That's it: I call BS on the TSB Buttonville Report! And on the fine handed out by Transport Canada!

[@JBrierley02]

I guarantee you that if that accident was caused by one of us that the result of the “investigation” would have been very, very different!

[@NorthcoastDrone]

100%

[@danb4831]

Is the pilot even qualify? remember its ironicly a question in the advanced test always give priority to a maned aircraft.

[@muhannad123]

Thanks for shining a light on this, Don. You are spot on. The rules are different for the cops than the rest of us. I bet you if it was a civilian, they would have thrown the book at them. The drone community is very lucky to have you!

[@dennisryckman5210]

You are an excellent representative of the drone pilot community! Thank you for everything you do!

[@daleair2012]

Thx for this honest report!!! I have thousands of hours in small aircraft and have been a licensed drone pilot for approximately 4 years. Anyone in my position could have told you in 1 second who was clearly in the wrong!!! Had the drone come through the windshield, the Cessna could have had a fatal crash.

[@flycanada]

That really sucks for the aircraft owner. Simply because insurance deductibles are usually quit high and because of the TSB report I imagine it might be hard to get the insurance coverage needed to cover the damage. I feel for not only the fixed wing pilot that had no chance in noticing the drone and the owner who is left holding the bill

[@JaypeaFoto]

Great reporting Don. Interesting thing had that been a regular citizen I bet anything you would have seen them charged on all 9 items and a much much higher fine.

[@dgaerialimagery]

I don’t understand how the pilot was charged as an individual and there wasn’t a corporate fine. What would classify as an incident that incurs a corporate fine then?

[@coffeegonewrong]

@@dgaerialimagery I would be guessing, but it might be because he broke some York Police procedure he exposed himself personally. Sort of like a “caught speeding in a company car” scenario. It may have let the TSB separate his actions out from the police agency. He still got the kid glove treatment though.

[@RC-Flight]

WOW this is an incredible eye opener of a video! Thanks so much for taking the time to make this video, some very scary scary info. I live about 40 minute drive from that Airport.

[@BobHerres]

Excellent Don, thank you for covering every aspect of this story. Your skills greatly surpass the abilities of most Canadian journalists.

[@markkram6497]

Wow. Looks like a cover up. I hope the drone pilot realized how close he came to a terrible disaster, and learns to be more diligent in his future operations. Great detailed reporting Don. I always look forward to your videos.

[@roryb.bellows4026]

I am sure he realizes the problem and is grateful to the police force for their tireless efforts to absolve him from any consequences.

[@hawkeyehelivideo527]

Don, thanks for looking out for us!!!❤

[@rongibson6281]

Very well reported on Don. I am sure we will all be watching for more follow up. Thanks

[@MonteComeau]

Great reporting Don. Obviously trying cover up a surveillance operation. Clearly rules and regulations not applied fairly but are you surprised? Thanks for what you do.

[@nohandle5544]

With respect, they are covering up reckless criminal drone operations..No police activities warrant to risk hovering a drone in the windshield of an airplane.

[@dgaerialimagery]

Don forms a one-man investigative board to investigate the investigative boards. Result: they are put to shame.

[@terke1230]

Excellent job Don. Clearly a case of one government agency covering for another agency. TC enforcement has the power to do its own investigation. It doesn’t have to follow the TSB. Shows how dirty this incident is: 1) TSB covering for police by omission and diversion, 2) TC licensing not taking the officer’s drone license away, 3) TC Enforcement (frequently ex-police) handing out token fine instead of the whole list of violations.

[@georgekelly1948]

Thanks for this follow up, and I will stay tuned for further updates.

[@Capturenorthstudios]

Great video, you should reach out to the CBC, this is fantastic journalism.

[@DonJoyce]

I actually did after my original video. Probably considered too complicated for regular news. (BTW, Adrienne Arseneault has watched some of my older videos)

[@FotoAntonioCanada]

honestly tho a report of a drone crashing into a plane nearly causing fatalities could be misrepresented/misunderstood and cause greater fear of drones in general among the everyone and then demands for tighter regulations would be made. Kind of like for guns, criminals use guns, public call for more gun regulations for everyone

[@mayberrywj]

Fantastic work Don....one can only hope the parties involved listen and learn from your videos.

