Author Topic: The Law and the Drone  (Read 7434 times)

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Aaron Hinks

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« Last Edit: August 28, 2014, 12:06 AM by Aaron Hinks »


Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2014, 04:25 AM »
OMG!!! Two "drone sightings" in a week! And, as CTV reported, they were apparently unmanned! Jeez.

The people interviewed in the TV report live on the third floor of an apartment building which has floor-to-ceiling windows and yet they think no one can see in?! Double jeez.

The guy interviewed by the paper called the police?! Triple jeez.

The problem isn't with the UAV but with the "pilot". Sadly, some idiot will seriously injure or kill someone and then strict laws will happen. This will, of course, make life difficult for the serious and responsible people (eg. photographers) who use UAVs for work. I bet few amateur UAV-users know anything about federal model-aircraft regulations.

While our laws are quite up-to-date and applicable in today's drone-infested world,  I think we could use an all-encompassing idiot law.

A couple weeks ago at a tennis tournament, during a late-night match, all was quiet as the crowd waited for Roger Federer to serve. Then, overhead the stadium in the dark sky, came the familiar buzzing sound and the flashing lights of a UAV. Everyone in the stadium, including the players and officials, stopped and looked up. Federer just laughed and went back to playing tennis. The UAV (with camera) was apparently waiting for the match to end so it could shoot the night's fireworks.

Why not label drone users as potential terrorists, just like they did for people with SLRs?  >:(   It's important be as paranoid as possible and the media to be as hysterical as possible.

Why not simply reverse the situation: responsible, professional, commercial users of UAVs no longer need a licence but amateurs do. Remember the quote: "Professionals are predictable, the world is full of dangerous amateurs."


Technology changes, people don't

From ~125 years ago:

1) George Eastman releases the first Kodak camera in 1888.

2) People are concerned that the new device invades their privacy and news media go hysterical.

3) The push for the right to privacy (in the USA) began in 1890, partly due to the invention of the Kodak camera:

Quote
Recent inventions and business methods call attention to the next step which must be taken for the protection of the person, and for securing to the individual what Judge Cooley calls the right "to be let alone". Instantaneous photographs and newspaper enterprise have invaded the sacred precincts of private and domestic life...
(...)
... to protect the privacy of the individual from invasion either by the too enterprising press, the photographer, or the possessor of any other modern device for rewording or reproducing scenes or sounds.
 
- From magazine article about the history of snapshots.

« Last Edit: August 29, 2014, 07:13 PM by Warren Toda »

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Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2014, 05:29 PM »
Just FYI:

Professional Society of Drone Journalists

The Missouri School of Journalism's Drone Journalism Program.


There's probably a joke to be had about "drone journalists" but I'll leave that for someone else.  :D


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David Buzzard

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2014, 09:43 PM »
I was at the local Terry Fox run the other day and sure enough, there's a drone hovering over the crowd.  The start was in the drive way of the Four Season's hotel, and it was both packed with people and totally constrained.  I couldn't help thinking that if this thing had failed, it would dropped into the dense crowd, who would have been totally unable to get away from it.

On the other hand, the Whistler is in the process of ripping up the sidewalk in front of the elevated helipad by our medical clinic.  It hasn't run at full capacity for years, and unless the fire department can come out and close off the street, Transport Canada won't allow it's use.  Recently, a guy who had a major skull injury where his brain was exposed from a crash in the bike park, had his medivac flight from the mountain diverted to the heliport, where they then brought him to the clinic in an ambulance, a more than 20 minute detour, because the fire department wasn't available to close off the street in front of the helicopter pad (the street is also 30 feet below the elevated pad).  The reason for all this; a helicopter in Cranbrook had an engine failure and crashed into a residential neighbourhood, killing a pedestrian.  Believe me, it's not going to be long before they drop the hammer on drone flights.



Aaron Hinks

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2014, 05:53 PM »
Sadly, some idiot will seriously injure or kill someone and then strict laws will happen. This will, of course, make life difficult for the serious and responsible people (eg. photographers) who use UAVs for work.
  Believe me, it's not going to be long before they drop the hammer on drone flights.

I agree.
I guess the real question is how strict will the new laws be  ???



Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2014, 01:07 AM »
Quote from: Aaron Hinks
I guess the real question is how strict will the new laws be  ???

California Sept. 30, 2014, amendment to its privacy law (Civil Code Section 1708.8 ): "trespass" is no longer restricted to physically entering onto someone else's land without permission. Privacy can now be violated without a physical trespass and can involve the use of any device.

Penalty: up to triple normal damages, plus punitive damages, plus, if the trespass was for commercial purpose, loss of any commercial proceeds, plus a minimum $5,000 civil fine.


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Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2014, 04:21 PM »
Transport Canada's do's and don'ts for flying an unmanned aircraft.

You'll notice that lovely infographics are suitable for framing and will make for a nice Christmas gift.  :D


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Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2015, 05:22 PM »
In the US, the FAA last month released a memorandum about the news media using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for news gathering.

Essentially, a US news organization requires prior FAA authorization to use a UAS. But a news outlet can use any news material from an amateur operating a UAS (which doesn't require federal authorization).


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Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2015, 02:25 AM »
UAV insurance is available.

« Last Edit: June 22, 2016, 05:00 PM by Warren Toda »

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Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2015, 02:29 PM »
This will really help:   

A UAV, operated by a TV broadcaster, yesterday crashed during a World Cup slalom race in Italy.

« Last Edit: June 22, 2016, 05:02 PM by Warren Toda »

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Don Denton

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #10 on: December 24, 2015, 01:45 PM »
The USA drone registry is well underway. Not going to give in and make the obvious comment about the willingness to register drones but not guns.
http://petapixel.com/2015/12/23/45000-drones-registered-despite-reports-of-glitches-in-the-online-system/#more-196234



Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2016, 05:08 PM »
Yesterday, the USA's Federal Aviation Administration released its rules for commercial use of UAVs in the USA.


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Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2017, 01:34 PM »
Canada today announced new rules for the recreational use of a UAV.

The federal government is also advising people to call 911 if they see someone illegally flying a UAV. Really. Failing that, you are asked to complete a Drone Incident Report form.


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Offline Warren Toda

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Re: The Law and the Drone
« Reply #13 on: October 16, 2017, 12:41 AM »
Apparently not everyone took notice of Canada's new laws on the use of UAVs. A few days ago, a UAV collided with a small plane over Quebec City's airport.


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