Is a Part 107 Remote Pilot required to report other people unauthorized actions?

[MapMaker53]

Unfortunately, it's going to take a little pain (bad press) to ultimately make the bad press eventually go away IMO. The more unsafe operators are reported, documented, and fined, the more unsafe operators will think twice about breaking the law and risk being reported. That relies on the FAA and local law enforcement getting serious about going after the bad apples.

As commercial pilots, I think we are the stewards of the various drone operations industries that are just starting to get a foothold and offer employment opportunities. If we don't protect this industry, nobody else is going to. And in order to do that, I think it is actually in our best interest to report a flagrantly unsafe operator.

 

[Moosewax]

Do not report him or anyone else flying a drone. The NTSB and FAA to do differentiate 107 or not. The report logs as a drone incident and can be used by law makers. News organizations and communities in efforts to show how dangerous drones are and how much more they should be regulated. Additionally who made you the drone police. How do you know if he had waivers or permission or the people on location gave permission or were part of the festivities. Worry about your own flying.

You can bet they didn't have a waiver because only like 4 entities have waivers for multirotors over people.

You can find it on the FAAs website it's public record.

Second off permission doesn't mean anything. Only direct participants of the operation (flight crew) can be flown over without waiver.

That's the legal side.

From a common sense side if they are actually flying in a reckless manner; flying at people, buzzing people's heads, call the cops if they are actually endangering people.

If they are flying high and no one else cares, then it's your call but nothing is likely to come of it.

 

[Moosewax]

INVESTIGATION is not a popular word at the FAA......But they do try, and they are very busy following reports of birds and plastic bags around airports.

You forget the GA (general aviation) guys crashing from time to time. Those investigations takeup a lot of time and involve dead people, so excuse the understaffed local FSDO for not giving a rats about someone flying their mavic over people with no injuries involved.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

You forget the GA (general aviation) guys crashing from time to time. Those investigations takeup a lot of time and involve dead people, so excuse the understaffed local FSDO for not giving a rats about someone flying their mavic over people with no injuries involved.

Tell me something I don't know...

 

[Kdavis2269]

SItuation: At a gathering, a Hobbist or other 107 Remote Pilot flies a drone, over people, in a dangerous manner, etc., aside from moral obligation, are we legally bound to report or try to stop this action?

Why not use the opportunity to educate and if the behavior continues report to event staff?

 

[Phaedrus]

Why not use the opportunity to educate and if the behavior continues report to event staff?

I've done that a few times. Without exception I am told to mind my own business. A couple of these were a Phantom flying within 30 feet overhead of crowds at an event, at night. Pilot was same guy, and very hostile. He was taking video for the mall organizers of the event. The vent organizers were unreceptive at best as well.

 

[RKDauph]

Just for the sake of conversation. An illegal act is an illegal act.

Are you legally or morally obligated to report another type of crime? Murder? Robbery? Would you call and report someone racing down the highway on the wrong side of the road?

Not trying to seriously stir the pot, just using a small chopstick to swirl the thought juices around.

Ray

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

The aviators here no doubt each has a story on careless pilots they've met, and they wouldn't fly with. The best, most well known example in military flying is the 1994 B-52 crash. Unfortunately Col. Holland and his crew paid for his antics with their lives.

1994 Fairchild Air Force Base B-52 crash - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I read a book, years ago, on this crash and the history of this pilot, I will not attack a dead man but sufficient to say lots of aviators knew he was a problem, some tried to stop him, the chain of command completely failed.

The lesson is simple, peers have a duty to ensure safe flying.

 

[Moosewax]

Just for the sake of conversation. An illegal act is an illegal act.

Are you legally or morally obligated to report another type of crime? Murder? Robbery? Would you call and report someone racing down the highway on the wrong side of the road?

Not trying to seriously stir the pot, just using a small chopstick to swirl the thought juices around.

Ray

Since we are stirring the pot......

The illegal acts listed are all pretty heinous acts. It's easy to use those as a straw man for the sake of argument.

I think that some illegal acts are profoundly worse than others.

Speeding in a car is illegal. So should we report everyone going more than 1mph over the limit?

I'm not going to. And likely neither is anyone else.

However if someone is going 110mph down the freeway, then yes you betcha I am going to call them in.

So we are left with judging a given situation with our own interpretation of what calls for some form of intervention.

 

[R.Perry]

I grew up in Oakland, CA during the 60s, when a well known Motorcycle group and a known black group were fighting for control of the drug and prostitution business. I seen many crimes by both sides, and there is no way I was sticking my nose into their business. Point is sometimes it is prudent to just mind your own business. Besides that's what we pay cops for.