[@gbower1]

Excellent report Don, thanks for keeping us informed.

[@PinetreeLine]

Awesome job Don. Clearly they took it very easy on the drone operator given the fact who it was. They charged the drone pilot with one violation purely for optics. Looking forward to hear what you come up with regards to information you will hopefully secure through freedom of information.

[@the1andonly]

I definitely agree with you. This stinks to high heaven (where the drone was.. LOL). Had this been a recreational or even commercial drone pilot, they would have shredded him or her.

[@truenorthaerialimaging3089]

Excellent video Don. Very well done, and with great professionalism . So unfortunate that many silly rules are imposed on drone pilots yet our own police force can not follow the most basic and important of those rules. Not to mention that it is just swept under the rug. To my knowledge there has only ever been 2 drone collisions with a plane in Canada. It is crazy that there are so many drone pilots yet the police are responsible for 50% of those crashes.

[@interlakedroneservices8372]

It would be interesting to examine the revised YPS revised procedures, policies and training in relation to flying drones near airports and controlled airspace and if they touched base with TC and NavCan to confirm their adequacy to minimize the risk of a recurrence.

[@ClintChapman]

Agreed. That should absolutely be made public. I'm surprised the media relations officer didn't offer that up as a way to demonstrate that something has been learned.

[@Zbip57]

Was there ever a TSB report on the Feb 6th 2020 RCMP mid-air incident between their own FLIR SkyRanger R60 drone and helicopter during the Wet’suwet’en gas pipeline protests? There was a CADORS (Civil Aviation DAILY Occurrence Reporting System) notice 2020P0775 filed FOUR MONTHS after the incident happened. Of course the CADORS website is down at the moment. The CADORS listing cites a TSB number for this incident, which can't be found on the TSB site. That appears to have been hushed up too as it involved police operations that TSB didn't want to get involved in.

[@RonClifford]

Thank you. It's VERY important for the future of safe and enjoyable drone use that a factual account of what happened is known.

[@DronesToronto]

This report is a big problem. This is not only inaccurate but leans heavily on being biased. This destroys the credibility of both the Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. Many people found these agencies difficult to listen to and questioned their integrity and authority. This will do nothing to increase pilot's confidence in a fair and credible oversight system.

[@nohandle5544]

You hit the nail on the head..exactly

[@barbarajoyce6865]

Great report Don! This reeks of a cover up and preferential treatment

[@austinpowers68]

They definitely have it right, Those pilots in the Cessna need to have their eyes checked. After all we have had multiple reports from Airliner pilots spotting drones at 1000 feet, 5000 12000 ft etc, so obviously it must be the vision of these Cessna Pilots . Our Government regulators at work hard to protect us, LOL. Nice Job on this report!!!

[@vmx200]

Thank you for being the voice of drone pilots in Canada!

[@RV_There_Yet]

Thanks for the excellent detective work so to speak. I’ll leave my comment at that as mine would be a little less diplomatic than yours. Looking forward to hearing the updates as they become available. Thanks again Don!

[@AllAdventuresChannel]

I'm pretty sure that wold be different outcome if it was a regular citizen flying the drone...

[@BrantAerials]

Is it just me, or does it seem that most (if not all) drone collisions with crewed aircraft are police pilots at the controls? Maybe the police need multiple *_trained_* VO's for police operations!

[@dennisryckman5210]

It would have been so much easier if they had acknowledged and accepted the charges, apologised publicly, made reparations to those affected, and, most importantly, committed to further and better training for their staff to avoid any future violations and incidents. Everyone is 'happy', and the YRP comes out smelling like roses with a minor PR win. Good people take full responsibility for their actions. And I'm sure the officer feels terrible about this. At least it's a good lesson for him/her and an opportunity for them to improve their skills.

[@DC-id2ih]

Very well said! It really baffles me when public organizations (in this case the police dpt and the TSB) do not act more transparently in cases such as this. In this situation, the actions of both just end up eroding public confidence in the institutions involved....and - as you pointed out - this erosion of confidence could've been entirely avoided. It's almost as if the mngmt of these organizations just assumed that no one would notice.....and if that is what they were thinking, then that was a really naïve attitude in this day and age of social media where there are experts - like Don - who are willing to spend time on the public's behalf researching and presenting the facts of a given case. It will be interesting to see if Don's access-to-information requests are successful and what additional info/findings might appear in those reports.

