Drone Paranoia – Top Five Reasons Drones Suck for Spying

Although this was not written by me, I have permission to share this with all of you from its author.

I build and fly MultiRotors or UAV's as we like to call them where as you all like to call them, "DRONES"

Us here in the multirotor world hate when people call them that so I would ask all of you to please read the link I am posting below..

Here is a quote from the link..

I’m growing very tired of the rampant drone paranoia and I feel the need to debunk some drone myths. I hate to even use the word “drone,” because most people equate them with unmanned military aircraft which are used to spy on the enemy, or used as weapons. Most of us who fly what I prefer to call unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), are not interested in spying on anyone. Many are hobbyists who love the challenge of building these vehicles and flying them. Others are professionals who use them for aerial imagery, mapping, thermography, real estate, fire prevention, search and rescue, or agriculture. I dove into this platform to shoot photos and videos of golf courses.

Here is the link, please educate yourselves and feel free to share this to ALL of your friends..thanks..BM..

www.ambientflight.com...

Written by Tony Korologos.

a reply to: baddmove

This thread begs the question. We can forgo calling them "drones," I suppose, especially if the term gets tiresome, but the fact of the matter and well illustrated in the complaint that you offer is that they ARE spy machines. They are surveillance devices in their most basic form. You would be hard pressed to cite an example where a drone was not collecting some sort of info in its appointed task. You understand?

People in the Middle East that eat Hell Fire don't play golf.

A hobby doesn't change the meaning of the word as the world has come to know it.

And yes , its a media term, not a gentle euphemism.

originally posted by: intrptr

People in the Middle East that eat Hell Fire don't play golf.

A hobby doesn't change the meaning of the word as the world has come to know it.

And yes , its a media term, not a gentle euphemism.

True, but in our hobby we don't refer to them as Drones, you do..

The media has told you so many times that they are drones that we fly,

so you associate them with shooting hellfire missiles at people.

when in fact we do not, I fly mostly Tri-Copters and

Quad-Copters and I am building a Hexa-Copter now.

Most of us don't even have any way to even remotely fire anything at anything,

nor do we want to..............

a reply to: baddmove

True, but in our hobby we don't refer to them as Drones…

I expect you wouldn't, the real "Drones" murder innocent people, at night… in their beds.

As much as you want it to, your RC hobby can't compare.

The DRONES are not run by CLONES, therefore they are not as effective as an I-PHONE.

And the question is "ARE YOU AN EFFECTIVE TEAM"?

Top Five Reasons Drones Suck for Spying. Would be nice if they were in the OP.
Maybe top 5 reasons small hobby consumer drones suck for spying.

1 Camera Limitations / Wide Angle Lenses

Military drones or UAVs some have very advanced optics and sensors which can zoom right in and see from very high altitude.

2 Noise

There are small quiet UAVs and the big military ones which can stay at high altitude where they are silent from the ground.

3 Wind/Weather

All aircraft are subject to weather and wind.

4 Short Flight Times

Depends on the type of drone. Big and small military drones have range and endurance to suit their mission. Some of the big ones have massive range and endurance.

5 Short Range

Maybe the small consumer models not the military or surveillance models.

Drones UAVs are used for a huge range of things now. From the hobby consumer market to celebrity spying drones to law enforcement surveillance up to the most capable and expensive military UAVs which can do extremely long range high endurance high altitude surveillance and intelligence and carry guided weapons and engage targets remotely.

They are remote controlled aircraft with cameras so of course people are going to think they are spying on them.

Take a look at some of these surveillance drones. And the manufacturer calls them drones.

www.microdrones.com...

Surveillance applications.

The highly efficient electric motors developed specially for the UAV microdrones allows for discrete and almost silent surveillance.

The option of specifying colours on the microdrone means the aerial platform can be ordered in camouflage colours, minimising the risk of being sighted. Alongside conventional video cameras, there is the possibility of using a thermal camera payload, so that living beings, for example, can be more easily detected in darkness or in dense vegetation.

www.microdrones.com...

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: baddmove

This thread begs the question. We can forgo calling them "drones," I suppose, especially if the term gets tiresome, but the fact of the matter and well illustrated in the complaint that you offer is that they ARE spy machines. They are surveillance devices in their most basic form. You would be hard pressed to cite an example where a drone was not collecting some sort of info in its appointed task. You understand?

I understand that most UAV or Quad guys are "spying" on mother nature as we fly around, if you read the OP and ask any of us Quad or UAV guys, are cameras really are crap for anything but real sloooooow flying situations. I don't think we could sneak up on anyone. Yes, I can fly 2000 feet up and point my camera down, but I can't really pick one thing out and go "yea, look at that guy/girl" not on our budget...

originally posted by: JimTSpock
Top Five Reasons Drones Suck for Spying. Would be nice if they were in the OP.
Maybe top 5 reasons small hobby consumer drones suck for spying.

1 Camera Limitations / Wide Angle Lenses

Military drones or UAVs some have very advanced optics and sensors which can zoom right in and see from very high altitude.

2 Noise

There are small quiet UAVs and the big military ones which can stay at high altitude where they are silent from the ground.

3 Wind/Weather

All aircraft are subject to weather and wind.

4 Short Flight Times

Depends on the type of drone. Big and small military drones have range and endurance to suit their mission. Some of the big ones have massive range and endurance.

