Was out flying my P3S yesterday.     I chose an area where there were new soccer fields under construction.  Right now, just big muddy fields.

This is in a large public park with about 8 existing soccer fields.

There was no-one in the field I was flying in.  Nothing but dirt and mud.   No houses, no cars, no people, no kids, no crowds, no streets.  Just a big muddy, empty field.

I was flying fairly low level,  about 50ft - practicing ATTI mode.  Doing lots of large circles and S-Turns in both directions.  There was a nice breeze, so ATTI practice was lots of fun.

After about 10 minutes, this guy (about 20years old, carrying a 4ft long walking-stick) walks out into the field and stares at my aircraft.  Just stares at it.   As he was walking out,  I moved the aircraft further away - given that I was practicing ATTI flying - I didn't want any chance of loosing control and crashing into him.

After a couple of minutes watching (from a distance of about 50 ft away) he suddenly shouts in my direction "HEY!!".   Not sure if he was yelling at me,  or others in the parking lot behind us - I ignored it.

Another minute goes by and another "HEY!!!!!!"   This time pointedly looking in my direction.     I put the drone into a hoover (P-GPS) well away from him and looked back at him, without saying anything.   Well, he doesn't do anything, so I go back to flying.   Even further away from him.

Now - about 2-3 miniutes goes by and he yells again - "HEY - Get your F...ing Drone out of my airspece"!!!   I put the drone into a hover again,  and put the RC control down, and just stared at him.   I was considering inviting him over to check it out - but he just looked too "disturbed" to invite over (which is what I usually do, when curious people stroll by).

About this time,  the battery alarm goes off - so I pick up the remote and fly the aircraft  back to the home point (closer to me than him).   He sees the aircraft coming in for a landing (and I'm prepared to zoom it back up as he is carrying a big stick) - and turns and walks off.  I guess he decided he won.

After landing - he's about 100ft away.   I stroll over to the aircraft,  pull the battery and replace it with a fresh one.   Then,  start it up, and takeoff up to about a 20ft hoover to let it stabilize.  I normally let it stabilize at about 5 ft,  but once again, that big stick was in my mind.

Anyway - he sees this,  but with others walking in my direction, he decided to continue walking away!

That was the first time I've had an experience like this.  I'd had many people come over to see what I'm doing, and I usually demo the system to them,  let them see the FPV view,  show them how it flies,  and if they are interested,  talk about rules, regs, the FAA etc.    Every other time, it is a good conversation, and people seem genuinely interested in the aircraft.

I guess there is just crazies everywhere!!!

Sid

Not engaging was probably the best thing you could have done.

Pack some heat and the stick would be a non issue. That stick is  a weapon and you have the right to protect yourself and your property.

I hate lunatics who think they own the airspaces in a public open area.

I've decided that if the person seems reasonable I will explain that it is a toy (and it is, I don't *need* it, and it's not for work), and I like flying it and getting a bird's eye view of the landscape.  Sort of like a big selfie stick.  And I'm not interested in what people are doing, it has no zoom and can't see faces from more than 30 or 40 feet away anyway.

Elmer Fudd Posted at 2016-3-1 05:22
Pack some heat and the stick would be a non issue. That stick is  a weapon and you have the right to ...

But be sure the wabbit doesn't bend your gun barrel backwards and make you shoot yourself in the face, Mr. Fudd.

Dr. Acula Posted at 2016-2-29 16:30
But be sure the wabbit doesn't bend your gun barrel backwards and make you shoot yourself in the f ...

Thanks for the tip.

This is why I pack (not concealed but open carry) in Ohio when I fly in places like this.  If some idiot wants to come over and threaten me OR decides he wants to take out his childhood aggression on me, Id simply turn my hip so he saw it.  Id imagine that would sway nearly every idiot away but for the oddball that wants to act tough, he'd get about 20 feet from me and I'd pull and give him a warning that I shoot mid-mass and not to wound.   His choice, not mine on what to do next.  I doubt it would ever come to that but look at the news daily and you will be reminded of how many crazies are out there.  I never say that it couldn't happen anymore.   

I woulda put it in GPS hover.., taken my shirt off and rolled in the mud.
Then grab my own stick and join him on the oval yelling random words at the drone, while shaking my stick in the air.

DrACE Posted at 2016-2-29 21:46
This is why I pack (not concealed but open carry) in Ohio when I fly in places like this.  If some i ...

I genuinely (and I do mean genuinely, not in a sarcastic or disrespectful way) find it amazing the differences between the US and other counties when it come to handling confrontation. In the UK this kind of event would just warrant a "pi$$ off mate" type of reaction, and if pushed, land the drone and talk to the crazy guy. After all, he has a stick, not a machine gun.