[@addictedangler4770]

Don... First let me say thank you. I downloaded your PDF this morning, wrote my test this afternoon. 5 minutes ago I became a certified RPAS pilot (basic). I scored 77%, which doesn't exactly make me a rocket scientist, but I am a drone pilot. Thank you so much.

[@DonJoyce]

Congratulations on passing your rocket...er, drone exam! Safe and happy flying!

[@carlosamat]

i called it horseshit from day one!!!

[@thomasmurray3460]

Great report Don. Glad there was no loss of life I have a question though, can we assume that the drone after being hit by the plane didn't land "under control", and as you stated it was being flown over an area where someone could have been hit. So, any information on how the drone came down, and was there any damage (not on the drone as clearly there would be),when it did?

[@DonJoyce]

The TSB report and my original video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4Xbkoqsprydq6M) provide pictures of the drone after 'landing'. The arms and dangly bits are all broken off, but surprisingly good shape otherwise. The collision was directly over a residential neighbourhood....I show a street-view in my video. There are no details regarding the specific location pieces were found, nor the size of the debris field.

[@templeofthedog6284]

Always like hearing your thoughts and reports, Don. Thanks 👍

[@quadcom]

Here's another question for you. Who paid the fine that the pilot was given? Is it too far fetched to consider that York region Police actually paid the fine? That would mean that fine was paid by taxpayer dollars. Not much of a penalty towards the pilot

[@davestredulinsky]

Well done Don. Thank you for all your efforts investigating this and I am in total agreement with your conclusions. I look forward to future updates and the details of your investigation of the aviation enforcement action summaries.

[@arhino21]

Yeah... If I were to put a drone up, in restricted airspace, on a direct flight path, and caused an accident.. YIKES!!!!

[@RC-Flight]

They would have gone up one side of you and down the other. Plus you would have been on all the local news channels too that night!

[@bretrowlinson]

Thanks for the additional information and detailed analysis. Looking forward to seeing what comes of the information requests.

[@xjet]

One set of rules for thee, another set for me! It's not *what* you know that counts; obviously. Mind you, Canadian authorities are now world-leaders on flying drones into aircraft (this incident and the RCMP helicopter one).

[@DonJoyce]

Yes, our police think its an Olympic sport. The TSB's colour commentary needs much improvement though. Thanks for watching, Bruce!

[@HobbiesHobo]

Seems like the TSB is striving to reach a level of respect that the RCMP have already reached. Keep up the good work Don, don't have any "Accidents".

[@thane5665]

...and just as professional...

[@PhilRushworth]

This is absolutely gold! Thanks Don! I'm very much looking forward to the follow ups. This is clear miscarriage of justice and complete disregard for public safety expressed by York police and regrettably transport Canada. Quite disgraceful.

[@DonJoyce]

Hey, Phil....been a LONG time!! Thanks for watching and commenting. Yeah...the follow-ups WILL be interesting. Just got the YRP report.......

[@glowplug4762]

Sadly government will always cover for government. Civilians don't stand a chance.

[@TericT]

Oh come on Don, the drone pilot was task overwhelmed and that totally exempts him from consequences! We should all just curl up into the fetal position when we're scared of what our drone is doing and we'll get the same treatment too.... Right? ;)

[@dougdiver8637]

Task overwhelmed= day dreaming

[@ronaldschmuck9627]

Thanks Don for all of your efforts. Perhaps it is time to bring in all of the news people who are always looking for something to do to improve the relations between police and citizens and get some answers to this "Cover up" of a more then serious incident. If it had of been you or me piloting this drone we would be behind bars and millions in debt. Seriously.!! Many Thanks and PLEASE keep up the good work you are doing for us Droners :-))

[@PhantomHodgesDrone]

I hope that i never get into a situation like that, I when i fly in the vicinity of a airport, i can here a small aircraft flying, not sure why they didn,t hear that, but maybe in a big city with all the noise, it might not be able to hear it, but if the observer was doing his job, this shouldn,t have happened either. but it also sets a precedent, for future mishaps.

