The Civilian Drone Industry and the Serious Impact of Government Tyrannical Overregulation

Los Angeles, CA—As Crimefile News prepares to cover the first ever Drone Expo here on Saturday, we are watching as more corporate and business refugees are fleeing this once great nation.  Americans are also renouncing their citizenship now, more than ever before.

Currently drone hobbyists have no licensing or training requirements to fly their drones.  The only FAA restrictions currently are in the form of somewhat vague “guidelines”.  They suggest maximum altitudes of 400 feet, staying three miles or more from airports and keeping visual contact with the drone.

Frankly the hobbyists have already proven that civilian drones really pose no threat to Americans, their safety or privacy. 

The only hard and fast enforceable civilian drone regulation is that they can’t be used to earn or generate money.  Of course the government can’t realize any income tax revenue from drone operators either. 

Civilian multi-rotor drones currently number well beyond one million.  So far none of them have been ever been involved in a death or reported serious injury. 

Frankly the drones are incredibly safer than conventional aircraft, don’t emit poisons into our air and should they crash damages are minimal and confined to the drones themselves.

Yes, there are the “reports” by conventional aircraft pilots of “near collisions” and dangerous behavior.  However suspiciously absent are any collisions, photographs, or actual identifications of any of these offending drone operators! I call them fantasy sightings.   

The over-abundant reports of cowboy drone operators ruining it for all are just more fabrications.  The fact is drone operators zealously protect their investments if for no other reason so they can continue to enjoy flying them.

I won’t personally speak for anything more than the relatively small multi-rotor craft carrying camera’s such as the GoPro or relatively light weight DSLR cameras similar to the Canon 5D or the Panasonic GH4. 

No matter how you feel about your own political preferences this issue is falling hard along political Party lines.  Republicans are responding as pro-business and commerce. 

Democrats on the other hand want to regulate, tax and punish any and all commercial productivity especially anything drone related.  That’s of course, if the political Left can’t simply ban them altogether.  United States Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) is leading the way for a total civilian drone ban as I write this. 

Democrats like their Communist cousins have a long history of massive overregulation, extortionate taxation and restricting personal liberty despite our Bill of Rights.  

I will again redundantly argue that nearly all safety concerns are bogus since the multi-rotor drone record is stellar.

Additionally, existing privacy laws don’t insulate any drone operators from arrest or punishment should they engage in stalking or filming anywhere people have established rights to privacy.

The FAA’s foot-dragging and drone related kingdom building has had expected results.   American corporations, filmmakers and drone enthusiasts are rapidly voting with their feet to exit the USA.   

Helicopter operators currently have nearly unrestricted access to our populated cities for filming or newsgathering.  However not a year goes by with out deadly crashes costing millions in destruction.  Multi-rotor drones are significantly safer, quieter and greener

Drones are a marvelous tool for video newsgathering, filmmaking and other creative endeavors.  The First Amendment of our Bill of Rights protects those things!  Restricting these activities without a clear thereat to public safety is un-American and unlawful.  We fought wars to protect this important freedom!

The drone industry shows great promise in areas of farming and cattle ranching protecting our necessary food supply.  Livestock and irrigation need constant monitoring and drones are perfect for this role.

The necessary inspection of ecological properties like fresh water supplies, electrical and fuel lines can be accomplished much cheaper and certainly safer using drones.

With the drone industry exit, America stands to lose important intellectual property, technological and other discoveries that are vitally essential to our national defense.  

Drones are the future for the construction and insurance industry.  They also have a solid place in disaster operations to evaluate needs and delivery of food, water and medical supplies when our roads become impassable.

The Obama Administration and their FAA must step aside and allow the research, development and commercial use of drones. 

Should problems be discovered down the road, government can certainly address them.  America has up till now avoided governing by prior restraint.

The American people simply cannot afford to allow a handful of politicians and their appointed bureaucrats to continue their tyrannical governing direction over this vital technology.  

A Pretty Pair of Hideout Handguns

Phoenix, AZ--In this state where concealed carrying if firearms by law-abiding citizens requires no license or permits the choices of guns are unlimited.  However I teach and preach that conflict avoidance is the best policy.  Walk softly but carry a big stick is the right way.

Here is a lovely pair of somewhat effective hideout guns.  One is the Smith & Wesson Model 340PD .357 Magnum.  The other is a vintage High Standard .22 Magnum derringer. Both of these guns are outfitted with elegant Kirinite grips from www.eaglegrips.com.  The color of this set is called LAVA and you'll never find a more durable or stronger material for gun grips than this incredible Kirinite. The color or pattern choices are nearly limitless.  This is all about personalizing your firearms.  

