http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/us/califor...eway-fire/

Quote:Of all the elements they must battle in a wildfire, firefighters face a new foe: drones operated by enthusiasts who presumably take close-up video of the disaster.

Five such "unmanned aircraft systems" prevented California firefighters from dispatching helicopters with water buckets for up to 20 minutes over a wildfire that roared Friday onto a Los Angeles area freeway that leads to Las Vegas.

Helicopters couldn't drop water because five drones hovered over the blaze, creating hazards in smoky winds for a deadly midair disaster, officials said.

Quote:Drones hovering over wildfires is a new trend in California, and on Saturday, fire officials condemned the operators of "hobby drones," as officials labeled them. It was unclear Saturday whether authorities would launch an investigation into the five drones.

"Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities to report, but the 15 to 20 minutes that those helicopters were grounded meant that 15 to 20 minutes were lost that could have led to another water drop cycle, and that would have created a much safer environment and we would not have seen as many citizens running for their lives," said spokesman Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

Quote:Firefighters disdain drones buzzing over their work sites. At a national level, how to regulate drones and their flight paths are an ongoing controversy, especially as private industry pushes the Federal Aviation Administration for more freedom to use drones in commerce.

"Please stop flying hobby drones in the area," U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Gerrelaine Alcordo said about the wildfire site. "We can't risk the choppers colliding with them. We could have loss of life."

The FAA has placed temporary flight restrictions around the wildfires, which means the unmanned aircraft should not fly there without agency approval, spokesman Ian Gregor told CNN by email.

He said the FAA promotes voluntary compliance. However, the agency could impose civil fines ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 if someone operates a drone in a dangerous manner or continues to operate one illegally after being contacted by the FAA, he said.

Shoot them down.

....just another reason those things are not in my 'favor'

too many things they can disrupt....traffic chaos is the first that comes to mind......let's say you get pissed at someone to the point of wanting to harm....then you and a bud go out and dive bomb his windshield while he's clippin' corners at 50 in a 40.....crash and burn.....and nobody would be able to prove anything unless you crashed along with him....crazy I know, but that was straight off the top of my head.....

I see zero benefit relative to the GP....

is only my opinion.....it's all the data one has at this point....and I don't like how it's evolving...simply b/c I know most people are stupid and are looking for a 'claim to fame' ticket....

hell, just legislating the 'how and when' as acceptable is a fk'n nightmare....

(07-24-2015 07:16 AM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  Shoot them down.

This!