[@east.suffolkdronephotography]

Spot on, Don! The police etc. need badgering on this, how come they can escape sufficient prosecution? 👍

[@gabrielsenecal382]

Thank You Mister Don , to be are voice, whit out me reading the report , as a over 250Gr drone and clearly use for commercial matters , here’s was not any avoidance device on the police drone ,such as strobe lights, that as to be visible from all nautical direction from 3 miles or 4,9km away ? Just asking , thanks in advance

[@jasonjahnkeinla]

BullShxt! Bxllshit!! Bullxhit!! Get' 3 thankyou thankyou thankyou for this great video 📹 As far as I can see, there has been a great Presidents now set here. How can anybody get a fine Unless they do what this police officer did. 🤔

[@Learn2Canoedotca]

This should be a mainstream media report.

[@islandaerials]

thank you, so many holes...surely a well trained rxmp piolt would not be hovering in a manned aircraft area without the proper observer

[@liarspeaksthetruth]

Something definitely stinks. Excellent work exposing the uneven nature of enforcement. Great idea to FOIP the police. The TSB needs to be held to account for the report.

[@ChrisPollard]

Good luck getting any actual information out of those requests. But hey, precedent has now been set for us amateur flyers!! Now we know we can fly in places we shouldn't be, fly into manned aircraft, and all we'll get is a $1000 fine without a loss of license!

[@tylerpalmer8973]

Really great video. It's certainly not fair that they weren't held accountable to the fullest extent for their actions. They were very fortunate that the Cessna was able to land safely. At least they paid the repairs, but the loss of service to the flight school is terrible.

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Tyler. Agreed.

[@AndyFyon]

Thank you Don.

[@KrasherJack]

As a MAAC Model Aircraft member going through Bleep, Bleep, Bleep right now, I vote Don consider coming and giving us a hand.😉

[@TraceyFougere]

Jesus Take the Controller! This incident is a glaring example of how 'ridiculously hazardous' events such as these can be downplayed. Whomever was operating this drone should not have a license to fly anything heavier than a paper airplane... until they are trained effectively as to not make these types of reckless decisions! Talk about having a lucky horseshoe up your butt. Word.

[@Vegan_Cooking_Show]

"Lucky Horseshoe" is a funny way to spell "Qualified Immunity"

[@nelrob01]

Hi Don, great video. I've been flying RC Models since the 1970's and got into drones as well about 7 years back. I'm a licensed RPAS pilot. My background is as an AME in heavy transport aircraft, as well as being a licensed private pilot. I fully agree with you, this incident investigation is BS. As a pilot, if I was on the approach to Buttonville I would not be looking for drones. The drone should never have been there. As far as the pilot flying the 172, if they listed them as the first possible cause of the incident, I would like to see them try and fine them. The owner of the aircraft has enough damage to his or her aircraft the they should be going after the drone operator for damages. Can you image if the aircraft had crashed with loss of life??!! Would the drone operator have had more serious charges? As far as I'm concerned, if the drone operator had been a private citizen, or a commercial operator the fines and consequences would have been quite different. I find it very troubling that a police force would operate a drone in such a negligent manner endangering peoples lives and property. What the hell were they thinking?? As a member of MAAC we now are faced with having to have a valid RPAS license and as such we have to adhere to operations under CARS. I'm more than willing to do that to keep flying, but I would hope that other drone/RPAS operators, especially police forces are following the same rules!!! PS Thanks for mentioning MAAC in your videos!! We are all in the same boat these days....It's a big change for the old school R/C modelers to get into RPAS licensing, CARS etc. Your videos are a great help!!

[@DonJoyce]

I agree, Robert. This situation was shocking. Thanks for your supportive comments.

[@GizmoDrones]

Excellent work. It does seem strange that being in the flight path wasn't the actual root cause. If you or I did that we would be in big trouble. Cheers

[@dkin]

def agree on this title and the contents of this video. great work

[@MicheIIePucca]

You should add this to an National Post (opinion) editorial.... this is good information for the public to be aware of.

