How would you feel about this situation?

[Snickerdoodle]

You are at the park with your kids and a small group having a picnic.   

 

Another kid (around 10ish) arrives at the park with a very expensive drone quadcopter with a go pro attached.

He hovers the thing right above you and your group for a period of time.

 

Shortly thereafter he approaches with his parent and wants to describe his new toy.  

He offers to email you the film of you he just took.

 

 

The 1500 dollar model of (he told us):

 

It was this one. 

[Gil]

I'd have knocked the drone out of the air when it was hovering over me.

I'd have told the child--and their parents--that I did NOT want that thing pestering me and that videoing me without my express permission was illegal and immoral.

I'd have gotten up and left.

 

ETA: My understanding was that videoing people with out their knowledge was illegal, I could be wrong. I still wouldn't like that at all, but I'd have been a whole lot more vocal about my dislike.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wouldn't bother me to be filmed in a public park where I have no expectation of privacy.  I'd tell him "cool toy"!  But I wouldn't give him my email address either.

[Guest]

I'd have knocked the drone out of the air when it was hovering over me.

I'd have told the child--and their parents--that I did NOT want that thing pestering me and that videoing me without my express permission was illegal and immoral.

I'd have gotten up and left.

How is it illegal to film people in a park?

[Okra]

I'd assume a ten year old has no nefarious intentions...he's just excited about his new toy.  BUT, when he came up and talked with you I would let him know that he needs to ask groups before videoing them with Go Pro cameras.  Said in a really nice and friendly conversational way, not lecturing.

 

It doesn't seem that his parents will let him know, so someone should nicely, and politely tell him that this might not be the best thing he has ever tried.

 

[Garga]

I'd be nice to a 10 year-old  in the same way that I buy lemonade from 10 year-olds' lemonade stands.  I'd ooh and aah over the toy and give him my email address.  I have a bunch of them and I'd pick one that doesn't use my real name.

[Word Nerd]

I'd have knocked the drone out of the air when it was hovering over me.

I'd have told the child--and their parents--that I did NOT want that thing pestering me and that videoing me without my express permission was illegal and immoral.

I'd have gotten up and left.

 

It is not illegal to photograph or video people in a public place.

[Word Nerd]

I'd assume a ten year old has no nefarious intentions...he's just excited about his new toy.  BUT, when he came up and talked with you I would let him know that he needs to ask groups before videoing them with Go Pro cameras.  Said in a really nice and friendly conversational way, not lecturing.

 

It doesn't seem that his parents will let him know, so someone should nicely, and politely tell him that this might not be the best thing he has ever tried.

 

This is how I'd handle it...especially so he or his toy doesn't get hurt by someone who is not so understanding.

[AK_Mom4]

Since you asked how I would feel - I would FEEL the same way Gil does - I hate being filmed and wouldn't have given permission if they asked.

 

I would probably just have left because I'm not very interested in confrontations.

[wendyroo]

I'd have knocked the drone out of the air when it was hovering over me.

 

Was it really that low?  Like swatting distance?

 

If it was that low I would be annoyed and worried about safety if he were to lose control of it near me and my kids.  However, if it was up higher where he could get the whole group in the video frame, then it wouldn't bother me.  I would not give him my email address because it is linked to my name, but I would ask my boys if they wanted him to send it to their email since that address does not use their names at all.  Who knows, maybe they and the boy could become email penpals.

 

Wendy

[Snickerdoodle]

Was it really that low?  Like swatting distance?

 

 

It was about 2  arms lengths away hovering around in circles.

[hjffkj]

I wouldn't be bothered at all.  It's a boy trying out a new toy.  But I would kindly decline giving him my e-mail address and inform him that not all people would be happy about that hovering over their heads and being videotaped so the safest thing to do in that instance is to ask for permission first. 

[justasque]

I'd give him and his parents information about the local model airplane club where he could learn more about safely flying aircraft in public areas, go to club meets and events (like indoor flying in the winter), learn more about the legal issues involved, and be mentored by retired folks who share his passion.

[SKL]

Not illegal, not upsetting, but socially immature - but he's 10 so ....

[Annie G]

It would probably annoy me because I would be distracted worrying that the thing was going to crash onto our table.   I would be MORE receptive if the kid and his mom had come over in advance and let us know he's trying out his new toy and asking if we mind if he tapes us to get some experience with it. And offer to email us any footage in case we want it. 