Huge Downtown Inferno Rocks Los Angeles Overnight

Photo courtesy of KNBC-TV News

Los Angeles, CA—The City of Angeles was the scene of an overnight structure fire larger than I have ever seen before.  Reportedly over 250 firefighters battled the firestorm since it was reported at 1:20 AM. 

The massive blaze was adjacent to the Harbor #110 Freeway at the 900 block of Fremont Avenue. 

Additionally two nearby commercial high-rise buildings were severely damaged by heat, smoke, hundreds of broken windows and flooding from the sprinkler systems. 

Broken glass and debris could be found all over the neighborhood.  

By mid-morning the fire was nearly out but visibly smoldering.  I sent my drone up from the opposite side of the Harbor Freeway, which apparently was the only vantage point to see the ruins. 

The structure itself, which incidentally is located adjacent to a fire station, was to become the Da Vinci Apartments.  At least one million square feet of prime property was totally destroyed. 

Fire officials have said the blaze is very suspicious in nature and a massive investigation has begun with the LAPD and BATFE pooling their best resources. 

There are no damage estimates available right now but I'm sure it will be well into the hundreds of $Millions.

Reports are coming in that there has been criticism concerning the massive amount of wood used in the construction.  That causes me to shudder what a disaster this could have been had the apartments been completed and fully occupied.  Perhaps this was a cheap lesson in public safety. 

Here is some drone video of what’s left of the structure this morning. 

Why All The Anti-Drone Propaganda? Some Real Answers…

Los Angeles, CA—Report after report has been broadcast and published by the mainstream media alleging dangerous misconduct committed by people piloting little camera drones.

“Experts” quoted in media reports are constantly citing serious danger and privacy concerns.  They all talk about the large number of the sighting reports as a reason to regulate, restrict or otherwise outlaw this new technology.

There is just something really fishy about this propaganda campaign.  There is not one reported collision between a single little drone and any aircraft. 

Despite the reality that absolutley everyone has a decent cellphone camera in their pocket there is not a single image of a drone even near an aircraft.  All we have are unsubstantiated claims from various pilots flying conventional aircraft.  

More importantly there is not a single death or serious injury involving a civilian multi-rotor camera drone despite the fact that more than a million of them are in the hands of ordinary civilians.  Many of these owners are young teenagers.

As for privacy concerns existing laws allow for the arrest of stalkers, peepers and alike.  The use of a drone in no way insulates someone criminally invading privacy.  There is not a single case involving these drones resulting in sufficient evidence to bring about and indictment or conviction.

The fact is each and every claim of drone misconduct has been debunked.  However new, non-stop phony reports instantly follow the ones that fail.

The late Nazi Propaganda Minister, Josef Goebbels said it best; “If you tell a lie often enough it becomes the truth.”

The only people cited in any drone incidents were those found flying their drones in areas like national parks that have suddenly banned them. It’s safe to assume that the violator’s were ignorant and unaware of these brand new prohibitions.

The major media honchos have their own issues and conflicts in this dogfight.  TV and Newspapers are losing ground to Internet bloggers like me. 

I did not have to invest in expensive presses or buy ink by the barrel.  For less than $10K I’ve acquired all the TV production equipment necessary to produce quality video news stories and full documentaries.  

Now, I even have two camera drones to get the aerial still shots and video I could only dreamed of capturing two years ago.  The big media giants no longer have an edge on me!  Wow!  What raw power! 

In the next decade the entire news and entertainment landscape will be Internet based.  We will see some the major news providers vanish altogether.  It’s all changing by the second! 

The only apparent uncertainty is how revenue the will be generated by content providers.  One thing for sure the new power of the little camera drones is making a lot of people nervous.  

Drone technology is a very serious threat to professional pilots.  Not to their safety, but their livelihood. We are close to aircraft that will fly free of pilot error crashes and of course pilots!

Very recent emerging drone technology has made great strides in collision avoidance software.   GPS, computer software and imaging hardware will eliminate the need for a large percentage of pilots.  Right now there is no love lost between conventional pilots and the burgeoning drone technology. 

It was just after the Wright brothers created air travel that the military discovered the value of being able to observe enemy movement from high above.  Aerial reconnaissance soon gave way to aerial combat and later bombing missions.

There are those in government that fear the population and never want to see any leading technology in civilian hands.  It’s about people control.  Our First Amendment already protects newsgathering drone cameras.  Is the Second Amendment arms bearing right potentially involved here too?

I recent years during civil disturbances the FAA declared cities or entire regions, No Fly Zones.  This was only about keeping newsgathering helicopters grounded.  It’s more than obvious that this is to give government absolute power to control and dictate what news is reported.   

The whole drone propaganda campaign is not based on public safety or flying Peeping Toms.  It’s obviously all about controlling Americans and who can report news. 

