars driving above the speed limit so I destroy your car? You are taking up photography so I'll steal your Nikon? 
My video runs from lift off to touch down. If some DB did what your insinuating, I'd have it on camera and my next call would be to the FAA regional field office, then the local cops. 

For those that think you can be a peeping tom with a drone, here's a video I shot for a real estate client. It's one of my earlier videos so don't judge LOL.  
Link
At one point the drone is hovering  on the porch, almost close enough to knock on the door if it had arms. With that wide angle lense you're not looking in windows unless you're close enough for the props to just about touch the windows. 
You can't see anything that isn't available on google earth, it's just going to be better quality. 

BoxheadTim said:

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

I think I've read here that the FAA frowns upon firing on any kind of flying machine.

They do, and as with anything FAA, my understanding is that it's both an unpleasant and expensive frown.

The irony is the FAA considers these aircraft:

But not this:

So blast the E36 M3 out of that guy in the Quicksilver. FAA don't care.

In reply to Appleseed :

As long as it's a singular guy, second seat transforms into an LSA. 

SV reX said:

 

The end of the trailer on the right is exactly 50' away. 
 

The Verizon store is about 300'. I can read the street numbers over the door (and I have E36 M3ty eyesight)

The hotel behind Verizon is about 1000'. 
 

The tree line behind?   About 2000. 
 

50' is nothing. 

I just realized what you thought I said. Not 50' away, 50' high. The drone is 50' above the ground, but the operator is not visible to aircooled. So, the operator likely can not see the drone. The operator is not 50' away from the drone.

EDT (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Appleseed :

As long as it's a singular guy, second seat transforms into an LSA. 

Sorta. Second seat can be used for training under part 103. "Training."  Honestly,  most ulralights are fat, busting the 254lb limit. But since they aren't aircraft, FAA dosen't usually become involved until theres an incident.

In reply to dculberson :

I knew what you meant. I was simply trying to show a representation of visual distance. 
 

This is a 50' light pole. I am standing about 300' away from it. I can see the birds on top of it. 
 

I can think of hundreds of scenarios where a drone could be 50' high and the operator be invisible to a bystander yet still have VLOS to the drone. 
 

50' is not invisible. 

DrBoost said:

RevRico said:

In reply to SV reX :

It's nothing in a parking lot. A parking lot/strip mall is not a residential neighborhood with hills, valleys, houses, trees in the way. 

I don't care either way, nobody is dumb enough to fly drones over peoples houses where I live, because they know they'll never get them back. 

That's a pretty crappy way to be. Somebody has picked up a hobby and you don't like it so you're willing to destroy/steal their property? Maybe I don't like cars driving above the speed limit so I destroy your car? You are taking up photography so I'll steal your Nikon? 
My video runs from lift off to touch down. If some DB did what your insinuating, I'd have it on camera and my next call would be to the FAA regional field office, then the local cops. 

That's great and all for following the law. But as you well know, most people don't know or care about the law.

Having a new hobby that includes buzzing people's houses or bothering people that don't want to be bothered is also considered harassment and that is illegal. Doesn't matter if they can actually be voyeurs and perverts with them or not, most people will see it as trespassing, and you don't trespass in rural areas. 

In reply to SV reX :

And how many of those situations are in your yard? You keep putting up photos of wide open areas. My streetview of my house looks like this:

And while I know that's not typical, you're not telling me your yard looks at all like the photos you've posted are you?

dculberson said:

DrBoost said:

It is not illegal to fly over residential property, this includes private property.
 

But it is illegal to fly outside of the operator or spotter's visual line of sight, and if it's 50' off the ground and the person whose property it is over can't see the operator then they are not in line of sight. So, illegal.

I'm just responding to what you said. You said nothing about trees, or other issues that block the line of sight. 
 

You said it was illegal if it was 50' high and a bystander couldn't see the operator. That is factually incorrect. That's all I've got. 

In reply to DrBoost :

You've got a PM

RevRico said:

DrBoost said:

RevRico said:

In reply to SV reX :

It's nothing in a parking lot. A parking lot/strip mall is not a residential neighborhood with hills, valleys, houses, trees in the way. 

I don't care either way, nobody is dumb enough to fly drones over peoples houses where I live, because they know they'll never get them back. 

That's a pretty crappy way to be. Somebody has picked up a hobby and you don't like it so you're willing to destroy/steal their property? Maybe I don't like cars driving above the speed limit so I destroy your car? You are taking up photography so I'll steal your Nikon? 
My video runs from lift off to touch down. If some DB did what your insinuating, I'd have it on camera and my next call would be to the FAA regional field office, then the local cops. 

That's great and all for following the law. But as you well know, most people don't know or care about the law.

Having a new hobby that includes buzzing people's houses or bothering people that don't want to be bothered is also considered harassment and that is illegal. Doesn't matter if they can actually be voyeurs and perverts with them or not, most people will see it as trespassing, and you don't trespass in rural areas. 

So your illegal activity (stealing/destroying property) is ok, while my legal activity (flying a drone) is not? I'm bothered when my neighbor drives his Harly down my road. It's loud and bothers me. I don't want to be bothered. I consider that harassment, so him riding his hog is illegal and I can destroy it. That's your logic applied.
Again, I can fly over almost the entire country legally. There are federal lands and buildings where I cannot, but even controlled air space is legal after getting the proper waiver from the FAA. You not liking it, and wanting me off your lawn does not give you the right to destroy property. 
My suggestion? Get educated and try to change federal laws. Because the type of behavior your talking about will wind up in you losing a serious federal case.

In reply to SV reX :

I replied. If you still have my phone number, feel free to call if you want. 

SV reX said:

dculberson said:

DrBoost said:

It is not illegal to fly over residential property, this includes private property.
 

But it is illegal to fly outside of the operator or spotter's visual line of sight, and if it's 50' off the ground and the person whose property it is over can't see the operator then they are not in line of sight. So, illegal.

I'm just responding to what you said. You said nothing about trees, or other issues that block the line of sight. 
 

You said it was illegal if it was 50' high and a bystander couldn't see the operator. That is factually incorrect. That's all I've got. 

My statement was addressing the situation at hand, not all possible scenarios in the entire world.

This has descended into a personal back-and-forth that doesn't seem to be benefiting anybody. Locking this thread, and if you're among the last three posters here, consider yourself warned.

Margie