5 Short Range

Maybe the small consumer models not the military or surveillance models.

Drones UAVs are used for a huge range of things now. From the hobby consumer market to celebrity spying drones to law enforcement surveillance up to the most capable and expensive military UAVs which can do extremely long range high endurance high altitude surveillance and intelligence and carry guided weapons and engage targets remotely.

They are remote controlled aircraft with cameras so of course people are going to think they are spying on them.

Take a look at some of these surveillance drones. And the manufacturer calls them drones.

www.microdrones.com...

Surveillance applications.

The highly efficient electric motors developed specially for the UAV microdrones allows for discrete and almost silent surveillance.

The option of specifying colours on the microdrone means the aerial platform can be ordered in camouflage colours, minimising the risk of being sighted. Alongside conventional video cameras, there is the possibility of using a thermal camera payload, so that living beings, for example, can be more easily detected in darkness or in dense vegetation.

www.microdrones.com...

What was your point? Look at the budget these guys spend..

$50,000-$100,000 on these micro drones, yet, I don't see any flying around the park..do you?

I didn't think so....

a reply to: baddmove

Point is that the points in the OP only really apply to the cheapest crappiest drones you can buy and they are getting better all the time and you could get your hands on an effective spying drone if you know what you're doing. They are already being used to spy on celebrities and by law enforcement. They don't suck for spying at all they are great for it. 50-100k for a decent spy drone? No. lol. A decent drone and a good camera much cheaper than that. I could build a pretty good spy drone much cheaper than that if I wanted to.

Here's just a couple of examples.

DIY Spy Drone Sniffs Wi-Fi, Intercepts Phone Calls

www.wired.com...

This tiny robotic dragonfly drone only costs $119

noting that the Dragonfly could make the perfect spy drone

www.geek.com...

This is ATS conspiracy site so every drone is potentially NSA spying on you and hacking your phone and wi-fi. lol.

originally posted by: baddmove
Although this was not written by me, I have permission to share this with all of you from its author.

I build and fly MultiRotors or UAV's as we like to call them where as you all like to call them, "DRONES"

Us here in the multirotor world hate when people call them that so I would ask all of you to please read the link I am posting below..

Here is a quote from the link..

I’m growing very tired of the rampant drone paranoia and I feel the need to debunk some drone myths. I hate to even use the word “drone,” because most people equate them with unmanned military aircraft which are used to spy on the enemy, or used as weapons. Most of us who fly what I prefer to call unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), are not interested in spying on anyone. Many are hobbyists who love the challenge of building these vehicles and flying them. Others are professionals who use them for aerial imagery, mapping, thermography, real estate, fire prevention, search and rescue, or agriculture. I dove into this platform to shoot photos and videos of golf courses.

Here is the link, please educate yourselves and feel free to share this to ALL of your friends..thanks..BM..

www.ambientflight.com...

Written by Tony Korologos.

I would not hesitate to shoot one down if it flew over my property.

a reply to: JimTSpock

The Dragonfly never made it past what you see in your link..2012?

Us UAV'rs know this, it's a hobby that we follow closely..

Same thing with your Vegas nerds..

Even with today's technology, we would still have a hard time spying on anyone,

And like I said earlier, most of us don't want to..

See reasons 1 through 5 above....

This is what ATSers want to see.

PENTAGON CREATING LEGIONS OF INSECT SPY DRONES. lol

www.nowtheendbegins.com...

No reason to be paranoid about drones. Not at all.

You can easily use a cheap drone to spy on people quite effectively. Outside a window at night it would be quite stealthy and effective and can go quite high. We'll just have to take your word for it that you don't want to spy on people. Looks like fun.



ardrone2.parrot.com...

Maybe hobby UAVs do not have the capabilities but governments with billions do.

There are dozens of LE agencies in the US that got approved for drone usage by the feds so I doubt that they will be using bargain bin UAVs. They'll be using sophisticated, quiet UAVs that can pick up a face from 500 feet up.

How many of you when you're outside never look more than 10 degrees up from the horizon? Not too many and that's all it takes for a quick flyby to see you.

But it does put up interesting points about weather and noise. Can't fly anything but tiny drones without making lots of noise and the weather will sure as # not cooperate to make optimal conditions.

oh well

Ever had this happen when you're flying your UAV?

youtu.be...

Either the Second Amendment is the Second Amendment, or it isn't.

Hands off my drones.

OP, your link has no credibility. Personal "hobby" have been used to spy on private people. Also:

U.S. law enforcement is greatly expanding its use of domestic drones for surveillance. www.aclu.org...

You're wasting your typing because government entities are using drones for spying and have been for quite some time. Why are you trying to allay fears feigning a false occurrence when in fact, it is very real? It would be one thing if there was no evidence to the contrary....but there is plenty of evidence of spying drones.

Hobbyists want to build and fly,
Paranoid Security speculators are the ones throwing
in the terms "dirty bomb" "cell phone intercepts" and "spying",
because that's what they are up to..

Did they do this when the car was invented ?
Sure you can drive it, but what else are you up to ?

And speaking of..a car loaded down with nasty stuff does WAY more damage
than anything a weekend multi copter FPV pilot could dream up.

originally posted by: dUmPsTeR
Ever had this happen when you're flying your UAV?

youtu.be...

that was awesome