 

Even though I have no expectation of privacy, I wouldn't want a stranger standing right by us while we were having a picnic and that's kind of what this feels like- the GoPro can pick up conversations and that might annoy me.   

[Ausmumof3]

Better than the poor granny here who was sunbathing in her back yard when the real estates drone flew over.

 

Personally I think if you wouldn't be that close in person don't get that close with your zoom lense, drone or whatever. Or at least ask permission first. But now with google earth etc pretty much nothing is limited.

 

I also would have concerns over safety. If the control loses communication etc you could have trouble.

 

But I'm a big wuss when it comes to even gentle confrontation so I would probably have been privately annoyed without saying anything.

[8circles]

It would bug me but I would probably just nicely ask him to stop. There are people who wouldn't mind so I wouldn't fault the 10 yr-old for trying.

 

I wouldn't give him my email because I wouldnt want to have been filmed.

[strawberries]

I wouldn't mind, and DS10 would think it was great. I'd give him my email. 

[Cammie]

First, when you are in public there is no "expectation of privacy."  They haven't had luck trying to ban "upskirting" so taking a video at a park certainly is not illegal. 

 

A ten year old boy with a new tech toy...I can't imagine how anyone could get so angry at him??

 

If it was in your face, turn around and explain to him that it is bugging you.  Or find the parent.

 

If you don't like being videos, turn around and explain it to him.  Or find the parent.

 

From his perspective it sounds like he thought you really might like a copy of the video.  Sounds like a sweet offer from a kid who didn't know any better.

 

For crying out loud, have we all become so touchy that this becomes a big issue??

[Elisabet1]

I would not say or do anything hurtful. Just a little boy who is excited. Don't know what I WOULD say..but the little boy has feelings too and it does not sound like he was being mean.

[SparklyUnicorn]

A 10 year old?  Ok.  Sounds cool kid.  A 40 year old man?  Uhhh you peeping nosy bastard who should know better!  LOL

 

At least he was being upfront.

 

I'm mostly joking about the 40 year old.  It just seems more innocent to me if it is a 10 year old.

 

 

[ThisIsTheDay]

I would be less than thrilled.  Flying it right over you is obnoxious, and I don't encourage obnoxious behavior from 10 year olds.  I'd have no problem nicely hollering (so he could hear me), "Hey, you need to fly that somewhere else! We can't hear!"

 

If he came to describe it, I would say, "That's very nice," and be somewhat dismissive.  What parent let their kid act this way?  (One who has a kid act this way, I guess.) I'd be dismissive.  I'd be visiting with the other adults in the group, not with a/the child.

 

"You want my e-mail address? No thank you, honey, I don't give that out! I'm glad you like your new toy, and I hope you have fun with it!"

 

 

[Seasider]

It was about 2 arms lengths away hovering around in circles.

That is low enough to make me uncomfortable. So in addition to Okra's smiling admonition, I'd sweetly ask him and his pop about what kind if insurance coverage they have should the copter crash into a subject. Give him one more thing to think about.

 

I saw my first drone a month or so ago hovering just above the rail on an elevated roadway I was driving across. It was a bit surreal, took me a moment to realize what it was.

[kiwik]

I would think is parents were idiots and pray he didn't injure anyone or cause an accident. While technically it is OK to film people in public without their consent it is very rude. I would say, cool toy but please not so near us and please don't film us.

[Farrar]

How big is this thing that it would really cause damage? I thought the ones they sell as toys were smallish and lightweight?

 

I'm with the you're in public, get over it, he's just a ten year old, show some kindness either by being nice or nicely explaining what you didn't like. It's so funny to me that so many people think that filming you is illegal. You leave your house, you lose your expectation of not being seen or recorded.

[Snickerdoodle]

It was this one.

[Ausmumof3]

Not illegal just rude.

 

In the same way I would think it rude if a ten year threw a ball or something into the middle of your conversation deliberately. They are light but they do have rotating parts etc and could do some damage. They can also be pretty loud and irritating.

[5LittleMonkeys]

I can't imagine letting my 8yo or 11yo fly a quadcopter right over a group of picnicking\visiting people.  I could see allowing them to pass over if the people happened to be in the flight path...especially if the location was filled with people and I couldn't find somewhere else less populated for them to fly it, but purposefully hovering over the top of people who are trying to visit and have conversation?  No, that is just rude.  Furthermore, I can't imagine letting one of my kids walk up to a group of strangers, interrupt their business. and proceed to boast\brag about a new toy.  I think my kids are really awesome, but I don't presume to think that the general public thinks that they're special snowflakes. 

