Families were enjoying a nice cool fall afternoon in Riverside Park when a guy with a drone kinda ruined the mood. We got the video above and the account below from Marianne, a local resident.
“Yesterday, Sunday, I was enjoying a peaceful sunset in Riverside Park around 72nd street, when an aggressive drone kept flying around the in-field where besides me a family with little children and two joggers were. The drone kept flying close to people, 6 feet from me and almost crashed into a jogger and at times would fly up with a lot of noise only to get close to people again.
People, including myself, were really bothered. It disturbed our peace and also flew very close to us, so that I took my shoe off in case I had to hit it and swat it away from me. Finally we saw a middle aged white man with a remote control. He kept going for a long time even though he saw that we were bothered.
I wish Riverside Park was a no- drone zone. It is noise pollution and scary – what if a drone would hit someone in the head- or they were filming us and violated us that way?”
In fact, a drone fell in a highly populated part of the UWS just a few months ago.
If you’re wondering what sorts of rules hobbyists must follow, the answer is not many, according to a recent editorial in the L.A. Times (it’s different for commercial drones):
“Hobby drones, meanwhile, are barely regulated by the FAA, which considers them model aircraft and mostly out of its purview. It’s wholly inadequate to lump in this sophisticated technology — which can practically fly itself, carry cameras or weapons and soar thousands of feet — with old-fashioned radio-controlled hobby aircraft that take expertise and training to operate.
The only rules for drone operators are these: Don’t fly within five miles of an airport or in no-flight areas; don’t interfere with manned aircraft; and keep the drone in sight. Those who break the rules or hurt people face criminal and civil penalties. If the authorities can find them, that is.”
Hey, that’s what those “selfie sticks” are for…as the drone invades your private space, use the stick and destroy the drone. It works beautifully.
excellent idea, Vince!
Slow news day?
I was in Calvert Vaux park in Brooklyn the weekend before last and was terrified by a drone. If it gets out of control, someone could be seriously injured.
Surely, someone at this publication can post the New York City regulations?
There also were guys practicing dangerous motorcycle maneuvers on the public pathways.
Where are the police when you need them?
i don’t doubt that you might have been put off by what you witnessed. but do you mean to say you were terrified? here’s what i (and others) think terrified means:
petrified, scared stiff, frightened/scared out of one’s wits, scared witless, frightened/scared to death, terror-stricken, terror-struck, horror-stricken, horror-struck, paralysed with fear, horrified, panic-stricken, with one’s heart in one’s mouth, shaking in one’s shoes, shaking like a leaf, frantic, hysterical, beside oneself.
if i were in that state i would leave the area.
He was there this evening as well. Very creepy.
NYC Parks Dept. Regulations DO NOT permit drone flying …
https://www.nycgovparks.org/rules/section-1-04
Section 1-04 paragraph E …
“Aviation – No person shall voluntarily bring, land or cause to alight within or upon any park, any airplane, balloon, parachute, hang glider, or other aerial device, except that certain areas may be designated appropriate landing places for medical evacuation helicopters. For the purposes of this subdivision (e), voluntarily shall mean anything other than a forced landing caused by mechanical or structural failure of the aircraft or other aerial device.”
there are designated model aircraft fields in NYC but none are in Manhattan.
Thank you, good to know, Eric!!!
I have a couple of DJI Phantom quadcopters that I am planning to use in conjunction with my photography interests. I do not yet consider myself to be adequately qualified to fly them in NYC. I am practicing in my country home in the Adirondacks, where I can make a fool of myself without hurting anyone.
Guys like the one shown in the video are making the hobby difficult for those who are trying to be responsible UAV users. He is clearly not an experienced pilot based on the jerkiness of his flight. No responsible person would fly that close to people. In short, yes, he is an idiot.
Still, there are a few misconceptions here.
-The FAA also limits UAVs to under 400 feet, as well as a five mile zone around airports (which puts large swaths of Manhattan off limits, but not much of the UWS). Personally, I would never fly near the Hudson due to the helicopter and small plane traffic.
-There is no such thing as a ‘commercial drone’, there are only commercial uses. I can fly a drone to photograph a wedding, but not if I am getting paid.
-If the UAV flight is otherwise legal, it is not ‘invading your privacy’. There is no expectation of privacy in a public space, which is why people can take videos of police misconduct and why there are surveillance cameras on every building and in every public place. A drone with a camera is no different from a person walking down the street taking photos. Used google earthview lately?
-The Parks regulations are interesting. When the FAA finally releases its rules, it will be an interesting question whether they will override local regulations.
-It is illegal under current FAA regulations to interfere with the flight of an aircraft, including UAVs. The selfie stick sounds so cute, but may result in you being arrested under both federal aviation regs as well as destruction of private property. If you feel a UAV is being used in violation of the law, let the authorities handle it.
This should mesh well with my target shooting interest.
Ha, that’s exactly what I was thinking!
Well said Denton.
If people are responsible with their “toys” there will be no problem.
Its kind of like a group starting a tackle football game in the middle of a picnic area.
Drones are dangerous and no one has a right to use one in a public space. They should be banned.
Grab his controller and accidentally fly it towards the Hudson. Woops, didn’t realize your drone couldn’t fly in the water. Sorry pal.
Please tell me more about how a $40 piece of flying plastic ruined your day…
I encountered a man and boy using a drone in Riverside Park around 108th St. on Sunday afternoon and checked with a police officer. He said that they are against the law in the Park, and was going to look into it. I am saddened to learn that perhaps that didn’t apply to this type of drone.
We have to come together and outlaw these nasty devices, even the personal use ones. Is there any organization in the city advocating for a drone-free parks? I can just imagine the scene after all the holiday drone gifts are received.
I doubt if the hawks will put up with this. Why should we?
Sincerely,
Pat Bennett
Ha ha ha. This is hilarious. What idiots actually believe that drones will be banned. You would have to be a fool to believe that. Not mentioning names…