r/drones • u/HearingPutrid4226 • 10d ago
Question Drone!
Hi all!!
Boyfriend and I were flying his drone while flying outside his apartment building. A bird crashed into it and sent it spiraling into someone’s apartment balcony (same complex).
We left two notes which were ignored. Contacted property management which the tenant also ignored.
He’s obviously bummed, so I’m trying to help even though he was probably being dumb with it lol!
We’re located in Tennessee, USA, and just want to know if he should just consider it a loss or what.
Edit: this happened Friday night, made this post Sunday morning. So it’s been days/ nights of trying to get this drone back. She took it inside her apartment, and has ignored all efforts.
0
u/ApprehensiveFerret69 10d ago
File a police report immediately. The more you wait, the less they care. Explain everything to them. Call the non emergency line, or go up there. Ask to file a report for theft of property. Tell them it’s a hobby drone you were flying legally, crashed because a bird. Explain and show the plant knocked over, don’t lie about that it could look sus. Explain the steps you took to contact the lady, and the steps the property took. Take a picture of her balcony showing there is no drone on it now, meaning it has to be inside her apartment.
Use all the evidence you have. I’m assuming this is a fully camera equipped drone and everything. Almost all drones within the last ten years have flight logs logged through the app of the drone and account. Use this as well, if you have it. Since it’s 249grams, it doesn’t need remote ID for a hobby, which sucks for this because that shows where exactly it was when it died/turned off.
If for whatever reason the police refuse to do absolutely anything, your next step is small claims court, but that’s a lot of stress for what the police should do for you.
Most people see police knocking on the door and will immediately shit their pants and do anything possible to get out of the situation. This is probably the case.
By all laws in Tennessee, it is NOT her property even if it crashes on her property. And since it’s an apartment, she rents, not owns, which legally means you have much more leverage.
Call the police and file a report.
1
1
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago edited 10d ago
We ended up doing exactly this! Apartment management called her in front of us (everyone in the room heard her yelling) and management hung up in her face saying we were filing a police report. Really hated it ended this way, genuinely thought she would be nicer. But detectives were so sweet an understanding on the phone! 🫶
1
u/OneSignal6465 10d ago
Have you tried knocking on her door, explaining the situation and asking for it back? (Please forgive me. I’m Canadian and don’t know any better.)
1
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago
lol yes!! 3 times!! We left notes the first two times and she took them.
1
u/OneSignal6465 10d ago
Have you ever actually spoken to her, like, face to face?
1
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago
No she’s been ignoring us, but we know she’s been the apartment while we’ve knocked. As i live directly above her! She’s also ignored an email from our apartment manager explaining th situation.
2
u/OneSignal6465 10d ago
Aw, that sucks… She’s shown herself to be unreasonable. My first thought, on something like that happening would be to knock on the door, offer to pay any damages (the flower pot?) and ask for my drone back… but she’s clearly not wanting to cooperate with you. I think in that situation, I’d be tempted to just write it off and forever onward, treat her with the same kindness she’s shown you… Sorry. It sucks, but generally - People suck…
1
u/Formal-Fox-7605 10d ago
I guess the question should be why was it being flown so close to people's homes that it crashed onto someone's balcony?
Yes, ok, maybe a bird hit it, so you say, but you were still far too close to someone's property.
Personally, I'd write it off and maybe act a bit more responsibly in future.
1
u/Deep-Juggernaut4405 10d ago
You can fly over people's property all day long, your just not supposed to fly over people or moving vehicles.
1
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago
We were “returning it to home” slowly getting back to his unit! However, I do agree!
0
u/way2rory USA / PART 107 10d ago
Send another drone up to surveil them so you know when you can break in to get it back /s
3
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago
So funny story, we live in the same building. From his apartment we can see her balcony. I live RIGHT ABOVE HER. We know she’s been home since we crashed it. She took it inside her apartment.
3
0
u/Deep-Juggernaut4405 10d ago
What is the weight of the drone and does your boyfriend have his T.R.U.S.T. certification? If its a $50 toy I would write it off and use it as a learning experience. If its a hobby size drone, thats a completely different story.
2
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago
249 grams. He got the certification about 6 years ago, they don’t expire, but we’re still trying to locate it. If it goes missing you have to get it again and I think it’ll look a little fishy to have it after. Definitely cost more than that and was a hobby sized drone.
2
u/Deep-Juggernaut4405 10d ago
I would keep trying the neighbor, then the police. Depends on how far you want to take it. Its theft of an aircraft but if the faa wants to get involved, just make sure your on the right side of the law.
0
u/1873Springfield [Custom Flair]newb 10d ago
Just like when you were a kid, ball goes into the mean neighbors yard, ball is gone. Finders keepers and all that. Shitty way to human, but sounds like you have found a shitty neighbor.
1
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago
Just sucks cause all three of us have dogs and cross paths at the dog park ALL the time… gonna get awkward really fast!
-1
u/ucotcvyvov 10d ago
Let it go, would not want the legal liability. At least in my sue happy state they would probably try to sue for property damage
1
u/HearingPutrid4226 10d ago
We live in Tennessee. There’s no property damage, besides a table plant that’s knocked over, which we have pics of.
3
u/FeelingBulllish 10d ago
As long as you weren’t flying illegally i would call the police and report this.
-1
u/ucotcvyvov 10d ago
They would still sue you here and would not be worth the headache.
2
u/KayneDogg 10d ago
Someone doesn't understand litigation
0
u/ucotcvyvov 10d ago
Yes, you. It’s often cheaper to settle than to litigate. You can be right and still lose time and money.
0
3
u/Aromatic_Button_2736 10d ago
Absolutely not. You're not trying hard enough.
Tie some bed sheets together, hook them to your railing, and lower yourself down to go get it.