"Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopter.

Rick M

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

We have a military drone base about 3 miles from my house. The Air Guard used to fly F16's out of the airport here but it was converted to drones in the past year or so. They must train at night as we have never seen a single one. We do see huge Air Force transports coming in and out, I think they brought the entire operation in by air. If I see one in my backyard, I will not be shooting it down; But I will certainly run for my camera! :)
 

AC016

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

Yes, shooting it down with live ammo does seem to be a bit over zealous. But there is no laws against good'ol Canadian maple syrup, right? Just get one of thos large water soaker guns, fill it up with Canadian liquid gold and let'er rip!! Syrup and mechanical, small moving parts don't mix. Take off eh!
 

Nero

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

That girl was crazy. He was probably just taking beachscapes or something. Regardless, she made herself the bad guy when she assaulted him after she had already called the cops. She clearly wasn't all there.
 

skater

New member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

None of us own the airspace above our homes... Otherwise I could charge tolls!
 

STM

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

None of us own the airspace above our homes... Otherwise I could charge tolls!

That is definitely true, but we DO have an expectation of privacy in our own homes yet this "government" of ours could care less about that.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

None of us own the airspace above our homes... Otherwise I could charge tolls!

It's relative. A person owns the airspace they, and their property occupies. If you had a ten story house, you own the airspace the house occupies. A person also owns the airspace they use over their property and has a right to enjoy the property they own without undue infringement upon that enjoyment. A flying object that interfered with that enjoyment could be considered unlawfully operated. And if the object was endangering life, limb or property, a person could be within their right to defend same.

However, airspace in general is part of the public domain and the use thereof is for public travel, with obvious exceptions (military areas, etc.)

All said, I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one in cyberspace.:)
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

For the sake of argument, let's replace the drone with a live person. Since most of these drones are camera/video equipped, let's make that person a photographer.

Is a photographer allowed to wander onto someone's private property to take photographs? The vast majority of the time, the answer is no. You can photograph someone's private property while on public property (ie: taking pictures from the street or sidewalk), but you cannot set a single foot on private property without being in violation of the law.

If you, as a photographer, ventured onto someone's property to take photos and video, what would you do if the owner came outside wielding a weapon and told you to leave? I'm willing to bet that most people would apologize and get the hell out of there. I'm also willing to bet that if the property owner shot the photographer dead on the spot, most courts would side with the property owner. There is an old saying that goes: possession is 9/10 of the law, and while some would argue against the morality of taking extreme measures in this instance...there is no denying that the property owner has exercised his rights under protection of the law, and the photographer has violated those rights and the law.

This is no different. I'm fairly certain that since the drone is piloted by a human, the law will be interpreted the same as if the pilot himself had ventured onto private property.
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

I'm also willing to bet that if the property owner shot the photographer dead on the spot, most courts would side with the property owner.


Depends in which state this happens in.
Too many stories about home owners getting arrested and facing trial for protecting their property.
Hell, in some states it's illegal to defend yourself if attacked in an alley or a street.



 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

Touché, Pete.

I won't turn this thread political by stating my opinion on those matters. I'm just glad that I live in an area where that's not the case. We have a conceal/carry law here. There are armed police in our schools, and even some teachers are certified to carry during school hours.

It should suffice to say that there is a very low violent crime rate in this area. ;)
 

PaulPosition

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

Oh please, please, please quote me something on that front because it smells like a big hunk of poo.

Perhaps you mean you Can't shoot at the guy who darted off with your camera? Or that other guy you think looked vaguely menacing? Sure, there's no DP yet for stealing or ugly-face related offenses. But can't defend? Make me laugh.
 

john*thomas

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

It was a public beach. People are always taking photographs on public beaches. If you bring a drone down over your house taking pictures of you in your backyard, I won't find you guilty.
 

Fred Kingston_RIP

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

The issue wouldn't revolve around "bringing a drone down"... You'd be charged with the more common offense of discharging a firearm contrary to most firearms ordinances that exist in this county...

Go outside and start shooting a gun into the air, drone or no drone, and see what happens...
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

The issue wouldn't revolve around "bringing a drone down"... You'd be charged with the more common offense of discharging a firearm contrary to most firearms ordinances that exist in this county...

Go outside and start shooting a gun into the air, drone or no drone, and see what happens...

I live outside city limits, so it's not an issue. My neighborhood has 2 cops that live here, we shoot all the time.

Like I've been trying to say, we don't have anti-gun laws here.
 

Fred Kingston_RIP

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

The first commercial drone company received an FAA license last week... Wanna guess what your chances for a good outcome are at taking a shot at a Federally licensed drone are going to be???
 

skater

New member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

This is a photography forum. Some of you are talking about a different kind of shooting. ;)

(Also, shouldn't the guy who was flying the drone be a "videographer"? Don't they usually do video instead of stills?)
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

Shoot at a drone flying over my backyard, whether it be government or not? My first reaction as a red-blooded American is YEAH! As much as I'd like to, though, just because of my rebellious redneck ways... nah.

1) Could be a kid's toy, and how cruel would it be to tell a kid he can only occupy the airspace over his own little lot?
2) Never know who/what else might be hit nearby. Granted, I have closer neighbors than some. Some ammunition can travel quite the LONG distance though.
3) If they're taking pics of me in my yard, well... they're desperate, and I know I'm not doing anything worth capturing by way of photo or video.
4) Might piss off the operator, being that he just lost a chunk of change, and he might have a gun... no need for gun fights.
5) Don't want to risk how it would be prosecuted/ruled in court if charges are filed. Speculate all you want, courts don't operate on speculation.

Now... smack it with a bat? HELL YEAH! If it's close enough to be whacked, I was just protecting myself. Those flying things, with their propellers and motors and speed and weight and velocity... they can do damage to my pretty face! Self defense, plain and simple! Not sure what all the hubbub is with surveillance drones anyway. If folks really want to see me, they can park a van down the street, send in an undercover "neighbor", peek over the fence, or any number of things. Hell... they can dial me up on the satellite if they really want, and I've heard they can count the hairs on my arse with those things, should I choose to wander around naked (which I don't).

I think I'll just get back to taking pictures and not even complain, as it might add to the list of things photographers can't shoot. :)

As far as the article: Wonder if she also assaulted everyone else that looked in her direction? Nut case... if she didn't want to be viewed, maybe she shouldn't go out in public. My .02, which is worth about .002 if calculated correctly.
 

slowpoke

Senior Member
Re: "Photographer" is attacked after taking photos of beach goers with his quadrocopt

I see where the fans took down one after the L.A. Kings victory the other night. As of the last I read it still wasn't clear whether or not it was a police drone or not.

http://rt.com/usa/166008-los-angeles-drone-downed/
Looks like a setup to me.no one could hit it up high so they brought it lower.Not the police they are smarter than that.lol
 
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