Up to 1 year in jail for slamming helicopter (with video)
https://www.facebook.com/luis.nunes.54390/posts/10218121102395562

yeah, one of the things that could happen while alive on Earth

Thats got to be a bad day.

2 lb drone forces a 2500 lb helicopter to land. If I were the police chief, I would ask for my money back. Make me wonder if it's safe to fly in any commercial aircraft since there are 10 lb birds everywhere.

He was flying over an emergency that needed rapid air support for a fluid situation.  He managed to fail to hear a low flying helicopter also.  Although, I doubt he gets a year in jail I think the plea deal was generous in reducing the charge to a misdemeanor.  The Federal system usually give prosecutors a significant amount of latitude in how they pursue charges.  If it had to have been the county of Los Angeles prosecuting the case I think he would get at least 3 years in prison.

JohnLietzke Posted at 1-16 17:47
He was flying over an emergency that needed rapid air support for a fluid situation.  He managed to fail to hear a low flying helicopter also.  Although, I doubt he gets a year in jail I think the plea deal was generous in reducing the charge to a misdemeanor.  The Federal system usually give prosecutors a significant amount of latitude in how they pursue charges.  If it had to have been the county of Los Angeles prosecuting the case I think he would get at least 3 years in prison.

yet you can crash your car while driving drunk into a trooper on the highway during a traffic stop with lights flashing and completely destroy the police car and the speeder's car and as long as no one got seriously hurt and this is your first time dui, what do you think will happen?

john, you know why this case was stupid, right?  surely the pilot made a huge dumb mistake but this case was totally ridiculous, you know that right?

btw, do you have the facts (details) from the case, i would like to go over them again and try to corroborate what i've heard because i'm pretty sure i'm just hearing the unsubstantiated rumors....where do we go to get the facts besides the fake news? /s

JohnLietzke Posted at 1-16 17:47
He was flying over an emergency that needed rapid air support for a fluid situation.  He managed to fail to hear a low flying helicopter also.  Although, I doubt he gets a year in jail I think the plea deal was generous in reducing the charge to a misdemeanor.  The Federal system usually give prosecutors a significant amount of latitude in how they pursue charges.  If it had to have been the county of Los Angeles prosecuting the case I think he would get at least 3 years in prison.

Thank you for the follow-up!

The Saint Posted at 1-16 20:44
yet you can crash your car while driving drunk into a trooper on the highway during a traffic stop with lights flashing and completely destroy the police car and the speeder's car and as long as no one got seriously hurt and this is your first time dui, what do you think will happen?

john, you know why this case was stupid, right?  surely the pilot made a huge dumb mistake but this case was totally ridiculous, you know that right?

I disagree the case is ridiculous, it is an example of how a single individual's negligence can jeopardize aircraft safety and an entire hobby with a single action.  

I did take the time to read the published statement from the FAA regarding the incident.  But, I did not take the time to acquire the discovery for the case so the exact details of the evidence used to prosecute the case are unknown to me.  

The Los Angeles Police Department and Sheriff's Department were in the process of pursuing a foot chase of a robbery of pharmacy which was closed.  At least one of robbers was believed to be armed.  Air support had been searching the area for around 10 minutes before the crash occurred.

I doubt the Federal judge in this case will give him a year in jail for the misdemeanor offense.  

I am also familiar with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office previous prosecutions of other drone related offenses.  In specific, the Country has aggressively pursed and convicted drone pilots in the past for violating California's penal codes pertaining to flying over jails and prisons, interfering with emergency responders (wild fires) and using a drone for the purpose of capturing a person in private activity (celebrity stalking).  As the prosecution of the state penal code is the prerogative of county prosecutors, the District Attorney's Office, the precedence relating to drones in Los Angeles Country in specific differs greatly from other counties in California.

ok, maybe the facts come out later as they usually do; will wait to see.  not going to comment further, maybe someone else has something interesting to add.

wonder what will happened when hundreds of ups, fedex, google, and amazon drones take to the air....

Well... that's what the system hastily can deliver.

They make a cut off zone and may even behead the first few unfortunates. Ofc do that too much and you'll have stockpiles of boxes full of heads (or limbs if you prefer).

This HOWERVER will not solve the problem and will NOT MAKE THE SKY ANY SAFER. It may just fulfill the gruesome crave of perverts.

Tbh to prevent this there's not even a need for regulation... it's already regulated well enough as some ignorant might argue the contrary, it's just that we still lack the basic features that are required for manned air-worthy crafts. For example... WHY DJI can't I even see who else in the same app (the Fly app) is flying a drone nearby? I have allowed my name and description to be published and I can't see that of the others around me !?

Small wonder now they're requiring drone manufacturers to add a transponder.... they've had all the time to implement a decent air-to-air warning technology and they failed BIG time at that.

I personally would like to see DJI integrated directly with LAANC in the app.  They already have a Geo Fencing and North American version of the Mavic Air 2 with Airsense.  And I agree with  m80116 that visibility of other DJI drones equipped with Remote ID in the DJI Fly app Map would be a good test of the feature.

The Saint Posted at 1-17 11:38
ok, maybe the facts come out later as they usually do; will wait to see.  not going to comment further, maybe someone else has something interesting to add.

wonder what will happened when hundreds of ups, fedex, google, and amazon drones take to the air....

Congress gave the FAA 90 days to submit a bunch of reports, analysis and implementation strategy on BVLOS and Automated flight for drones under the new 2021 regulation.  Seems that Congress put the house before the cart by passing legislation without having created a method for compliance.

This in particular pertains most directly to delivery drones but may have some unperceived benefits to the hobby segment.  

A big portion of BVLOS is the Remote ID system.

JohnLietzke Posted at 1-17 12:57
Congress gave the FAA 90 days to submit a bunch of reports, analysis and implementation strategy on BVLOS and Automated flight for drones under the new 2021 regulation.  Seems that Congress put the house before the cart by passing legislation without having created a method for compliance.

This in particular pertains most directly to delivery drones but may have some unperceived benefits to the hobby segment.  

JohnLietzke Posted at 1-17 12:57
Congress gave the FAA 90 days to submit a bunch of reports, analysis and implementation strategy on BVLOS and Automated flight for drones under the new 2021 regulation.  Seems that Congress put the house before the cart by passing legislation without having created a method for compliance.

This in particular pertains most directly to delivery drones but may have some unperceived benefits to the hobby segment.  

m80116 Posted at 1-17 12:29
Well... that's what the system hastily can deliver.

They make a cut off zone and may even behead the first few unfortunates. Ofc do that too much and you'll have stockpiles of boxes full of heads (or limbs if you prefer).

The Saint Posted at 1-17 11:38
ok, maybe the facts come out later as they usually do; will wait to see.  not going to comment further, maybe someone else has something interesting to add.

wonder what will happened when hundreds of ups, fedex, google, and amazon drones take to the air....