Who to contact about unsafe drone ops?

Greebo

Greebo

N9017H - C172M (1976)
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Retired Evil Overlord
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On another forum, someone has posted that their neighbor is deliberately flying drones as high as possible into a regional airport approach path.

Question - I'm encouraging this person to report their neighbor for putting planes and passengers at risk. To whom should the calls be made?

Local airport, FAA, who else?
 
I'd also contact local law enforcement. In my mind, this is pretty similar to pointing lasers at aircraft in flight, and I know law enforcement gets involved in those cases.
 
https://www.faa.gov/uas/regulations_policies/media/FAA_UAS-PO_LEA_Guidance.pdf

Looking at this it looks like the FAA wants the local police to be the first line of defense by doing the investigating and then they will take administrative action. I'd call both the police and FAA and give the FAA as much information as you can. If you can video tape him flying it, provide a name, and location, even better.
 
Assuming that this person on the other forum is a knowledgeable pilot/citizen and is absolutely certain that the neighbor is in clear FAA violation:

You might want to advise this other person that if his/her neighbor causes an accident with the illegal drone activity that their inaction towards getting the activity stopped will be a heavy burden to bear.

If they can't be persuaded to take action, at the very least see if you can get them to share which airport it is you can let the airport management know of the potential issue.
 
How big an airport? Call airport management and let them choose who to use for enforcement. My own home base has an airport police force that's more responsive than the city force.
 
I'd call:
Local law enforcement.
The FSDO.
The ATC tower if there is one.
Airport manager.
The media.

Cover all possible bases.
 
As much as I'd call someone, I'd get a good video camera, and or zoom lens setup and snag some pictures for evidence before anything else.
 
Call local law enforcement be ready to produce the pictures you took on your IPad,or as a pilot have a heart to heart talk with the idiot.
 
I would call the President of the United States!
 
There are some agencies in the DC area that are working on ways to shoot down or remotely disable drones. Both kinetic and non-kinetic means.
 
The local cop shop lol

I wouldn't bother.


Call up the tower or ATC and give them a PIREP.
 
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