WELL,  looks like it might be a  Mavic,  if you watch the video,  you can see, what looks to be the gimble cover, poping off as it hits,  a futher shot on the news,  looked like a Mavic,  They are trying to find the owner,,, link below to  video,  and  new article,,,   This is what makes it hard to find places to fly,,     The sad thing also,  is the space needle is 580 feet high,   little over the faa regs,  hate it when people are putting others enjoyment at risk,,,  

http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/d ... IOU?ocid=spartandhp


second link is a much longer verison, with ad in the start from another news shot,    looks like it was much higher than the needle

https://www.bing.com/videos/sear ... D7DAE&FORM=VIRE

I would have to agree that it may be a mavic

Gimbal cover probably not helping there...  {:4_177:}

Amazes me that somebody tries to get that close to a tower, esp. when you can clearly see the workers on it.

BuzzCut Posted at 2017-1-12 12:31
Gimbal cover probably not helping there...  

Amazes me that somebody tries to get that close to a tower, esp. when you can clearly see the workers on it.

yes,  I am waiting for someone to say they had a flyaway ,,,,

HWKIDD Posted at 2017-1-12 12:32
yes,  I am waiting for someone to say they had a flyaway ,,,,

A runaway I think, hopefully S/N will help find the culprit.

He obviously caught some interference or something cause that thing made a B-line towards the needle!

Yep looks like it.

Looks like a Mavic. I'd recognise that tilted horizon anywhere

I'm pretty sure it was identified as an Inspire. He flew it to the far side of the tower, lost RC signal, and the drone initiated RTH. The safety altitude was clearly set too low.

The way news gets twisted or even manufactured, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the two guys standing on top of the tower were the pilots.  Makes a better story if they were "workers who were almost hit".

Geez that's horrible control on that second video. I say it's the pilot, probably 12. Flying strait up over his head in the dead zone and it did a rth, which was set lower than the building. This is just something that should never happen. The footage is horrible, pilot horrible, illegal.

At the end of the crash, just before the guy eventually grabs it, you can see a bit of the forward landing gear, which clearly looks like that of an Inspire.

Definitely an inspire. Look at 2:42, one of the arms clearly visible. Bummer

Jason Lane Posted at 2017-1-12 13:16
At the end of the crash, just before the guy eventually grabs it, you can see a bit of the forward landing gear, which clearly looks like that of an Inspire.

Agreed, that definitely looks like an Inspire

If the owner of the drone was flying from a high rise nearby, technically he was legally allowed to fly that high.  FAA states 400' max from the point of take off.  I recommend EVERYONE get their FAA Part 107.  You'll learn a LOT, while being safer and in essence a sort of insurance on really knowing the laws.  To fly into the SN though...that's just novice, and clearly an inexperienced drone operator at the controls.  It appears the drone also wasn't even registered.

DJI inspire 1.

source:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-poli ... e-on-new-years-eve/

Tommyguns11 Posted at 2017-1-12 13:26
If the owner of the drone was flying from a high rise nearby, technically he was legally allowed to fly that high.  FAA states 400' max from the point of take off.  I recommend EVERYONE get their FAA Part 107.  You'll learn a LOT, while being safer and in essence a sort of insurance on really knowing the laws.  To fly into the SN though...that's just novice, and clearly an inexperienced drone operator at the controls.  It appears the drone also wasn't even registered.

I agree with you,  but if you watch the second video, looks like he takes off about  three blocks from the Needle,    Guess the real point,  it makes no difference at what height  its flying,  its flying in a safe are,  and following the laws.   Next move will be the city will pass a law,  no fling in the city limits,,, and then what happens to everyone,,   its already starting,    People just need to be SMART and Safe

HWKIDD Posted at 2017-1-12 13:30
I agree with you,  but if you watch the second video, looks like he takes off about  three blocks from the Needle,    Guess the real point,  it makes no difference at what height  its flying,  its flying in a safe are,  and following the laws.   Next move will be the city will pass a law,  no fling in the city limits,,, and then what happens to everyone,,   its already starting,    People just need to be SMART and Safe

Definitely!  Regardless, he's within 5 miles of SEATAC.  A definite violation, no matter the altitude.  Obviously they didn't get approval to fly or the drone operator would have been located and the drone wouldn't be in police hands.

what ever the case this is just more bad media coverage for drone flyers everywhere...

That is why I suggested few days ago that DJI mandates that new drone owner put several hours of flight practicing thru the APP, ATTI mode, emergency flying, RTH,turn on and off and than should fly in beginner mode for another few hours of flights and stay around 100'distance and no higher than 30'  and than open it for them after completion and Exempt previous drone's owners

It will safer and better for everybody, forum complaints will be cut by 95% and POLITICIANS won't have any more reasons to keep restricting responsible dronist.

Tommyguns11 Posted at 2017-1-12 13:33
Definitely!  Regardless, he's within 5 miles of SEATAC.  A definite violation, no matter the altitude.  Obviously they didn't get approval to fly or the drone operator would have been located and the drone wouldn't be in police hands.

