Man seeks lost drone
William Daniels of Butler has learned that operating a drone in a strong wind is not advisable.
A few weeks ago, he sent his drone skyward in the Institute Hill section of Butler and a gust grabbed it and spirited it out of range of his remote control.
He looked everywhere for his downed drone — even on the roof of Butler Memorial Hospital — but to no avail.
He is hoping that the classified ad he has been running in the Butler Eagle will reunite him with his craft.
Daniels, 43, said he was testing to see how the drone performed during poor weather, when the drone drifted out of range.
“I let it go too far and lost control of it,” he said.
Daniels said his neighbors claimed to see the drone land in the woods surrounding Butler Memorial Hospital. Daniels searched the woods himself, before asking the hospital staff to check the roof. No drone.
Daniels said he is worried someone may have found the drone and had not realized what it was. He is offering a $200 reward during the month of February to anyone willing to return the drone to him. He said the drone will most likely be damaged, but he may be able to use it for parts.
“It was a costly learning experience,” Daniels said.
Although the mishap has caused Daniels financial and emotional pain, he said he still enjoys his new hobby, and he even bought a replacement to the drone he lost. This time he has outfitted it with reinforced parts made from carbon. He said that won’t address issues of high wind, but the new parts will make the drone more durable.
During the past year, Daniels has experimented with small-bodied drones that fit into his palm. He said they were relatively cheap and durable, making them perfect for testing flight and techniques. He said anyone interested in drones should start with the same small practice models.
“If you can master something like this little one, then you’ll do good with the bigger one,” he said.
Daniels said he uses his drone with the camera for simple reasons, such as making sure his son lets the girls board the bus before he gets on it. He also uses the drone camera to check on his son’s well being at the playground.
He said the children enjoy chasing the drone around the playground because it is something new, but the parents of other children began complaining about the privacy of their children in the public parks.
“I can understand what they might be talking about,” he said. “(But) I’m not breaking the law.”
Daniels said his drones are perfectly legal. They both are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration with the agreement taped on the controller and the drone’s body.
Daniels said he has considered taking the camera off when using the drone around children.
Daniels said he has learned a lot about drones and their parts, and he has seen how it may scare some in his community. But, he said he also wants to convince people that drones are not always a bad thing.
“It’s something you can control, that you can fly,” he said. “When you go up, you can see the whole horizon.”