In the US it maybe warrants a person to inflict the death penalty on the crazy guy? The ultimate and irrevocable punishment of ending his life? I'm puzzled (again, genuinely) why it has to be so extreme. Surely there are a hundred other options you go through before you get to "kill him".

Kit Walker Posted at 2016-3-1 06:07
I woulda put it in GPS hover.., taken my shirt off and rolled in the mud.
Then grab my own stick and ...

Now that is funny and the best response yet....

Curious if the screaming lunatic was possibly conducting some illegal business in the area (things like that do happen, especially around parks) and thinking maybe you were video taping him or might have gotten him on tape, even inadvertently...and as for packing heat, well, probably a good thing neither of you were on that day as we may not be having this post exchange....

Anderjon Posted at 2016-2-29 17:15
I genuinely (and I do mean genuinely, not in a sarcastic or disrespectful way) find it amazing the ...

The crazy made the choice to die.Thats why theyre called crazy.We have a lot of them here.Dont fuck with me and you wont die. pretty simple.

Elmer Fudd Posted at 2016-2-29 22:29
The crazy made the choice to die.Thats why theyre called crazy.We have a lot of them here.Dont fuc ...

I think we may have found the reason behind US gun death statistics.........

Yesterday I was finishing up a flight and my drone was on RTH, when it got just above me I noticed with-in 15 ft,  a small hawk followed it back to me, luckily it saw me and flew away. I think I got lucky.

snowsurferss Posted at 2016-2-29 22:37
Yesterday I was finishing up a flight and my drone was on RTH, when it got just above me I noticed w ...

You mean you didn't just pull out your gun and kill it? Surely it was looking at you weird, you must have felt it was threatening your property ;-) !

The UK has their own HUGE issue and its not gun violence.  It refugees taking over their country.  Just wait son.  "piss off" wont work against an angry refugee mob.    I value my life and I don't want to be messed with.  Did you read my response.  In that hypothetical situation I gave the guy literally 3  chances to "walk away".   At my ripe age of almost 40, I don't want to get into a fight and possibly killed because some hot head doesn't like my legal drone.  

DrACE Posted at 2016-2-29 22:41
The UK has their own HUGE issue and its not gun violence.  It refugees taking over their country.  J ...

Yeah, we have immigrants to resettle, but to be honest theyre not causing any real problems and it gives the media and politicians something to talk about. Wasn't the US built on immigration? Excepting native Americans of course, an American is by definition an immigrant? A rich tapestry of cultures and beliefs?

Well, I guess we have a rich set of differences between countries, which makes for great debate and conversation.

One: what I'd the guy's deaf and is coming closer so he can hear you better? He might be more than a little surprised to be killed outright for ignoring you...

Fly happy!

"I genuinely (and I do mean genuinely, not in a sarcastic or disrespectful way) find it amazing the differences between the US and other counties when it come to handling confrontation."

Neville Chamberlain

Stick in his hand and yelling angrily "hey" as described by the OP?   Don't think he was deaf and just looking to hang out.  

rvb100 Posted at 2016-2-29 22:48
"I genuinely (and I do mean genuinely, not in a sarcastic or disrespectful way) find it amazing the  ...

Yeah Neville was a bit of a dick wasn't he?

Anderjon Posted at 2016-2-29 17:35
I think we may have found the reason behind US gun death statistics.........

I think that in a year or two, when Europe has been seized by Muslims, your attitude will change.
Perhaps,  that is why so many want to immigrate to the U.S., and few Americans wish to leave.

Kit Walker Posted at 2016-2-29 16:07
I woulda put it in GPS hover.., taken my shirt off and rolled in the mud.
Then grab my own stick and ...

    Kit , I laughed my ass off with that one.  Thank You, I needed that today.

Cheers mate- donnie

kjmarsola@gmail Posted at 2016-2-29 22:53
I think that in a year or two, when Europe has been seized by Muslims, your attitude will change.  ...

Haha! I've no idea where to start with racist drivel like that!! Once the discussion loses grip on reality, I tend to bid you a fond and graceful farewell.

Anderjon out ;-)

Only in America..

Anderjon Posted at 2016-3-1 06:39
You mean you didn't just pull out your gun and kill it? Surely it was looking at you weird, you mu ...

I think you have to yell "It's coming right for us!", first. Then you can shoot it

Sorry to hear this.


Dave

Dr. Acula Posted at 2016-2-29 13:19
Not engaging was probably the best thing you could have done.

I agree.


Dave

I watch all the YouTube videos of cops in the USA shooting people dead for no reason and then read all the comments under the vids ...
comments like .. FKING COP SHOULD DIE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE .. DIE COP DIE ..
so you see all the people saying the cop was gun ho and was in the wrong ...

then you read this thread and you see people willing to kill someone because he has a stick in his hand .... these are the same people who say the cop should die for what he has done ....

