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Amazon worker piloted drone around Space Needle
The Seattle Times ^ | 7/25/2014

Posted on 07/25/2014 9:59:06 PM PDT by steve86

An Amazon.com employee from out of town was the operator of a drone that buzzed the Seattle Space Needle this week, police said.

Witnesses told police they saw the craft fly back into a fifth-floor room of a nearby hotel. Police contacted the man and he admitted operating the drone equipped with a camera Tuesday. He told authorities he wanted to try out the craft he recently purchased at a hobby shop.

Police had received reports that the drone had crashed into the landmark of Seattle's 1962 World's Fair, but they saw no evidence of that.

(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Washington
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Great Space Needle video.

Direct link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqwwrG9-uX4

1 posted on 07/25/2014 9:59:06 PM PDT by steve86
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To: steve86

Done with FPV (First Person View)

You can see the screen above the transmitter in the beginning of the video.

I thought FAA regs limited agl to 400’ (Space Needle is 600 something).


2 posted on 07/25/2014 10:01:03 PM PDT by steve86 ( Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: steve86

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqwwrG9-uX4


3 posted on 07/25/2014 10:01:20 PM PDT by steve86 ( Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: steve86

The best part is the very end. I kept thinking, When is he going to open the window? Instead, he just reaches out and grabs it!


4 posted on 07/25/2014 10:08:23 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: steve86

What could the FAA do to him if they wanted to make an example of him?


5 posted on 07/25/2014 10:19:40 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Oh, there is definitely a substantial monetary fine defined in the FAA regs.

I think this was foolish especially because of the helicopter and seaplane traffic down low there.


6 posted on 07/25/2014 10:24:02 PM PDT by steve86 ( Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: steve86

Very smooth and excellent quality. Stanley Kubrick would have loved something like this. The people on the observation deck seemed to enjoy it.


7 posted on 07/25/2014 10:28:31 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: cynwoody

The best part is the very end. I kept thinking, When is he going to open the window? Instead, he just reaches out and grabs it!


Yes, that was cool.

I saw a small drone last week. It flew around and hovered for a few minutes and then disappeared behind some trees. Somebody was having fun.


8 posted on 07/25/2014 10:28:37 PM PDT by laplata (Liberals don't get it .... their minds are diseased.)
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To: cynwoody

The best part is the very end. I kept thinking, When is he going to open the window? Instead, he just reaches out and grabs it!

It seemed kind of small. I wonder what model it is.


9 posted on 07/25/2014 10:29:05 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: steve86

The sea planes don’t go near it but the heli traffic, yes.


10 posted on 07/25/2014 10:37:13 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: steve86

Apparently, Fedzilla only likes their drones. Peasants must not fly them.

Two thoughts.
First, that’s a shame.
Second, Pull!


11 posted on 07/25/2014 10:39:04 PM PDT by KitJ (Shall not be infringed)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

OK, I’m going to log out. Someone check my profile and see if it says ‘logged out’.


12 posted on 07/25/2014 10:41:22 PM PDT by steve86 ( Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: Moonman62
It seemed kind of small. I wonder what model it is.

Apparently, it was DJI similar to this.

Here's a clumsy attempt using a similar bird last February:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH2stFdyQRU

13 posted on 07/25/2014 10:46:42 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: cynwoody
Unsurprisingly, DJI's web site turns out to have more info, including a gallery of videos shot from their drones.
14 posted on 07/25/2014 11:00:00 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: steve86

Quadcopters are a trip.


15 posted on 07/25/2014 11:01:01 PM PDT by mylife
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To: steve86

So long as restricted air space was not invaded, he has no issues.

The question is how much airspace will be restricted as a result of this video?


16 posted on 07/25/2014 11:04:38 PM PDT by mylife
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To: Jack Hydrazine

No helos in that neighborhood since the KOMO TV copter crashed right next to the Needle. You can see the helipad it came off of on the building to the south (right) side.


17 posted on 07/25/2014 11:17:39 PM PDT by stormer
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To: mylife

Quadcopters are a trip.


It would be fun to look for game with one. I don’t think they make much noise.


18 posted on 07/25/2014 11:22:44 PM PDT by laplata (Liberals don't get it .... their minds are diseased.)
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To: stormer
No helos in that neighborhood since the KOMO TV copter crashed right next to the Needle.

That was quite horrific.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/News-helicopter-crashes-burns-beside-Space-Needle-250790281.html?tab=video&c=y

However, I expect if this drone had crashed into the Space Needle, no one inside would have been harmed, the wreckage would have rolled off, and the maximum hazard would have been if any of the pieces struck pedestrians below.

19 posted on 07/25/2014 11:35:49 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: Moonman62
It is a DGI Phantom 2 quadcopter. It is the most popular quadcopter made and has brought the RC flying hobby to thousands who have never flown before.

This is a toy which he bought at a Hobby Shop. About a $400 toy but a toy all the same. The FPV equipment and the GoPro camera were extra of course.

The FAA has allowed model aviation for decades and the hobby is overseen by the hobby group the AMA. This hobby includes not only quadcopters but fixed wing planes, helicopters, control line planes, gliders, electric engine and gas motor planes and seaplanes.

This is a very creative hobby and it attracts dynamic people. This hobby has been the gateway for many who have gone into aviation, engineering and the space program. It is essential for cultivating inventors and growing the next generation of people who will build great things in America.

This is why the FAA is proposing new rules to shut down decades of the aero modeling hobby as we know it. The socialist beast does not want anyone to be exceptional and to excel. We need to fight to protect this hobby and our nation.

20 posted on 07/25/2014 11:43:33 PM PDT by Solar Wind
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