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Illegal to shoot down drones - duh!
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dirkclod
Premium Pilot
Is that not from the demonstrator that kept flying back and forth at the LE vehicle that was posted in a video here not long ago ?
Added/ I found that and was in another one of our forums .
Drone Pilot and FAA Comment on Drone Shooting at North Dakota Pipeline Protest | Drone360 Magazine
Added/ I found that and was in another one of our forums .
Drone Pilot and FAA Comment on Drone Shooting at North Dakota Pipeline Protest | Drone360 Magazine
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First of a TFR was in place...Temporary NO FLY Zone was in place. Also from the video he was flying way to close to people which is another violation.....no wonder we have such a hard time getting to fly our UAV's. With the mishandling of them in this instance just gives those who don't like UAV's more information to fight us.
Was just reading about a documentarian in the protest maybe getting 45 years in prison for filming there.
Filmmaker Arrested At Pipeline Protest Facing 45 Years In Felony Charges | Huffington Post
Filmmaker Arrested At Pipeline Protest Facing 45 Years In Felony Charges | Huffington Post
N017RW
Premium Pilot
Well, the arrests & charges have nothing to do with filming...
"She has been charged with three felonies: conspiracy to theft of property, conspiracy to theft of services and conspiracy to tampering with or damaging a public service..."
Not filming via a drone (or was she?), but it does say she was filming (on the ground?) since they took her gear and confiscated her film too. The charges were what they pulled out of their hat.
I actually don't think freedom of the press doesn't exists anymore since I know one newspaper guy who has been arrested twice at a news event, although they don't call it an arrest but just a "Detainment" for 48 hours.
N017RW
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I love how the article ends: "... so the officer shooting down the media drone at the DAPL protests did break a federal law and the FAA says they are investigating the situation, but it is unknown at this time if the officer will be considered above the law."
The FAA has already picked sides. By issuing a TFR explicitly to shield LEOs from independent (media) observation, while still allowing LEOs unrestricted air access, tells you how they feel about us vs. them.
The FAA has already picked sides. By issuing a TFR explicitly to shield LEOs from independent (media) observation, while still allowing LEOs unrestricted air access, tells you how they feel about us vs. them.
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Even a TFR should not allow LEs to shoot an aircraft out of the sky. In fact, in the case of there being a large crowd, you should especially not shoot a UAV out of the sky.
But yes, in an us vs. them scenario, we likely will lose.
But yes, in an us vs. them scenario, we likely will lose.
No, I'm not saying the TFR is a waiver to shoot. But the fact that the FAA feels LEO activity deserves protection from the public filming them (from the sky) speaks volumes on which side they support.
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It appears that they know they couldn't charge her for filming or freedom of speech. According to the Huffington Post, she was not part of the protest and only reporting with her photographic equipment. Therefore, it is implied that they charged her with being part of the protest anyway and therefore part of the protest; only because the don't like to be photographed and this was there way to discourage any further reporting. Note: "They" being the authorities charging her.
N017RW
Premium Pilot
Playing devil's advocate here, it's fairly common to institute TFRs around legitimate LE/public safety activities (think aerial fire-fighting over wildfires). The FAA likely views this as protecting legitimate LE/public safety activity from interference in a potentially hectic airspace rather than shielding them from observation.
I suspect if any LE agency requests a TFR, it's pretty much automatically granted, without any political analysis of the situation. Maybe this isn't the way it should be, but the alternative is a really slippery slope - who makes the decision, and how is it made? If a really fast and efficient waiver-granting process were in place, perhaps legitimate news organizations, under strict non-interference constraints, could be allowed to bust the TFR.
Note that at least one of the drone flyers at the protest said that it was his intent to interfere with the LE choppers.
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I have seen the video and believe that the FEDS were in the wrong. As a retired officer I can assure you that the Federal Officer shooting at the UAV better be able to articulate he was in fear for his or someones elses life...not just injury from a UAV prop. Another example of government abuse of power. But the government covers for its own...just look at Hillary.
Any drone required to register with the FAA is a registered aircraft governed federally by the FAA. Shoot any registered aircraft whether drone or full sized 747 and that is a federal crime is it not?
Has the FAA ever prosecuted anyone who has shot down a drone on their federal level, and not by a local city or county enforcement level?
Seems the FAA only goes after drone operators for illegal or unsafe flights, etc.
Seems the FAA only goes after drone operators for illegal or unsafe flights, etc.
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