[Rob3D]

So this guy was flying his drone around at a cruise-in. Nobody really cared, those things are cool and reliable get great shots.

But later, when we were all shooting’ the shit, he called himself a drone PILOT. A few of us laughed and sorta poked fun at the “pilot” part of that sentence and, well, it just upset him in a way I can’t quite describe.

He starting quoting FAA regulations and airspace restrictions and weight limits and the intense training required to operate a drone on the planet earth and its adjacent planets and moons.

What he didn’t know was that he was speaking to two real pilots, one fixed wing one rotary. He proceeded to tell us we weren’t qualified to understand drone piloting. He was right about that. LOL His face was very red when he hastily left.

[Bigdumogre]

Sounds like you guys where being dicks and making fun of someone and their hobby. Military drone pilots do precision strikes without the loss of life on our side and are pilots.

[FasNuf]

He must've been a commercial drone pilot if he had to get a FAA license. Not nearly as rigorous as a real pilot, but required if he plans to make money with that hobby.

[ZED/28]

Stuff like this is why I avoid "cars & coffee" crap.

[pyroguy]

14 CFR Part 107 is related to sUAS/UAV. It's a thing, but who really cares if you are "real" pilots vs him being a drone pilot. Don't crap on a guy for doing something beyond demanding $15/hr to flip burgers with zero experience. Do I brag about flying drones almost every day? No. Partially because blowing stuff up is the more exciting part of my everyday work, but also because I've been doing it for 6+ years. Let the kid/guy/gal/whatever be excited for what they have and quit giving him grief when he's getting awesome pics for the cause.

[102SS]

It would suck bad if it ever crashed into a car.

I wouldn't be too happy about it hovering around

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by pyroguy

14 CFR Part 107 is related to sUAS/UAV. It's a thing, but who really cares if you are "real" pilots vs him being a drone pilot. Don't crap on a guy for doing something beyond demanding $15/hr to flip burgers with zero experience. Do I brag about flying drones almost every day? No. Partially because blowing stuff up is the more exciting part of my everyday work, but also because I've been doing it for 6+ years. Let the kid/guy/gal/whatever be excited for what they have and quit giving him grief when he's getting awesome pics for the cause.

Do you ever have a "take a friend to work and watch you blow stuff up" day? we all love watching stuff go BOOM!

[Rob3D]

Eh, we were being dicks a little. They can be pilots if they want to. No real harm in that I suppose. They should at least use the term “remote pilots” so as not to be confused with people that have actually, you know…left the ground. LOL

[Crim]

Originally Posted by Rob3D

Eh, we were being dicks a little. They can be pilots if they want to. No real harm in that I suppose. They should at least use the term “remote pilots” so as not to be confused with people that have actually, you know…left the ground. LOL

Pretty sure anyone that hears the word Drone knows it's synonymous with Remote.

What cracks me up are the people who bitch and complain every time they see a Drone in the air like they are being spied on or it better not crash into my car LOL. Chances are you can get some pretty good pics of your show with them if you're nice to the guy.

[Rob3D]

Originally Posted by Crim

Pretty sure anyone that hears the word Drone knows it's synonymous with Remote.

What cracks me up are the people who bitch and complain every time they see a Drone in the air like they are being spied on or it better not crash into my car LOL. Chances are you can get some pretty good pics of your show with them if you're nice to the guy.

I agree with this part. His took off and landed by itself and froze in place when he left the controls alone, pretty much idiot proof. Nothing to bitch or complain about.

[pyroguy]

Originally Posted by hrpiii

Do you ever have a "take a friend to work and watch you blow stuff up" day? we all love watching stuff go BOOM!

Here's a couple shots from probably my favorite blast to date. I got to push the button after being the detonator expert for demolishing the power plant that used to power the entire city of Cleveland, OH. Now I "just" do "boring" quarry blasting.

*Fun fact* had the smoke stack gone the wrong way, and the building in the lower left gotten hit, it would have interrupted power to the entire city of Cleveland for 2 months as that is the switch house that routes all of the power for the city still.





I also hold the record for the largest blast in the state of NJ. Approximately 200,000 pounds of explosives going off in just over 1 second. This quarry was close enough to NYC that you could see the NYC skyline from the top part of the quarry.

To answer your question, depending on where you live, there are times that quarries will allow people to come to the quarry for a community outreach day where you get to watch a blast go off. I highly recommend it if you get the chance. Also, if they let you be near the blaster when the shot goes off, ask him/her if you can push the button. Many times a blaster is happy to let someone else push the button.

[Rob3D]

Pyro E. Coyote!

[pyroguy]

Originally Posted by Rob3D

Pyro E. Coyote!


Attachment 1110401

SUPER Genius!

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by pyroguy

Here's a couple shots from probably my favorite blast to date. I got to push the button after being the detonator expert for demolishing the power plant that used to power the entire city of Cleveland, OH. Now I "just" do "boring" quarry blasting.

*Fun fact* had the smoke stack gone the wrong way, and the building in the lower left gotten hit, it would have interrupted power to the entire city of Cleveland for 2 months as that is the switch house that routes all of the power for the city still.

Attachment 1110388

Attachment 1110389

I also hold the record for the largest blast in the state of NJ. Approximately 200,000 pounds of explosives going off in just over 1 second. This quarry was close enough to NYC that you could see the NYC skyline from the top part of the quarry.

To answer your question, depending on where you live, there are times that quarries will allow people to come to the quarry for a community outreach day where you get to watch a blast go off. I highly recommend it if you get the chance. Also, if they let you be near the blaster when the shot goes off, ask him/her if you can push the button. Many times a blaster is happy to let someone else push the button.

Awesome!!!! I love it. Hopefully I will get an opportunity to do that some day, would definitely enjoy it!! Thanks for Sharing!!