Drones are somewhat sore subject since going mainstream through companies like Yuneec and DJI. Further right leaning conservatives hate them citing possible privacy concerns. Centrists tend to dislike them since incompetently flown drones tend to damage persons and property. The FAA is at a loss as to how to handle them as aircraft with regulations and laws changing almost every month. So what does this mean for the common folk?
What most people refer to as "drones" are really quadcopters, 4 rotor flying machines popularized due to their stable flying characteristics and simple controls. 4 rotors offers you a very efficient platform for flight since you A) have four separate points of stability and B) have an even number of rotors, meaning you can use either opposite rotation or blade pitch to cancel out the gyroscopic effect created by rotating parts. Helicopters have an odd number of rotors, one, so they require a second rotor called the tail rotor to counteract the gyroscopic effect of the primary rotor's rotation. However, contrary to what one might think, having four rotors does not give you the benefit of redundancy in the event of an engine loss. If you think of a quadcopter like a table, then kicking out one leg means the table comes plummeting down. Any engine or rotor loss will lead to the crashing of the aircraft. The stability afforded by the four rotor system also makes quads ideal camera platforms. A good amount of camera shake can be eliminated by having a stable vehicle, and a gimbal with multiple axis can make any camera appear completely stationary during flight. What really makes a "drone" a drone is an autopilot feature, which is something only the more expensive quads have. Follow Me mode, orbit me, watch me, and planned flight paths, these functions all make a drone truly unmanned. Ironically, these functions are also what lead to a large portion of drone crashes, because morons do not take into account their surroundings when using autopilot functions. "Orbit Me" doesn't work if there are obstructions in the orbit like buildings or trees, and even the most advanced obstacle senors can't detect everything. The best obstacle avoidance sensor is the drone operator.
So why do people generally dislike drones? Privacy is the most commonly cited complaint about drones. High resolution cameras flying over your fence does make for an uncomfortable situation, and even though no one owns the airspace above or around their houses, it is just rude and inconsiderate to film people in the privacy of their own yard when they do not wish to be filmed. The FAA has ruled that shooting down drones is a crime, but in all of my research I have not found a single case where the FAA even showed up to the downing of a drone, let alone pressed charges. Local law enforcement tends to side with home owners over drone owners, as was the case with William Merideth, who even though he was arrested for discharging a firearm within the city limits, a judge dismissed the charge citing Merideth and his family's right to privacy after he shot down a drone over his backyard with a shotgun. Another big reason is safety. Inexperience pilots usually crash their new drones within minutes after takeoff. For smaller, lighter, cheaper drones flown in an open space this isn't an issue, but people who run out and buy big expensive, fancy drones without bothering to learn how to fly them can cause damage or injury when they crash, especially if they're dumb enough to fly them in crowded spaces. Most people don't look up when going about their business, and objects falling from the sky can catch them off guard, as was the case at a wedding in Boston where the guests ended up suing the groom when his drone crashed on their heads during the reception. Drones at big sporting events or gatherings have also proven to be menaces, as both sportsmen and audience members find themselves in the path of danger of drones flying too close people or obstacles and plummeting from the sky.
If you are a drone owner or operator, a few simple guidelines can keep you from falling into the ranks of idiot drone pilots. 1) Understand the rules. The FAA laws and regulations change often, but there are a few constants that you must respect as lives are at stake. Don't fly your drone within 5 miles of an airport and don't fly it higher than 400 feet. Why 400 feet? Because any manned aircraft's floor is 500 feet, and at 400 you're giving them at least 100 feet of clearance. Aircraft moving at high speed are notoriously fragile, and your drone can kill someone if it damages their aircraft. 2) Don't fly your drone over anyone's yard but your own. As stated earlier in the take, even though it is technically illegal to shoot down drones, big brother is not going to save you if Jim Billy Joe-Bob takes offense to your flying machine over his land, and the better drones can cost well over $1,000. That's $1,000 you aren't getting back, and Jim Billy is only out the $0.35 he spent on #8 bird shot. Also, avoiding your neighbor's yard eliminates the possibility of you injuring them in the event of a crash. 3) Don't fly your drone over crowded areas. Even if you don't hit something, engine failures happen all the time. Birds of prey have been known on rare occasions to attack drones, and it doesn't matter how it happens, once your drone is damaged it's coming down and landing on people causing injury is 100% going to be your fault. If the FAA does show up, it's going to be to prosecute you, not the people who take offense to your drone. 4) First learn walk, then learn fly. Start small and cheap and work your way up. That Mavic Pro 2 sure looks awesome, takes great video, and flies stable, but even the stablest drone on the planet can't make up for bad piloting. A $50 drone has very little weight, so crashes are less likely to damage it, has less powerful rotors which are less likely to cause injury, and you're only out $50 if you do end up wrecking it. Get good at flying smaller drones before moving up to the big boys. 5) Don't be a nuisance. Just because a space is public doesn't mean you don't have to be considerate of others. Drones can take some awesome aerial shots and video, but they aren't silent. In fact, the better drones are very noisy, and that noise is irritating. This winter I was out with family looking at the Aspen trees change color when I heard "bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!" It was a Phantom 3 taking video of the stunning view, which at first I didn't mind, but then it kept on going. "Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!" for almost the entire 25 minute battery duration. The lady flying it was having a blast showing off the live feed to her friend, but she completely and utterly un-self aware. Several other people were commenting on how annoying the noise was, especially out in an area where people go to appreciate nature, but this lady was oblivious. Had she only spent 5-10 minutes in the air it would have been ok, but for Christ's sake have some awareness of the people around you. Get your footage and land. Don't make others suffer through your long battery life just because you have a fancy new toy.
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I agree, I wouldn't mind quads nearly as much if they didn't have cameras. I used to be into RC helicopters and have zero interest in quads. That's like going to xbox after you've been gaming on a PC. They need to make it legal to shoot them down over your own property, get the FAA out of civilian recreation, and make it all but impossible for the government to use them over US soil. The government already has to much technology to use against us (that WE are forced to pay for).
Almost all government drones are pusher prop airplanes like the Predator and Global Hawk, and those require real pilot training to fly. I have no idea what the legality is on flying them over US soil.
Good take