[@zira_fluff4105]

Outstanding coverage of the ancient human corruption principle of those who are in authority: "Rules for thee, not for me" The narrative presented seems to indicate that the Cessna pilot action of landing was interfering with a police operation. Next time, they will be sure to indicate "Qualified Immunity" so as to sweep their irresponsible actions away.

[@seangilmore5912]

Was there student on board? If so he she wou,d be /she would be left seat,and task saturated,approach ,threshold and instrument focus.

[@seangilmore5912]

Screwd up on that was not wearing my glasses but I think you get the idea.

[@flightographist]

Incompetence as far as you can see on a cloud-free day. As many are aware, situational awareness doesn't reside in a badge, it's an intellectual exercise often hard won and for many completely unattainable.

[@northeastdroneproductions]

🤣🤣lice, you wouldn't have seen them in a while Don. Interesting story man. Looking forward to seeing you next one on past fines given out. Cheers mate

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Matt!

[@PilotPlater]

My advanced RPAS exam asked, among other things, about how to calculate the altimeter error due to mountian wave activity, an item that we don't even train recreational and private pilot permit applicants to do, and yet the very basics of "conforming to or avoiding" the standard circuit or traffic pattern were not on the test. Thanks for your videos on fines for drone-related offences. I went on my own search of that database recently and it appears one of the most common violations under the CARs is noise abadement procedures. Some commercial operators have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for not following an established procedure for noise abadement - literally they made too much noise over a sensitive area and they get a quarter million dollar fine. A different corporation is undoubtedly reckless with a drone, causing damage and risking loss of life, and it's a $1000 fine??

[@DonJoyce]

Interesting observations and perspectives, Andy! Thanks for sharing!

[@4291juneau]

Great reporting Don. A very interesting analysis. This incident is likely the grounds for the restrictions imposed on MAAC and the egregious grounding order placed on all the model flying clubs in Canada. With regard to the regulations and those breached by the Police pilot it seems to me that a lot of those regs overlap such that a pilot guilty of one is guilty automatically of many more. In your discovery of fines applied to individuals is there any means of distinguishing how many of those individuals were members of MAAC and model club members?

[@DonJoyce]

I don't see any connection between this incident and the MAAC grounding, but maybe. And I just searched the list of offenders ... it does not have any reference to 'MAAC' or 'model' in it. There is very little detail about the actual incident.

[@4291juneau]

@@DonJoyce Perhaps my question on the miscreants should have asked was there any reference to whether they were flying registered drones or not? I suspect that the true model flying community are being punished for the sins of the inconsiderate. Thanks for your efforts Don.

[@skyfirstimage]

Thanks Don. Great work!

[@nickstevens6398]

Right on Don! Great work!!!!

[@rickdubs131]

You know what could have probably prevented this whole thing? A hand held radio to call up and coordinate with the air traffic controller… The drone could have flown, moved to a safe place or even lower altitude before planes were routed into the glide path. Hell, some flights could have even been temporarily grounded while the police operation was going on. The school I flew out of had to put the breaks on all the time for an air ambulance service, ten minute of extra fuel or a little waiting on the taxiway beats the hell out of a $50k repair job or a potentially fatal crash.

[@DonJoyce]

Yes, clear communications would have certainly helped here.

[@JosephDawson]

Hi Don great job. Wouldn't this set a legal precedent that if anyone else was to do something as bad as this that they would also be fined $1,000.00. And anyone who is fined more than $1,000 should argue that they are not being treated fair. From the same group who just pulled MAAC exemption. It is sad to see TC treating MAAC an organization that has 80 years of safety so poorly.

[@DonJoyce]

I'm not a lawyer, but it sure does sound like a precedent to me. And yes, very shocking about MAAC....but there's more to that story yet to be told.

[@photographerpilotpamjohnston]

Thank you for this valuable BS information. As a drone pilot I feel this is ridiculous. I would be curious what the pilots credentials are. Seems like the York rules are different. Was this individual even qualified to be a pilot? They should be using your tools Don. This wouldn't have happened if so. The York Regional police should be doing an internal investigating on their own so called Pilots. Thank you for your hard work, your voice for Droners is well appreciated.

