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4 A.M. Buzzed by a Quadcopter?

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4 A.M. Buzzed by a Quadcopter?

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Old 02-04-14, 10:18 AM
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Secret Squirrel
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4 A.M. Buzzed by a Quadcopter?

Riding before morning’s light through Manhattan Beach (Bike path), I hear a “weed wacker” above my head. I knew what it was immediately. People up at this time of the morning are usually drunk or up to no good. I pull over and switched my 3000 lumen bike lights to “ tactical strobe´ and pointed it up to what looks like a Phantom quadcopter with a go-pro attached. I figured that it might be guided by camera and my light source might trigger it to failsafe “run home”. It was probably too expensive to crash so I turned around and continued home. I keep thinking of the guy that imbedded his own quadcopter in his head several months ago. Strange.
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Old 02-04-14, 11:10 AM
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I know a guy that owns one of those and says he sees very private stuff going on all the time in his local neighborhood.
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Old 02-04-14, 11:12 AM
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I kind of want one but they're expensive!
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Old 02-04-14, 11:46 AM
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I don't know how you could view anything private. Its pretty loud flying overhead.
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Old 02-04-14, 11:57 AM
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Sure it wasn't Amazon trying to deliver your package?
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Old 02-04-14, 12:03 PM
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You should've dialed it up to 400w.
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Old 02-04-14, 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted by dunbar
you should've dialed it up to 400w.
lol!
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Old 02-04-14, 12:13 PM
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Reminds me of a post someone had on here a couple of years ago about being harassed by a remote control car while riding his bike. If I remember right he got so pissed he ended up throwing the toy in a nearby lake.

It might be time to carry a super soaker.
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Old 02-04-14, 12:19 PM
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Sorry, Need to clarify: Manhattan Beach California.
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Old 02-04-14, 12:25 PM
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There's one that's always buzzing around here in HB on Main Street day and night , it be cool to have one and see what we could see !,,
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Old 02-04-14, 12:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Secret Squirrel
Riding before morning’s light through Manhattan Beach (Bike path), I hear a “weed wacker” above my head. I knew what it was immediately. People up at this time of the morning are usually drunk or up to no good. I pull over and switched my 3000 lumen bike lights to “ tactical strobe´ and pointed it up to what looks like a Phantom quadcopter with a go-pro attached. I figured that it might be guided by camera and my light source might trigger it to failsafe “run home”. It was probably too expensive to crash so I turned around and continued home. I keep thinking of the guy that imbedded his own quadcopter in his head several months ago. Strange.
^^^so were you drunk? or up to no good? also 3000 lumens! niiiice...
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Old 02-04-14, 12:29 PM
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I second the super soaker idea
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Old 02-04-14, 12:37 PM
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Was it one of these?

https://reviews.mtbr.com/pint-sized-p...g-video-copter
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Old 02-04-14, 12:38 PM
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I don't think I could carry a Super Soaker without the fear of being shot. A hand full of sand would probably have worked.
If he was navigating by camera, my light should have taken him down.
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Old 02-04-14, 12:44 PM
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I think it was this one:
https://www.dji.com/product/phantom/
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Old 02-04-14, 12:50 PM
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So your idea of antisocial behavior is "flying a drone?" Folks who are "up to no good" at 4am in my neighborhood break into cars and mug people. Is this one of those "Rich People Problems" things?

Anyway, I suggest you get used to it. Drones are about to become really cheap and common. And if you are on a public road, they have the legal right to film, as long as the footage isn't used for a commercial purpose without your permission.

On the plus side, odds are pretty good that in a few years, some cycling nerd will be able to film overhead shots of your local crit....
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Old 02-04-14, 01:07 PM
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I think if it become that common place, I should carry better jamming equipment than a flashlight.
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Old 02-04-14, 01:13 PM
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Manhattan Beach- wasn't that where the child molesting devil worshiping preschool WASN'T ??
But folks there were CERTAIN some grannie and her son were devil worshiping child molesters??

So 4 am remote control helicopters
4 am bike rides

Secret Squirrel-how did you KNOW IMMEDIATELY that it was a toy copter?? You have one-seem pretty familiar with them(what is a go pro?)

Remote control flying toy-probably would have been well down my list of "WTF is that?" at 4am-

why do you ride at 4am? gotta work later? Morning person? insomnia? eccentric ? like the extreme quiet of pre-pre dawn?
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Old 02-04-14, 01:25 PM
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Manhattan Beach- wasn't that where the child molesting devil worshiping preschool WASN'T ??
But folks there were CERTAIN some grannie and her son were devil worshiping child molesters??

Yes, McMartin Preschool years ago

"Go Pro" branded camera.

The morning/night riding is just to get miles in. It also lets me ride the beach bike path at a steady pace (no stops signs). During the daylight hours, it becomes congested with skaters and clueless pedestrians.
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Old 02-04-14, 01:32 PM
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and at four in the morning it's only bums, derelicts and drug addicts.
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Old 02-04-14, 01:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Secret Squirrel
Riding before morning’s light through Manhattan Beach (Bike path), I hear a “weed wacker” above my head. I knew what it was immediately. People up at this time of the morning are usually drunk or up to no good. I pull over and switched my 3000 lumen bike lights to “ tactical strobe´ and pointed it up to what looks like a Phantom quadcopter with a go-pro attached. I figured that it might be guided by camera and my light source might trigger it to failsafe “run home”. It was probably too expensive to crash so I turned around and continued home. I keep thinking of the guy that imbedded his own quadcopter in his head several months ago. Strange.
I have never heard of this feature.
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Old 02-04-14, 01:39 PM
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some of the more expensive units have GPS
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Old 02-04-14, 01:39 PM
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Why did you let a drone make you turn around and go home? Really not clear on your issue here.
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Old 02-04-14, 01:58 PM
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This was on the way back home. It delayed me for about 5 minutes. My ride was from 3-4:30 A.M.
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Old 02-04-14, 02:37 PM
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Next time, shoot it the moon and give the owner something to talk about.
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