HYPOCRITE springs to mind .... what happened to defending yourself with your hands and feet even if he has a big stick ?  where I come from you fight anyone who wants to fight you and if he has a big stick then you lift one and make it a fair fight ....

anyone who would shoot a man dead because hes walking toward you with a stick is a certain type of person ... I will let you decide what I mean by that ....

Anderjon Posted at 2016-2-29 17:39
You mean you didn't just pull out your gun and kill it? Surely it was looking at you weird, you mu ...

Now youre getting stupid.

BASS 666 Posted at 2016-3-1 11:38
I watch all the YouTube videos of cops in the USA shooting people dead for no reason and then read a ...

Don't start up on the gun thing, it gets into nasty territory and achieves nothing. And it has nothing to do with Phantoms.

Geebax Posted at 2016-3-1 00:57
Don't start up on the gun thing, it gets into nasty territory and achieves nothing. And it has not ...

I agree completely .. its just strange how far some people will go ....

Donnie Posted at 2016-3-1 09:56
Kit , I laughed my ass off with that one.  Thank You, I needed that today.

Cheers mate- donni ...

Lol, just out-crazy the crazies.
It's probably that guys favourite spot to go stick twirling/throwing, and his afternoon was ruined.

OP would have felt bad if 5mins later an alien ship attempted to land, but was scared off by the drone.

He could have landed the drone, and said;
"Oh, excuse me for being in your airspace, I didn't realise you were using it?"
"Did you want to hang your washing or something?"
"Please feel free to return to your home planet now the path is clear"

But if he set up waypoints, and joined in being crazy, chasing it around, falling in the mud, helping each other up etc.., it would make for great "Benny Hill" style footage.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D9I4nZx8UCs

Was his name FAA? 'My airspace'?  

I think the OP did the right thing although he had no obligation to move away from the angry dude as he was already away from people.  Could have been much worse if the angry dude progressed.

First rule of carrying a firearm is use it as a last resort and only when your life is in eminent danger.  Also good to have other, less than lethal options.  Leaving is a better option than brandishing or using a weapon only to spend your life savings defending yourself.  That said, the 2nd amendment to our constitution is number 2 for a reason.  Myself and many others have fought for that right, believe in it, and won't stand for them to be taken away.

The OP's circumstances warranted taking action to diffuse the situation and he did a fine job. However because the situation involved an apparent angry person approaching and yelling at the OP self defense was potentially warranted and, therefore pertinent to the story and the thread.  Others were simply exercising our 1st amendment

Buy one of these and take it with you when you go flying



Play this on it, people will stay away

Kit Walker Posted at 2016-3-1 10:05
Lol, just out-crazy the crazies.
It's probably that guys favourite spot to go stick twirling/throw ...

Kit,
The dude could've been brandishing a boomerang...We were not told if it were a straight or crooked stick..You could be right and i hope you were....He was just out for his afternoon chuck!

Reading all these comments made me laugh, why, because I do most of my flying at the gun range I shoot at. I imagine if something got started like that there would be a lot of lead flying.

I just stay away from the shotgun range!

I will always do my best to defuse a situation....if it means giving the guy the airspace then so be it ( in that particular case anyways)...
However if someones is threatening me with a stick I consider that to be a lethal weapon.
I find it funny that you guys in The UK have less gun homicides per capita but you have about an equal amount of murders per capita. only folks use Knifes, baseball bats & Bombs.....
If i remember correctly.... you guys used to produce the best IED's in the world. You guys pretty much wrote the book on those little gems.
Evil People will be Evil and a individual or individuals motivated to kill, will do so...
Other then self defense guns are probably about the least efficient tool you can use for killing folks in a modern world,,, Statistically speaking.

Anderjon Posted at 2016-2-29 13:15
I genuinely (and I do mean genuinely, not in a sarcastic or disrespectful way) find it amazing the ...

In a very simplifiled way

Here in the USA we consider self defense a Devine right... In the UK you do not...

Here in the USA we feel that our government can only work fairly....when we can tell them (piss off)....  That
We The People have a right to self preservation  ( This is, in a Individual Since of the word)...

Our laws come with cost  ( somtimes great cost) to our society.... As well as your laws and beliefs do to yours...
I just ask that you respect mine and please respect our cultural differences

AlaskanTides Posted at 2016-3-1 06:19
I will always do my best to defuse a situation....if it means giving the guy the airspace then so be ...

Murder rate in UK 1.0 per 100k.
Murder rate in USA 3.8 per 100k.

So nearly four times the UK level, not 'about an equal amount'.