[@TheTomJon]

4:39 Don bout to get somebody fired 😂

[@davidstewart9211]

The more that I think about the amount of the fine being so low, if I was ever charged with an offence, I would use the fine in this case as part of my defence, what goes around, comes around. Fines were created to be a deterrence, not a cost of doing business. A $1000 fine is just part of the cost of doing business, they saved that many times over by not following the rules. The fine in this instance, should have been the maximum for each offence that Don noted. That would be a deterrence to the entire drone community.

[@GFields-DigitalPhotoCreations]

I cannot remember why (if stated) the police had a drone there to begin with?

[@DonJoyce]

It's in the other video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4Xbkoqsprydq6M

[@GFields-DigitalPhotoCreations]

@@DonJoyce Thanks!

[@privacylawyer]

As a drone pilot, privacy and access to information lawyer (but not your lawyer!), I'd suggest you request their previous policies and their revised policies. You'll see their so-called "appropriate revisions", and get a better sense of whether their policies and procedures were adequate at the time.

[@lightssoundactionentertainment]

Don, FYI - some police agencies have a "license to fly" whenever - wherever WITHOUT getting TC / NAV CANADA clearance ......

[@DonJoyce]

The York Regional Police did not have any such clearance, at least not at the time. And with such great power, comes the responsibility to use it responsibly.

[@steveruttle9133]

Don, thank you for calling BS. Cheers

[@razmatazzzz]

In the AARO language it describes air safety when negotiating hazards. Very vague. We must fight for them to admit these hazards are non-human controlled otherwise our pilots don't understand and will never be safe. For example, when communicating to the unknown craft "PLEASE GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY YOU ARE GOING TO HIT MY PLANE." -corny but this is what it boils down to.

[@johnbrennen1776]

Oh Myyy!! Another case of not what you know but who you know??

[@chattonlad9382]

Thank you for your input. Lessons have been learned.🤭🤭🤭

[@DonJoyce]

Great!

[@SkySim]

If I did the same violations, I'm sure I would get all the fines.

[@KardosoMedia]

Buttonville Buttonville Buttonville....is this like Bettlejuice! :)

[@easternwoods4378]

Final approach to runways 24 L, 24 R and 23 at Toronto Pearson International are all in close proximity to York Region. How long before the cops fly in that airspace. PS who actually paid the fine? Bet it wasn't the cop ultimately

[@North49RC]

The problem is this sets precedence for other public service entities to get away with a slap on the wrist. If the drone had been operated by a private contractor they would have thrown the book at and make an example out of the individual.

[@DonJoyce]

Yep.

[@5695q]

The police RPV operator failed in his responsibilities, and it sounds like the TSB and Transport Canada covered up as much as possible. If it had been Joe average out enjoying a flight with his drone and this happened, it would have been all over the news with heavy fines for all. I hope the flight academy can get some relief for the income lost due to the police departments failures, what is the rule in Canada on civil lawsuits?

[@easternwoods4378]

York Region should reassign the pilot to other duties. Permanently

[@gcarmichael]

Defund them, I'm serious, go after their budget and then fire the Chief.

[@VE3ORE]

Great reporting and a clear example of do what I say rather than do what I do by the authorities. Maybe it’s time to send your reporting to the major newspapers and press outlets because the way it’s stands is that drone operators are a dangerous group in general and the regulations need to be stronger which is obviously and absolutely incorrect . Disappointed in the response you got and clearly verging on a cover up.

[@dustystrachan9871]

Don't let them sweep this under the carpet. and if anyone gets a fine of 1000. Or more ask why hitting a plane was only 1000.

[@francoisleveille409]

What TC/TSB did there is a sure way to foster public distrust.

[@richardgardner7019]

hahah Buttonville... Sorry Don' didn't mean to make you self conscious of the name hahahaha.

[@DonJoyce]

Hey, I'm still saying Buttonwood occasionally! Did you enjoy the bloopers after the credits?

[@richardgardner7019]

@@DonJoyce I did lol. I however I enjoyed the main content even more. This stinks of politics. If I had been the pilot my ass would have been tossed in jail and I wouldn't see the light of day for years. But YRP, nah skate skate skate

[@TheTomJon]

incredible reporting Don

[@FranklinNewhart]

If it had been a private individual who was flying the drone the outcome would have been very different than the fact it was a cop.

