Drones delay Firefighter response in CA fire

Mike Watson · July 22nd, 2015, 03:51 PM

I can't buy the claim that there are that many near misses near airports. I am not sure why someone would fabricate a story like that (although I can see how someone would be mistaken about seeing a quadcopter that's 18" in diameter from a 737 that has a 100ft wingspan that's moving at 600mph), but I just can't buy it. All the major mfr's have no-fly zones that close to airports, the DIY guys have enough good sense (and about a million hours invested in a drone, too many to risk it), there is no way to see yourself flying the thing when it's at 2,000 feet, and even if you were up there, there's nothing to see - everything looks the same. I'm not saying it couldn't ever happen, but every week we get a handful of this "drone near miss" stuff, never a photo or video to support it, and each claim more outlandish than the last.

Dave Blackhurst · July 22nd, 2015, 04:46 PM

Actually did see some shots of a drone during one of the other (Nor) CA fires - I believe that one turned out to be a property owner trying to get a look at what was heading his way... arguably a "legit" use, but it caused temporary delay to firefighting aircraft operation - not sure if the guy gained or lost by his use of his drone...

CDF has reported "drones" near several fires that have impeded firefighting aircraft - maybe over-reacting, or maybe not - a plane doing a low level run has no "height" to make up for a strike by ANYTHING, so even a drone at 400 ft. might well represent a unique hazard if you think about it.

@ Greg - Thanks for the links to the site which appears not to be primarily drones/MR, but rather sailplanes - those would do well at the top of that slope! If these were the "drones" reported, that's indeed some ignorant "reporting", which does definitely happen. There's a "funny" link on that site to a little article/rant about "do you think we were born yesterday" that is a good read if one wants to understand the "cowboy" mentality that seems to go with "some" MR/drone operators...

There are plenty of good and for the most part SAFE uses for "drones", but at the moment, the dialog is being controlled by the few stupid people who have zero idea of the potential problems presented by their playing with their "toys" - they ruin it for the responsible users and potential users. They remind me of the kids who "hot rod" their cars and crotch rockets and "drive" like lunatics... sometimes I suspect they are the same fools! The typical justification is that they have some undefinable right to "do their thing", until someone is killed from their "fun"... as I said earlier, bad citizenship is just that.

I am NO fan of "rules and regulations", and a believer in "common sense", but since that is so terribly lacking nowadays...

Brian Drysdale · July 22nd, 2015, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Watson

I There is no way to see yourself flying the thing when it's at 2,000 feet, and even if you were up there, there's nothing to see - everything looks the same.

It's unlikely an airliner will be doing 600mph at 2000 ft, although a drone would need to be pretty close to spot it at possibly 200/250 mph in the plane. However, an object you're about to hit stays pretty static in the field of view from the cockpit.

There;s a lot to see at 2000 ft, although more city wide or landscape, but the reason could be finding out how high you can go

Michael Stevenson · July 22nd, 2015, 08:17 PM

I'm very new to drones, but anyone who would fly anywhere near such a dangerous situation is an idiot. Use common sense.

Chuck Spaulding · July 22nd, 2015, 11:04 PM

I think there's another side to this issue and that's all the idiots that believe the reports about drones impeding firefighters ability to do their jobs in the first place.

Most of the people carping for "sensible regulations" take the reports of these incidents at face value and in my mind that makes them the idiots. I'm tired of this stupid debate.

I have been flying Multirotors for seven years and in that time there has not been one mid air collision with a full sized aircraft, a single death attributed to a multirotor, or any sort of terrorist plot to blow anything up. More people have died in the same amount of time playing beach volleyball!

I get accused of being an anarchist, that some how I don't support reasonable legislation, that's just BS. I just don't want a bunch of pinheads who've never personally seen a drone fly in real life let alone actually flown one making the determination what reasonable is.

You can't legislate stupidity and people who try are the bigger idiots.

July 22nd, 2015, 03:51 PM	#31
Mike Watson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,082	Re: Drones delay Firefighter response in CA fire I can't buy the claim that there are that many near misses near airports. I am not sure why someone would fabricate a story like that (although I can see how someone would be mistaken about seeing a quadcopter that's 18" in diameter from a 737 that has a 100ft wingspan that's moving at 600mph), but I just can't buy it. All the major mfr's have no-fly zones that close to airports, the DIY guys have enough good sense (and about a million hours invested in a drone, too many to risk it), there is no way to see yourself flying the thing when it's at 2,000 feet, and even if you were up there, there's nothing to see - everything looks the same. I'm not saying it couldn't ever happen, but every week we get a handful of this "drone near miss" stuff, never a photo or video to support it, and each claim more outlandish than the last.

July 22nd, 2015, 04:46 PM	#32
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Drones delay Firefighter response in CA fire Actually did see some shots of a drone during one of the other (Nor) CA fires - I believe that one turned out to be a property owner trying to get a look at what was heading his way... arguably a "legit" use, but it caused temporary delay to firefighting aircraft operation - not sure if the guy gained or lost by his use of his drone... CDF has reported "drones" near several fires that have impeded firefighting aircraft - maybe over-reacting, or maybe not - a plane doing a low level run has no "height" to make up for a strike by ANYTHING, so even a drone at 400 ft. might well represent a unique hazard if you think about it. @ Greg - Thanks for the links to the site which appears not to be primarily drones/MR, but rather sailplanes - those would do well at the top of that slope! If these were the "drones" reported, that's indeed some ignorant "reporting", which does definitely happen. There's a "funny" link on that site to a little article/rant about "do you think we were born yesterday" that is a good read if one wants to understand the "cowboy" mentality that seems to go with "some" MR/drone operators... There are plenty of good and for the most part SAFE uses for "drones", but at the moment, the dialog is being controlled by the few stupid people who have zero idea of the potential problems presented by their playing with their "toys" - they ruin it for the responsible users and potential users. They remind me of the kids who "hot rod" their cars and crotch rockets and "drive" like lunatics... sometimes I suspect they are the same fools! The typical justification is that they have some undefinable right to "do their thing", until someone is killed from their "fun"... as I said earlier, bad citizenship is just that. I am NO fan of "rules and regulations", and a believer in "common sense", but since that is so terribly lacking nowadays...

July 22nd, 2015, 08:17 PM	#34
Michael Stevenson Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Lynnwood, WA Posts: 98	Re: Drones delay Firefighter response in CA fire I'm very new to drones, but anyone who would fly anywhere near such a dangerous situation is an idiot. Use common sense.

July 22nd, 2015, 11:04 PM	#35
Chuck Spaulding Trustee Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 1,104	Re: Drones delay Firefighter response in CA fire I think there's another side to this issue and that's all the idiots that believe the reports about drones impeding firefighters ability to do their jobs in the first place. Most of the people carping for "sensible regulations" take the reports of these incidents at face value and in my mind that makes them the idiots. I'm tired of this stupid debate. I have been flying Multirotors for seven years and in that time there has not been one mid air collision with a full sized aircraft, a single death attributed to a multirotor, or any sort of terrorist plot to blow anything up. More people have died in the same amount of time playing beach volleyball! I get accused of being an anarchist, that some how I don't support reasonable legislation, that's just BS. I just don't want a bunch of pinheads who've never personally seen a drone fly in real life let alone actually flown one making the determination what reasonable is. You can't legislate stupidity and people who try are the bigger idiots.