- Joined
- Jan 10, 2018
- Messages
- 355
- Reaction score
- 91
I was photographing an industrial plant today and launched my drone from a field a few hundred feet away. While flying it back, I noticed an interesting looking industrial facility. I quickly made an orbit taking a few photos with the hopes of showing them to the plant manager to show them what I can do or with the hopes of making a sale.
When I got back to my car a fellow pulled up and informed me that he was with security from the plant I photographed. He said they had something to do with "Homeland Security" and were very concerned about a drone flying around the area. I fully cooperated with him giving him my name, showing my license and explained the situation. I told him I would like to contact the plant manager to see if they might be interested in looking at the photos and making a purchase and he gave me that information.
Later I received a call from the Sheriff department about the "run in" I had with security at that plant. I told him I wouldn't call it that, but that I was fully cooperative and that it was a friendly discussion. He told me that they asked me to delete the images and that I refused, which is totally bogus. If they had, I probably would have done so, they wouldn't have been any use to me. The sheriff warned me (for my sake) that I should delete those images right away and that I might be hearing from Homeland Security and they could confiscate my equipment, etc.
Anyway, does anyone know anything about this? I never flew over their plant but did fly around it briefly. Planes and helicopters fly in that area regularly and anyone could easily take few photos from a Cessna any time they wanted.
Any advice?
When I got back to my car a fellow pulled up and informed me that he was with security from the plant I photographed. He said they had something to do with "Homeland Security" and were very concerned about a drone flying around the area. I fully cooperated with him giving him my name, showing my license and explained the situation. I told him I would like to contact the plant manager to see if they might be interested in looking at the photos and making a purchase and he gave me that information.
Later I received a call from the Sheriff department about the "run in" I had with security at that plant. I told him I wouldn't call it that, but that I was fully cooperative and that it was a friendly discussion. He told me that they asked me to delete the images and that I refused, which is totally bogus. If they had, I probably would have done so, they wouldn't have been any use to me. The sheriff warned me (for my sake) that I should delete those images right away and that I might be hearing from Homeland Security and they could confiscate my equipment, etc.
Anyway, does anyone know anything about this? I never flew over their plant but did fly around it briefly. Planes and helicopters fly in that area regularly and anyone could easily take few photos from a Cessna any time they wanted.
Any advice?