[@Seluilaendrone]

police protect police not the citizen.... thanks for your report

[@jdmforever5583]

Well of course it was a cover-up🙄.. if this had happened to a recreational drone pilot he would have been made an example of would have been fine charged and jailed...

[@easternwoods4378]

Cops and their toys. They should lose their right to fly PERIOD

[@IN10THRC]

Hi Don. My wife was watching this with me, and she raised an interesting question. Did the YRP drone pilot actually possess any form of RPAS license? Often with police, military, etc- no licensing is required for things that you and I would need licensing for, such as firearms, pilot licensing, etc. Is it possible (as egregious as it sounds) that this particular pilot- conducting flight ops for the York Regional Police) had less training and knowledge than my humble self (15 mos, basic ops), and literally had no damned clue what he was doing? Still, one would HAVE to think that such proximity to an active airport at that particular altitude, would be a bad idea. This REALLY leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and I can't help but think that crap like this, makes life harder for the rest of us. Our government upholds a longstanding tradition of punishing EVERYONE for the sins of a few, rather than holding the few to account (case in point, firearms laws). Anyhow, thanks for an informative and thought-provoking video. Cheers, from 15 minutes north of CYKZ.

[@DonJoyce]

A legitimate question for sure. In fact, the YRP drone pilot had his Advanced RPAS certification. My first video on this topic has a lot more detail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4Xbkoqsprydq6M

[@IN10THRC]

@@DonJoyce Thanks. I will watch that after I get back in from clearing the 9 million cubic feet of snow currently occupying my driveway. Meanwhile, having the Advanced certification in my mind, removes any element of "mistake" and brings this to full-on negligence.

[@IN10THRC]

I watched the watched the other video, and I think I have a pretty good handle on things. My entirely unprofessional opinion- for what that's worth- is that the incident stemmed from a severe lack of organization. Ok, it was a "crisis situation" and there was not a lot of planning time, I get that. However, someone from YRP on behalf of the pilot, should have touched base with the Buttonville tower, perhaps while the drone pilot was making his way to the launch site and prepping. I am also of the opinion that the drone pilot team really should have consisted of 4 members. The pilot, the radio and communications guy, the officer watching the video monitor (camera ops, not flight ops), and the visual observer. Under the circumstances, I feel as if this would have left each person to do his job without distraction, and be able to advise the pilot, without anyone suffering task saturation. Regarding the tower: although the tower may not be legally obligated to advice air traffic of the drone's presence under VFR, I firmly believe that the circumstances would have warranted an exception. Regarding the report: I don't know why such emphasis was placed on the Cessna crew's inability to "see and avoid". It would have been pretty tough to spot the small craft, AND- what were they to do? If a pedestrian steps out into high speed traffic in front of a car, the driver of the car might see him, sure- then what? The car certainly can not come to a dead stop, or make an immediate angular change. A Cessna is even less capable of sharp maneuvers. It's silly to expect anything less. Large fines levied against the police department would simply have been drawn from my own wallet, and probably padded into a budget somewhere, so I'm not sure that's the answer here- but they could have at least registered the complete list of offences to drive the point home. Aviation safety is critical, and the skies are only getting more and more cluttered as time goes on. Ah, thanks for letting me rant. I enjoy your videos, and have become quite fond of analyzing aeronautical accidents and incidents.

[@DonJoyce]

@@IN10THRC A 4-person team may be over-kill, but certainly 3, or an absolute minimum of two would make sense. Regarding the 'crisis situation', well now having read the YRP police report...it was a far cry from that: A landowner had complained about a squatter on their property. The guy was known to police, was considered confrontational, and may have had a crossbow. The ground operation was to attempt to oust him. The drone flight was to find him and then watch what happened. You tell me if this warranted ANY level of rush job....or if 400 feet would have been appropriate.

[@IN10THRC]

@@DonJoyce Well, since you put it THAT way.... A simple cruiser and two uniforms would have done the job. I misread all that to think there was someone running around with a gun. As for the altitude, I was looking at the particular model of drone and thought that maybe it was outfitted with a really good telephoto lens or something. All I know is that if I'm at 400' with either my Typhoon or my Mini, I'm definitely not getting anything useful on an individual walking around.

[@gnad8594]

It’s called double standards between law enforcement and citizens