NY men arrested after toy drones fly within 800 feet of police chopper

[HawkMan]

Try Googling for "bird strike helicopter crash", and you'll see that even a medium sized bird can do a lot of damage.

Even though you can safely land a helicopter without a working engine, I would think most pilots will avoid that at all cost. And that would be landing with the rotorblades fully intact....

 

Birds are not drones, they have a lot more mass, especially the ones who strike helis, they also don't get disrupted by the down wash like a drone does. 

 

and again, they're not fricken drones...

[HawkMan]

 

5) They are drones, as they can fly autonomously

 

 

No they fly semi autonomously, though DJI has a base station that allows full autonomous flight now. but even that is a stretch as it requires a base station. lose contact with that and you're back to RTB. 

 

either way that alone doesn't make them drones. 

 

Also now they can't "easily" take down helicopters, they can't damage the rotors, they can't even break the skin of the helicopter. if you could manage to get it into the turbine air intake then perhaps. but that's virtually impossible, and I'm adding on the virtually only out of courtesy because reality is that it's impossible. 

 

The main problem with these isn't the rotors anyway. it's that a bunch pf people with no RC experience are now buying advanced RC equipment with no knowledge, Especially about LiPo batteries which these things use. As such they charge the LiPo batteries with the crappy slow plastic charger that comes with the thing instead of a proper 5C or more Computer charger that will charge it in maybe 15 minutes. and they don't know the precautions they need to take no LiPo Safe Bag, not putting it in a metal pot to limit the destruction of an battery with the energy density of TNT. they don't know the signs to look for about when to not use a LiPo battery anymore. heck most don't even know a LiPo battery LITERALLY dies if it runs all out of power, but that's the least of the LiPo issues anyway, at least that won't kill anyone. 

[HawkMan]

I don't know where you shop, but places I've shopped that sell these newer "drones" are also the same ones that sell the relatively long range helicopter / fixed wing pro and jet model air craft... and their prices are relatively similar

 

The DJI Phantom is sold by a lot of electronics stores as well now. but I think the one most people would recognize is the Parrot AR, but it's a very lightweight one and probably can't even cut your finger, certainly not very deep if it does cut.

[Circaflex]

I own a DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter.  It is capable of up to 2000ft, but out of the box is limited to 400.  There is a growing community of pilots for these drones, and by and large we are respectful and sensible.

 

The level of derision and annoyance shown when someone (often unwittingly) breaks a law with it, or just flies in a careless manner (over crowds, near buildings, etc) is quite noticeable.

 

It is a real shame that some idiots choose to act like jackasses with these things to the detriment of the whole community.  The FAA are already up in arms over them, and getting a bit annoyed at the situation.

 

A few points for clarification:

 

1) These "pilots" will have modded the defaults to allow such flight

2) They could easily take down a helicopter

3) The "from my cold dead hands" type comments come from people who are very quickly shunned from the community, as they tend to fly like idiots, flouting the rules and getting us all a bad name.  Yeeehaw!

4) The drones stay stationary in even the strongest of winds (not gales obv)

5) They are drones, as they can fly autonomously

6) This is NOTHING NEW.  Remote controlled aircraft have been available and affordable for decades.  This are just a new type.  All the drug/weapon/crash issues have been around since the 1970s on RC helicopters.

7) Most sensible pilots fully support the idea of a license.  Not as full as a pilots license, but more a way of saying "I have been formally shown the rules, invested some time and now take responsibility".

good info, thanks for sharing those points. i like your attitude towards this and hopefully the knuckleheads dont ruin it for people/groups like you

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

No they fly semi autonomously, though DJI has a base station that allows full autonomous flight now.

 

As an owner, let me tell you for a fact that they can fly autonomously.

 

lose contact with that and you're back to RTB.

 

Not true at all.  Flight plans are uploaded.  You seem to talk a lot and know very little about these.  I speak as an owner.

 

The DJI Phantom is sold by a lot of electronics stores as well now. but I think the one most people would recognize is the Parrot AR, but it's a very lightweight one and probably can't even cut your finger, certainly not very deep if it does cut.

 

Why do you feel you need to post so much and yet talk so much crap.  The most recognisable consumer quadcopter is easily the phantom these days.  I have seen videos of the damage they can do, I have felt it (glancingly thankfully).  Well within reality to see one of these killing.

good info, thanks for sharing those points. i like your attitude towards this and hopefully the knuckleheads dont ruin it for people/groups like you

 

Wholly different kettle of fish, but it has given me a bit more understanding of the debates such as gun ownership.  Seeing both sides.

[HawkMan]

There's a hundred parrots at least for every Phantom. sure among the IN crowd the phantom is the most recognizeable, among average joe consumer however, it's not. And for the damage I was talking about the lightweight Parrot, L2Read. the DJI phantom and it's bigger brothers have significantly more powerful motors. 

 

 

and again, being able to follow a route does not make it a drone. 

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Look, you are the uninformed party here - know when you're wrong.

 

1) A search for both DRONE and QUADCOPTER brings up DJI gear long before any pictures of the parrot.  The parrot looks like a generic non-brand cheap toy - indistinguishable.  I will accept that the brand name is more consumer aware, but that was not what you argued.

 

2) The Phantom 2 can follow a course, make adjustments, self-correct, land itself in the event of an issue, remotely film and relay the video, not enter restricted airspace...   It is a drone by every definition.  Including the dictionary: "a remote-controlled pilotless aircraft or missile"

 

3) They were not flying a parrot, so why you are arguing this point is a bit moot.  A DJI Phantom can slice through flesh with ease, break smaller bones - this is the type of craft that was being flown.  I could argue that chainsaws are safe because Fischer Price make a toy one.