Think its more than 5 miles from SeaTac  but  Boeings in within 5 miles,  and several heli pads,   I  wonder if that is not in a no fly zone,   if it was,  how  did  it get to do that,  I live 4,8 miles from a small airport, and it will not let me even start up the Mavic

ePetLicensing.c Posted at 2017-1-12 15:08
That is why I suggested few days ago that DJI mandates that new drone owner put several hours of flight practicing thru the APP, ATTI mode, emergency flying, RTH,turn on and off and than should fly in beginner mode for another few hours of flights and stay around 100'distance and no higher than 30'  and than open it for them after completion and Exempt previous drone's owners

It will safer and better for everybody, forum complaints will be cut by 95% and POLITICIANS won't have any more reasons to keep restricting responsible dronist.

yes this was funny,  about the same time on the news,  the Legislature  was  do a bill on  Drones... Regulations  are soon to follow

HWKIDD Posted at 2017-1-12 15:28
Think its more than 5 miles from SeaTac  but  Boeings in within 5 miles,  and several heli pads,   I  wonder if that is not in a no fly zone,   if it was,  how  did  it get to do that,  I live 4,8 miles from a small airport, and it will not let me even start up the Mavic

Use a phone but turn off your 4G/3G.  You should be able to fly then.  - I'm not condoning this behavior. ;)
And a small airport is likely not a "no-fly zone" rather restricted airspace.  You can get permission to fly in those areas and so I'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to fly within that radius.  With permission, I can fly my 3DR Solo without any issues.  Perhaps the system is different though, who knows.

ePetLicensing.c Posted at 2017-1-12 15:08
That is why I suggested few days ago that DJI mandates that new drone owner put several hours of flight practicing thru the APP, ATTI mode, emergency flying, RTH,turn on and off and than should fly in beginner mode for another few hours of flights and stay around 100'distance and no higher than 30'  and than open it for them after completion and Exempt previous drone's owners

It will safer and better for everybody, forum complaints will be cut by 95% and POLITICIANS won't have any more reasons to keep restricting responsible dronist.

The problem will be the sheer ubiquity of these things in a few years, flown by people who care less and less about regulations and training.  There will  be no way to keep these crazies out of the news.

DJI could do as you suggest, but there will be tens of millions of other drones out there, including those built out of kits.  It may well be the future popularity of the hobby that causes its eventual decline.  Make the most of the relative freedom we have right now.

Now it is CNN...

http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/201 ... rone-crash-orig.cnn

Thx for the IDIOT/ IDIOTS...Giving more unwanted bad publicity.

yah it was a Mavic from a retarded pilot.

bad news for the community

This really doesnt help. I just started flying drones (been flying RCs for years though), and even with knowledge of RCs I spent a good time in the app simulator, and flying basics for a good long while in an open field with no one around. Not to mention watching and reading dozens of videos and how-tos. Safety should not be taken for granted, anything falling from 100 feet and up can seriously hurt someone. And owners should always check with local regulations and no fly zones / limits / etc... Its just basic human courtesy and decency I feel.

There are more than 500.000 drones in the USA. Is there any registration for accidents? FAA?

Correct me if im wrong, but doesn't regulations state 400' from SURFACE?    The top of a building is NOT surface.    Either way, this pilot is clearly a liability and is spoiling it for sensible drone users.

At least if I am wrong, im flying too low rather than too high

Besides, im from the UK so we actually have authorisation to reach 1000' in FPV (ie viewing from the screen) so long as we have a competent 'Spotter' maintaining line of sight.

I think you have to be a UAS pilot for this to apply:

(b) The altitude of the small unmanned aircraft cannot be higher than 400 feet above ground level, unless the small unmanned aircraft:
(1) Is flown within a 400-foot radius of a structure; and
(2) Does not fly higher than 400 feet above the structure’s immediate uppermost limit.

page 609
https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/rin_2120-aj60_clean_signed.pdf


I'm studying up to be a remote pilot.  Im just glad it didn't roll off the building and fall and kill someone.  I'm betting he was out of line of sight.

Jason Lane Posted at 2017-1-12 13:13
I'm pretty sure it was identified as an Inspire. He flew it to the far side of the tower, lost RC signal, and the drone initiated RTH. The safety altitude was clearly set too low.

Correct, it was an inspire

HWKIDD Posted at 2017-1-12 15:28
Think its more than 5 miles from SeaTac  but  Boeings in within 5 miles,  and several heli pads,   I  wonder if that is not in a no fly zone,   if it was,  how  did  it get to do that,  I live 4,8 miles from a small airport, and it will not let me even start up the Mavic

A strategically placed small peice of copper foil?

stratosHD Posted at 2017-1-12 19:48
yah it was a Mavic from a retarded pilot.

It must been Mavic but it ain't gimbal cover it's the lightbulb piece. Phantom will fall on it's side when crashing almost horisontaly. Inspire is big and does not fit thru the fence opening.

Thanks to dimwits like this guy , you are going to see drones banned from any and all cities .

Tommyguns11 Posted at 2017-1-12 13:26
If the owner of the drone was flying from a high rise nearby, technically he was legally allowed to fly that high.  FAA states 400' max from the point of take off.  I recommend EVERYONE get their FAA Part 107.  You'll learn a LOT, while being safer and in essence a sort of insurance on really knowing the laws.  To fly into the SN though...that's just novice, and clearly an inexperienced drone operator at the controls.  It appears the drone also wasn't even registered.

Well if the point of take off is 500' above ground, then what?

If the owner of that drone is reading these forum.. I hope you get nailed. People like you ruin the hobby for us. It only takes a few idiots like you to bring an avalanche of new laws and regulations.

MarcusPolus Posted at 2017-1-13 08:07
Well if the point of take off is 500' above ground, then what?

Then the ceiling would be 900'.......

Wes1977 Posted at 2017-1-13 04:45
I think you have to be a UAS pilot for this to apply:

(b) The altitude of the small unmanned aircraft cannot be higher than 400 feet above ground level, unless the small unmanned aircraft:

This applies to all drone operators, regardless if commercial or hobby.  Those are laws put forth by the FAA.

gibbd Posted at 2017-1-13 01:33
Correct me if im wrong, but doesn't regulations state 400' from SURFACE?    The top of a building is NOT surface.    Either way, this pilot is clearly a liability and is spoiling it for sensible drone users.

At least if I am wrong, im flying too low rather than too high

Yeah, that must be nice.

Here it's not required but advised to have a VO (visual observer) while flying.