 

 I would definitely have asked the parent nicely to have the child stop hovering over my head.

 

 

 

 

[hornblower]

Jealous ... Unless I got a chance to fly it :D

Though to be fair, I'm not that great at rc so I can see why peeps would say no.

[laundrycrisis]

It doesn't sound like the RC craft pilot had any ill intent - just a kid excited about his toy.  However, it is not safe to hover RC helis over people, ever.  Think of them as flying lawnmowers.  Even the small propellers can be dangerous.  Even though the quad copters appear to be stable and easy to control, anything can happen - motor failure, radio transmission issue, etc.  He put the group below at risk. 

[Catwoman]

I'd have knocked the drone out of the air when it was hovering over me.

I'd have told the child--and their parents--that I did NOT want that thing pestering me and that videoing me without my express permission was illegal and immoral.

I'd have gotten up and left.

 

ETA: My understanding was that videoing people with out their knowledge was illegal, I could be wrong. I still wouldn't like that at all, but I'd have been a whole lot more vocal about my dislike.

 

Wow. Harsh.  :eek:

[Liz CA]

That is low enough to make me uncomfortable. So in addition to Okra's smiling admonition, I'd sweetly ask him and his pop about what kind if insurance coverage they have should the copter crash into a subject. Give him one more thing to think about.

 

I saw my first drone a month or so ago hovering just above the rail on an elevated roadway I was driving across. It was a bit surreal, took me a moment to realize what it was.

 

What did it look like??? I wonder if I would ever know it if I saw it. :ohmy:

[Arcadia]

What did it look like??? I wonder if I would ever know it if I saw it. :ohmy:

Snickerdoodle link it upthread. Below is Amazon link. It's a $479 "guy toy".

http://www.amazon.com/DJI-Phantom-Aerial-Drone-Quadcopter/dp/B00AGOSQI8

 

There are some neighbor guys (dads I know) that flies their quadcopters at the football field next to the library and playground but away from people. The Amazon link says for 18 and above.

 

ETA:

Didn't realize you were talking about the one Seasider saw. Brookstone store is selling the black ones. About $200++

 

Saw below linked at Brookstone Stoneridge Mall

http://m.brookstone.com/parrot-ar-drone-2-quadricopter

[Reflections]

Honestly, If it were *my* kids that the aircraft was hovering over, I'd have half a second to think "wow, what is that?" before my very proactive four year old would have jumped up and tried to snag it right out of the air. Food on the table and danger be dam*ed. 

 

My worry in that whole scenario you describe would be what would my liability be if my four year old damaged the 10 year olds toy?  Is it my fault that I didn't keep the four year old from snatching it out of the air, or the 10 year olds for flying it there where it could be reached? 

 

While I wouldn't fault the 10yo for flying the thing in an open area, I'd be annoyed that I'd have to be "mean mom" to my kid for trying to snag it when we were clearly enjoying a fun picnic.  Whether I'd voice that to the 10yo and his parents would depend on my mood and the hormonal balance du jour.

[Seasider]

What did it look like??? I wonder if I would ever know it if I saw it. :ohmy:

Well I was traveling/driving so I didn't get a long look but my first impression was that it looked like a small black airplane without a tail. But it was hovering stationary. I didn't notice propellers but there had to have been some, probably turning blurry-fast.

[violamama]

I'd give him and his parents information about the local model airplane club where he could learn more about safely flying aircraft in public areas, go to club meets and events (like indoor flying in the winter), learn more about the legal issues involved, and be mentored by retired folks who share his passion.

I second this. We would have invited him to one of the ones my husband belongs to and told him about the "fly-ins" where a bunch of crazy people park our campers in a huge field for a weekend of flying.

 

If people don't like it, they should just politely ask the kid to fly further away. No harm in letting him know it bothered you.

[Mrs Mungo]

People use these all the time at the beach here. Shrug.

[saw]

Right after reading this I happened to be listening to NPR's Planet Money on the question, who owns the air? I thought some might be interested in light of the issues raised here so I'm posting the link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/05/23/314915583/episode-541-who-owns-the-air

 

I'm particularly fond of the chicken farmer part of the story.

