I spotted this today at a local photo spot. The super fine filament has been strung from trees to snag drones.
this isn't a phone wire or similar, because it is so thin, goes between trees and placed in the prime position for drone shots.
They are so hard to spot and quite unexpected, so look out.
I have drawn parallel to the wire in Magenta and a snip from the high res pic included

Is this even legal? I suppose it is not easy for birds to see either.

It is a great place to take some pictures... to bad some people don't like our hobby....

GhostWolf010 Posted at 5-12 06:28
Is this even legal? I suppose it is not easy for birds to see either.

It is a great place to take some pictures... to bad some people don't like our hobby....

The birds will bounce off and are very smart and have great eyesight. You never see birds with spectacles and I bet you never saw a blind one. Ha ha

AlansDronePics Posted at 5-12 06:49
The birds will bounce off and are very smart and have great eyesight. You never see birds with spectacles and I bet you never saw a blind one. Ha ha

Okay, that's funny but this is kinda serious.

Birds hit wires all the time -- they also hit windows, walls, buildings and vehicles.  This "anti-drone wire" (if that's what it is) is frustrating to a drone flier -- but it's legally animal-cruelty for any native birds.

Bluehook Posted at 5-12 07:03
Okay, that's funny but this is kinda serious.

Birds hit wires all the time -- they also hit windows, walls, buildings and vehicles.  This "anti-drone wire" (if that's what it is) is frustrating to a drone flier -- but it's legally animal-cruelty for any native birds.

Sounds like they need a firmware upgrade, drones do it more often according to this forum.
PS. I was trying to be light hearted, bordering on humorous, about birds being smart, good eyesight etc.
Yes, birds do collide with solid objects, as you say. Usually only once though.

Unfortunately, contrary to what some people say, there is nothing illegal about this, particularly if it’s private property..

Fishing wire is also used in popular drone spots,

I actually caught a older lady attempting to put one up, I kicked the ladder out from underneath her. Now I’m sure that is most likely illegal, but she won’t do it again

AlansDronePics Posted at 5-12 07:08
Sounds like they need a firmware upgrade, drones do it more often according to this forum.
PS. I was trying to be light hearted, bordering on humorous, about birds being smart, good eyesight etc.
Yes, birds do collide with solid objects, as you say. Usually only once though.

I got your humor.  And I'm no card-carrying PITA member but I gotta believe, if not illegal, it's immoral and unethical to string a (virtually invisible) fishing line in the sky.

I'd gues once a bird or two strikes something like this and someone takes notice, it could turn criminal.

Point we're both making is birds WILL strike it and they WILL be killed or gravely injured.  It's guaranteed.

Hi, thanks for sharing this interesting photo with us. We highly recommend flying the drone in an open area and stay away in any possible interferences to avoid the incident. Thank you for your support.

Whatever next - trained hawks - oh yeah, I forgot lol Just keep over the tree line I guess but still, not good to see this in place!

Drones must have been a real problem to have a property owner go to such extremes.  

Bluehook Posted at 5-12 07:19
I got your humor.  And I'm no card-carrying PITA member but I gotta believe, if not illegal, it's immoral and unethical to string a (virtually invisible) fishing line in the sky.

I'd gues once a bird or two strikes something like this and someone takes notice, it could turn criminal.

It could well turn seriously illegal.  Since line is hard to see and is indiscriminate when it comes to what tangles with it.  Let a protected bird species get injured or die because of line, and person who strung it could face fines and prison time.

ghostrdr Posted at 5-12 09:25
Drones must have been a real problem to have a property owner go to such extremes.

Property owner probably strung it across using a drone.  

This makes me so sad Unnecessary to do so much to hinder some harmless drone flying

GhostWolf010 Posted at 5-12 06:28
Is this even legal? I suppose it is not easy for birds to see either.

It is a great place to take some pictures... to bad some people don't like our hobby....

I can see it being legal on private property.  Though, it is illegal according to U.S. Code 32, found here https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/32

For the time being, SUAS's are viewed as aircraft, even though they are not manned and usually much, much smaller to manned aircraft and other legacy model aircraft.  I believe new regulations need to be implemented to differentiate certain SUAS's from other aircraft.  It seems drones get lumped together in a category when it benefits the restrictions, though other modes of aircraft are nowhere near the same level of scrutiny and biased engagement.

Lot of good it did stopping you hahahah!

JHollimanPhoto Posted at 5-13 06:21
Lot of good it did stopping you hahahah!

Having spotted the filament as i surveyed the site, before flying, i was able to approach where the trap is ineffective.
It seems the trap has been set up by the big house behind the mill to maintain privacy.
If the average person wanted to build there, it wouldn't be permitted.  This owner has spoilt the area and made photographing the mill problematic. Having built a house where it shouldn't be, they now have to put up with the loss of privacy.
Don't you just love the irony?

The military strings up wires around high-value targets to prevent enemy helicopters from accessing the site.  Seems it would be hard to design a system to snag drones without blanketing the area with mono or wire.  Just do your snooping from above tree level, lol.  Here's a fun read on the subject:  https://www.ri.cmu.edu/wp-conten ... 08/cmu_thesis-1.pdf

Kite string perhaps?  I have had this in my yard before from a kid that was flying a kite and got snagged in a tree. The kite string was strung from a tree in my backyard across my yard and over my home to another tree in the front yard. I ALMOST hit it with my drone before I saw it move and avoided it. Almost invisible!

So maybe its a kite string left over from a kid that was flying a kite and got it stuck?

Bob Brown Posted at 5-13 11:40
Kite string perhaps?  I have had this in my yard before from a kid that was flying a kite and got snagged in a tree. The kite string was strung from a tree in my backyard across my yard and over my home to another tree in the front yard. I ALMOST hit it with my drone before I saw it move and avoided it. Almost invisible!

So maybe its a kite string left over from a kid that was flying a kite and got it stuck?

No, a local has confirmed it is there to ensure privacy of them at ' big house'.
It is tied at both ends and is practically dead straight with tension.

I presume this person owns the river and both trees, and there is no public access to the path or the building.
Just wondering if the line passes over 'public' areas it could be removed? or is legal?

If they own it all, surely 50m rule would come it to play for drone operation, assuming itsnot otherwise classified when it would be 150m.

Ken Storm Posted at 5-14 00:01
I presume this person owns the river and both trees, and there is no public access to the path or the building.
Just wondering if the line passes over 'public' areas it could be removed? or is legal?

The mill is one ownership, the field with one support tree is another owner and the house is another owner. As intimated in an earlier post, the house owner seems to have influence but doesn't want it on his/her land. Anyway, on his/her land, it wouldn't be effective.

One question I'd ask - who 'owns' the air through which that wire/line is passing? I like the idea of a simple pebble attached to a nylon line, swung over the suspended line and then haul it down. Twang! Gone!