I take it his videos are still live and therefore earning dollars still? He might hit YouTube mega stardom with all this publicity, start paying off his fines 
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The guy obviously has difficulty in distinguishing levels of risk or understanding the possible implications of exceeding these risks. No amount of enforcement or subsequent penalty will correct for this. If I were a lawyer tasked with defending him I would seek the counsel of a Psychiatric professional and solicit their testimony.
He does present with many traits associated with a Bi-Polar disorder, especially the manic side. I see this behaviour everyday with my sister-in-law. When she’s in a manic phase she has little to no perception of whether her behaviour is positive or negative (she’ll phone us in the early hours for no reason), or when in conversation her train of thought will be all over the place changing the subject in mid-sentence.
There are truly disturbed people who will make reckless transgressions with the full knowledge of what they’re doing. I truly don’t think this guy is one of them and in this case the punishment does not fit the crime.
Nidge.
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Is he genuinely that full on do you think or is it just his schtick for YouTube?
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It’s hard to say. He’s always like that on all his YouTube vids even his long ones 
He got what he deserved, by the sounds of it!
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I understand that the CAA are unlikely to get the payment, it’s more done to scare others into obedience.
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I’m sure your meant FAA 
I’m not sure about the idea of scare tactics. If that was the case, the FAA would be become toothless and you’d have a free for all.
Ned
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I did mean FAA.
I’ve since seen more of his material and am inclined to agree with you.
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He would need mega, mega stardom… his video has around 10k views but is very long, so he’s probably made around $150 off that particular video so far. A 10 minute video watched around 100,000 times, will make around $150 - $250… It seems an exceptionally high fine but if he’s had multiple FAA warnings and ignored them, maybe they do indeed want to make a point…
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If they don’t enforce a punishment, albeit a negotiated amount, they open themselves up to all sorts of problems in the future enforcing the rules on anyone else.
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I don’t know if he has had previous warnings. If he hasn’t it’s a big fine right off the bat. As it looks as though they have gone back a year on his videos. From watching the recent videos on FAA regs. Basically you are very limited to what you can do recreationally. Even if you just wanted to share your filming of interesting places on YouTube you would be opening yourself up for trouble.
Thank goodness we haven’t followed suit.
Having said that Ian thanks for your vids and is there any chance of you doing one concerning the DJI mini 2 and the new flying rules with this drone. As I am seriously thinking of getting one over Christmas. As it seems quieter ( that is something that has put me off in the past from getting a drone) I can’t find any good vids on YouTube which spell out clearly just how close you can fly to buildings and people. If you fly over people do they have to be people you know or have had permission from etc?
Something in-depth would be Brilliant and I’m sure others interested in this particular drone would be so appreciative of a vid on this.
Anyway. All the best.
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Can just see the GP pulling up and Doris and Chas climb out.
'Okay Doris your job!
‘But what do I know about things that fly’
‘Well you were quick enough attacking The guys trousers last night. I’d say you know a thing or two about flies’
Hello sir you are committing an offence under the aviation act of 1873 twiddling in public’
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3 yrs down the line, he still hasn’t paid any fines which have gone up to $200k?
Thing is if it was someone here in the U.K. making these sort of videos, how would you all feel ? I’ve watched a few of his videos and while they are sort of “entertaining”, he shows a total disregard for the rules the FAA have.
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“I have nothing”
Well don’t do the crime.
If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime.
Playing the victim because he got caught out.
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There is no doubt that his video’s were/are spectacular and his flying skills are great (although I’m not keen on his narrative), I kept thinking all the time this is totally illegal and how is he doing it uncontested; as in a lot of cases he is entirely intrusive as he gets so close to private apartments and he completely take the p*ss with the VLOS thing!
What I don’t understand is that the original entry for this post subject was 3 yrs ago and he’s still posting vids while the FAA decide how to proceed!
I can’t understand how they thought taking him to court under a civil case is going to sort anything out. Why he hasn’t been charged by the police with FAA violations is beyond me. There again, I suppose this is America and their legal system is exceedingly more complex than ours.
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In the last month he’s posted videos of a range test at nearly 5km and an altitude test at almost 3km. Both over built-up areas and both ended in dramatic “I could lose the drone here, guys” fashion.
So yeah, he’s learned nothing.
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Ive seen him mentioned a few times recently, and not one I’d heard of or seen before. Will have to check the content before, but sounds like he’s been caught again after posting for YouTube fame… Tough luck matey
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