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Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

denverpost.com

81–90 of 139 posts

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#82
post #70

It may currently be legal, but this isn't an acceptable long term framework. If you're flying below the regulation ceiling, you should need a line of sight operator and landowner approval. Above that you should need a transponder and rough flight plan – just like regular aviation. At no point should an operation be opaque to local law enforcement.

If there is no property being damaged, no law being violated, why does law enforcement need to be involved at all? Law enforcement doesn't have to have an answer or info about every single event. If I'm driving a car down the highway, law enforcement doesn't need to know where I am going or why. I'm not breaking any laws and not infringing on anyone's rights. As a pilot I can go fly my plane at any altitude I wish as…

> As a pilot I can go fly my plane at any altitude I wish as long as I am not entering any controlled airspace.

Well, no. That’s not true. Firstly there are rules about the altitude you can fly at when it’s greater than 3000’, and second you are required to file a flight plan any time you are flying IFR.

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#83
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it's an extension you've got installed? I wasn't able to reproduce it (on macOS Safari). What reader are you using?

iOS Safari.

I distinctly recall you griping about ads while reading IEEE articles a few days ago[1].

FYSA wasn't able to replicate the reader view issue with uBO on Firefox, both desktop and mobile.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21850005

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#85
post #80
post #70

It may currently be legal, but this isn't an acceptable long term framework. If you're flying below the regulation ceiling, you should need a line of sight operator and landowner approval. Above that you should need a transponder and rough flight plan – just like regular aviation. At no point should an operation be opaque to local law enforcement.

> you should need a transponder and rough flight plan – just like regular aviation For the most part neither of those things are requirements for regular aviation.

It is at night, and even if you don't have a transponder you have a visible registration number and a license that will be revoked if you can't behave.

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>No reason to be concerned as long as local laws are being followed Well unless you care about privacy, the potential for stuff crashing on you/your property, and/or noise pollution.

Requiring people to explain their lawful activity in the name of privacy is something of a contradiction.

How does that scan? Other people’s privacy should supersede your public behavior.

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#87
post #70

It may currently be legal, but this isn't an acceptable long term framework. If you're flying below the regulation ceiling, you should need a line of sight operator and landowner approval. Above that you should need a transponder and rough flight plan – just like regular aviation. At no point should an operation be opaque to local law enforcement.

If there is no property being damaged, no law being violated, why does law enforcement need to be involved at all? Law enforcement doesn't have to have an answer or info about every single event. If I'm driving a car down the highway, law enforcement doesn't need to know where I am going or why. I'm not breaking any laws and not infringing on anyone's rights. As a pilot I can go fly my plane at any altitude I wish as…

Sure but once a law is broken, what recourse does anyone have in the submitted article? The answer can't be to call the Feds... Cars have license plates, planes have N-numbers. If drones are too small to have a visible registration number, they need a transponder. Again, this is only when you're flying high and out of visible range.

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#88

Could it be new Thz radars being tested? They could fit in a large drone easily and be used for close flight formation(they have collision detection) and also to scan nearby terrain(they penetrate vegetation cover). https://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/industrial_strength/archive/2017... https://www.foxtechfpv.com/77ghz-millimeter-wave-obstacle-av... (similar stuff costs about 300$, but these drones have probably something mu…

> to spot the bad guys

> large-scale detection

> terrorists

sigh...

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#89
post #47
post #19

I like the advise to not shoot down the drones, as this can cause a battery fire. Seems very US-American to me.

I like the advise to not shoot down the drones, as this can cause a battery fire They're not good eating, anyway, no matter how you prepare them.

That hasn't stopped hunters from shooting at optic fiber before...

Re: Drones flying nighttime patterns over NE Colorado leave law enforcement stumped

#90
post #40

Whatever they’re doing out there, it sounds like a lot of fun. Considering that they seem to be following the letter of the law, I’m fairly certain this is some sort of commercial operation. I can see a defense contractor using a large multirotor craft to test some new payloads, like night vision optical or IR sensors. If the 30 minute hover is to be believed, they must be a multirotor of some sort.

I agree it sounds like fun but it’s probably pretty tone deaf to do so. Whoever does this should quickly clear this up just for their own sake.
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