[Snickerdoodle]

People use these all the time at the beach here. Shrug.

 

So, it wouldn't bother you to have it hovering 6-10 feet above and around you sunbathing and circling around and filming you from every angle?

 

I understand flying the thing around the park and filming at the park in general, but filming so intimately, it wouldn't bother you?

[Annie G]

People use these all the time at the beach here. Shrug.

 

 

Are the folks at the beach using them just for flying out in the open or do they have cameras on them? I'm guessing that fewer would care if the camera footage was from higher up and just part of the crowd footage rather than what the kid at the park was doing, which sounded more close up and -for lack of a better word- targeted.   

 

We use our GoPro out in public- attached to our car or my bike. But I'm looking for general footage of where we are. I would expect that if I was intentionally filming someone from a few feet away that some might take offense to that. 

 

In any case, it sounds like the drone and camera combo are quite costly- I'd keep it out of swatting distance for sure!

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well, he's kind of lucky.  I would probably be with a group that had a kid with a tennis ball and an overactive imagination who would have taken out the drone...they all watch NCIS type of shows so they've go plenty of food for their imagination.

 

Dh would talk to the dad on the side, and point out the liability and encourage them to join the local club for flying objects and maybe go into business. Could be a good wedding videographer in the future.

 

THere is no expectation of privacy in a park; likely you are on the Police Dept's video too.

 

Yup.  There are cameras everywhere in my city.  I find that more annoying than a kid and his toy.  As his parent I would discourage him from doing that though.  I do think some people would not like it at all.

[Callie]

Not illegal just rude.

 

In the same way I would think it rude if a ten year threw a ball or something into the middle of your conversation deliberately. They are light but they do have rotating parts etc and could do some damage. They can also be pretty loud and irritating.

Yep.  Rude & annoying.  

 

I'd never allow my kids to annoy others and have a hard time understanding others who would.

 

I would not be mean/rude to the child but would it clear to him/his parents he should move along.    

[Callie]

I can't imagine letting my 8yo or 11yo fly a quadcopter right over a group of picnicking\visiting people.  I could see allowing them to pass over if the people happened to be in the flight path...especially if the location was filled with people and I couldn't find somewhere else less populated for them to fly it, but purposefully hovering over the top of people who are trying to visit and have conversation?  No, that is just rude.  Furthermore, I can't imagine letting one of my kids walk up to a group of strangers, interrupt their business. and proceed to boast\brag about a new toy.  I think my kids are really awesome, but I don't presume to think that the general public thinks that they're special snowflakes. 

 

 I would definitely have asked the parent nicely to have the child stop hovering over my head.

This x100.  

[Callie]

So, it wouldn't bother you to have it hovering 6-10 feet above and around you sunbathing and circling around and filming you from every angle?

 

I understand flying the thing around the park and filming at the park in general, but filming so intimately, it wouldn't bother you?

The situation you describe would not only bother me it would down right piss me off.  Of course a 10 yo might not get that, but surely his parents should know better.

[Hikin' Mama]

If it were just a 10 yo, I'd ask him nicely to please not fly the thing where we are sitting and I wouldn't give him my e-mail. Because he had a parent with him, I would be miffed that said parent had not told him to fly it somewhere else so as to not bother people. I would ask the parent to please have him fly it somewhere else and to refrain from videoing us. I wouldn't let my kids do what this kid was doing as I think it's rude, especially when there is a whole park at his disposal.

 

ETA: My problem is not that he was flying the thing, but that it was hovering directly above people trying to have a picnic.

[DhanyaCali]

Uhg those chopper blades are dangerous, they shouldn't be hovering them over people, no matter their age, find a nice abandoned field.

 

A friend brought his over to show us (also had a go-pro) and tore up some of our shrub with a semi crash landing. I was like, "OMG are you serious there are branches flying everywhere and you flying this in close proximity to my kids?????" eeeexcerpt I didn't say that I'm pretty non confrontational.

[Mbelle]

To me there are several issues going on here.  First, this seems to be cyber crashing a party, which really is a social no no.  Secondly, where are the parents and why don't they understand that this is rude?  The bigger issue is what are we going to do about these camera spying craft flying about?  To my mind this is voyeurism and I think I have a right to not have that flying on my property at the very minimum of privacy.