Bruce Jenner and Those Sensational Sex Change Rumors

Los Angeles, CA—As a young man Bruce Jenner was a world-class athlete.  He earned all of his fame and fortune the hard way.  As a result Jenner has certainly lived an enviable life.  He’s been married to three beautiful women and is the father and stepfather to ten lucky children.

Jenner has been successful in everything he’s done from marketing aircraft to network sports casting and of course acting. 

Jenner is also addicted to the hobby of flying model helicopters and multi-rotor drones.  Jenner is a fine example for anyone to follow as a human being.  He’s also well known for being kind to strangers.

In the last nearly two years the 65 year-old Jenner has changed in appearance.  Long hair, earrings in both ears, and a less pronounced Adam’s apple.  Reportedly he’s been seen and photographed wearing feminine nail polish.

Jenner’s now in the midst of a divorce from his third wife Kris as the rumors of gender confusion and his seeming transition fly in that direction.  Jenner’s family members have steadfastly denied what seems obvious to the gossip mongering tabloid writers. 

My thoughts are that Jenner deserves to be or dress the way he wants for whatever time he’s got left on this earth.  Perhaps he's going through a phase of gender experimentation.  

If Jenner wants to live out the remainder of his life as a woman and it makes him happy it’s far better that he does that.  In recent years modern medicine has been able to manipulate human sexuality surprisingly well.

Jenner’s changing sex does not necessarily mean changing his steadfast and obvious interest in women.

The wild speculation is really pointless and Jenner’s choices will harm nobody.  I can’t help but to speculate that the gender trading rumors seem true.  In the large scheme of things this will never negate Jenner’s many amazing accomplishments or future marketability.

Jenner has proven to be every bit an entertainer and showman.  I don’t think for a second that there is not some new reality show in the works dedicated to Jenner’s transition.  It would draw a large audience simply because it covers what has been a taboo subject and a well-known celebrity.

How does one work up the courage to deal with trading in their sex and image?  I think it would be a lot easier if Jenner were much younger.  Cashing in on it helps but Jenner does not personally need the money. 

I think Jenner is well aware that he can keep many friends that are cast and crew member's families well fed by any show he’s doing.  

For now we will just have to wait and see just how this story unfolds.  Jenner deserves absolute dignity and right to make all the money possible.  In the end for Jenner this transition may well be a gift that keeps on giving.

My Drone Documentary, A Sneak Preview, Meet Abby Lyle.

Abbe Lyle, photographer, conventional aircraft and drone pilot.

Los Angeles, CA—As we speak I’m producing a documentary about multi-rotor camera drones and their pilots.

There is so much ignorance, fear and loathing out there clouding the truth.  Every day various conventional aircraft pilots are reporting drone sightings.  Are these things somehow a public threat?

This trend is very reminiscent of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s when Hollywood films about flying saucers and little green men were very popular.  Suddenly there were imaginative but somewhat credible sounding UFO and alien sightings by various airline pilots reported in the news almost nightly.

Now it's the multi-rotor drones some of which have been reported being seen by some pilots at 30,000 feet and traveling at Mach 1.  If you own or operate these little devices you know the claims are quite ridicules.

As a licensed private investigator and drone pilot I can say they are ineffective for spying on people.  I’m better off with a standard camera with a large and heavy telephoto lens that these drones are incapable of carrying. 

The drones make noise and have necessary navigation lights that are more than obvious. 

The safety record for the multi-rotors are free from and deaths or serious injuries.  Helicopters world wide number around 7000 and its interesting to learn there are well more than a million of these drones already in questionably trained and unlicensed civilian hands. We all know only too well about catastrophic helicopter crashes in all of our major cities. 

The reality is that for filmmakers, photographers, mapmakers, surveyors, insurance adjusters, real estate marketing, farmers, ranchers and such the multi-rotor drones are an important new tool.  They are very necessary for maintaining our food supply. 

Camera drones are by far the safest and least expensive way for news organization to gather news images and video for broadcast and publishing.

New uses for the drones are being discovered everyday including police crime scene and accident investigations.  That, along with delivering defibrillators, life savers to endangered victims faster than our best paramedics and lifeguards.

Drone bans are under study nearly everywhere and to bring sunshine onto these technological gifts we need to educate people especially the politicians.  That’s why I’ve undertaken this documentary.

In my quest to tell the multi-rotor drone story I found the beautiful and elegant Abbe Lyle.  She’s a professional photographer, mother, conventional aircraft pilot and she is a camera drone disciple of the first order.

Some well known celebrity drone owner/pilots include Jeff Dunham, Bruce Jenner, Rupert Murdock and Martha Stewart.  That list is growing every day. 

Abbe Lyle is a refined lady that as you will see operates her drone like a true professional.  Watching her movements is like what you see at the ballet.

You will see and hear much more from Abbe and others when I release the full documentary.