RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Illegal’

It is now illegal to drink and drone in Japan

15 Jun

Japan’s parliament passed a law this week outlawing the operation of a drone while under the influence of alcohol. If authorities catch anyone flying an unmanned aerial vehicle while intoxicated, offenders will face up to a year in prison and a fine of 300,000 yen (roughly $ 2,763.00). ‘We believe operating drones after consuming alcohol is as serious as (drink) driving,’ a Japanese transport ministry official told the AFP news agency.

This latest legislation was passed to also address the growing popularity of drones coupled with the reckless and illegal activity taking place in the country’s more tourist-friendly areas. Dangerous stunts, which have become more common, including quickly plunging a drone towards crowds, can result in a fine of up to 500,000 yen ($ 4,607).

Areas where drones are now banned include a distance within 985 feet of Japan’s armed forces, U.S. military personnel, and ‘defense-related facilities’ without prior permission from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The new restrictions follow an earlier ban on approaching nuclear power plants, Japan’s parliament buildings, and the prime minister’s office. Stadiums and other sites hosting the forthcoming 2020 Olympic festivities are also off-limits.

The new law covers drones weighing more than 200g (close to half a pound). Operating a drone in Japan does not require a license. However, remote pilots much abide by a series of regulations including:

  • Staying below 150 meters (492 feet)
  • Avoiding airports
  • Avoiding crowded areas
  • Only flying during daylight
  • Keeping the drone in sight at all times

Anyone who is caught violating any of the established regulations could face a fine of up to 500,000 yen (or $ 4,607).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on It is now illegal to drink and drone in Japan

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Skydio under fire for promoting illegal drone footage

08 Apr
Photo of Grand Prismatic Spring, in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, courtesy of Don Kawahigashi. Drone use is illegal in all national parks.

California-based drone manufacturer, Skydio, is under investigation after promoting its proprietary ‘true follow-me’ feature with footage of a rollerblader gliding along a West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk in Yellowstone National Park.

Operating a drone is illegal in all national parks. So is in-line skating on their respective boardwalks. Skydio’s social media manager geo-tagged Iceland as the location where the video was shot, not Wyoming. ‘Thermal tour a la rollerblade,’ read the caption in the post that was viewed over 10,000 times in one week. Users quickly caught on to the discrepancy in location and the video was removed from the company’s feed.

Some commenters were put off by the misuse of the location tag. ‘Super dishonest,’ Instagram user and avid drone photographer @justin_mcvideo posted. ‘I was following this account, but no more. Shame.’

Skydio R1 drone

Yellowstone National Park law enforcement rangers learned of the video’s existence and, according to park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin, have not made any determinations. ‘They are aware, and they will investigate it,’ Warthin said. ‘What’s important to recognize is that there are so many incidents of drone use that we deal with. Visitors using drones in Yellowstone is a problem.’

In 2018, alone, there were around 40 illegal drone flights that were brought to the attention of Yellowstone rangers. A significant portion resulted in citations, and some of those required a mandatory court appearance. Fines amounted to over $ 1,000 per offending pilot.

Skydio was founded in 2014 by three MIT graduates. The CEO and CTO were early engineers at Project Wing, Google’s drone delivery effort. Their flagship product, the R1 consumer drone, uses NVIDIA’s AI supercomputer and 13 onboard cameras to autonomously fly and avoid obstacles in every direction. According to Crunchbase, the company has raised $ 70 million in 4 rounds of funding as of February, 2018. Representatives for Skydio have not released an official statement regarding this investigation.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Skydio under fire for promoting illegal drone footage

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Chinese Homeowner’s Illegal Skyway Bridges 2 Highrise Condos

19 Dec

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

china condo bridge connector

Sky bridges are a common sight in many cities, but are generally used to create a semi-public pathway from one building to the next, not to illicitly join two private highrise units in midair.

china illicit private sky bridge

In Nanning, China, one resident apparently purchased two apartment units situated nearly across from (and facing) one another with a novel plan in mind: connect them via a slightly-sloped extension to expand his interior space. As a local paper reports, the raised structure is raising concerns for pedestrians passing below.

skyway illegal bridge china

The makeshift metal-roofed-and-clad addition is supported by a system of somewhat rickety-looking steel trusses forming a spaceframe below – given their elevation (and lack of planning permission), it is unclear whether these will survive natural disasters like serious storms or earthquakes.

penthouse top

It also remains uncertain how this development got so far in the first place, but given other precedents in the region (like the illegal ooftop penthouse mountain shown above) this kind of rogue building project is not entirely shocking.

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Penthouse Mountain: Stone Villa Tops Chinese Condo Tower

Over six years, one dedicated man has constructed his dream house, complete with boulders, trees, gardens, pools and ponds. It is the kind of luxury home you …
Click Here to Read More »»


Amazing Houses: 6 Crazy Condos & Curious Townhouses

Think all condos and townhouses have to be plain, boring boxes? Think again. These unusual condos and townhouses redefine urban living spaces.
Click Here to Read More »»


Tall Temple: Bizarre Rooftop Palace on Chinese Skyscraper

The man who built his very own luxury mountain palace atop a condo tower in China – illegally – is hardly alone in his endeavors. A Chinese …
Click Here to Read More »»


Share on Facebook



[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Chinese Homeowner’s Illegal Skyway Bridges 2 Highrise Condos

Posted in Creativity

 

Caught on Video: Illegal BASE Jump Off NYC Freedom Tower

07 Apr

[ By WebUrbanist in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

skydiving illegal 1 wtc

Breaking into One World Trade Center and scaling to its top was just the beginning for this daring trio, who then not only parachuted from close to the peak but also had to navigate nearby structures on the way down and ultimately land in the street.

If you are not one for suspense, skip to the two minute and thirty second mark in the first video above to watch as the first jumper takes the plunge from the 1,776-foot tower, followed shortly thereafter by the man behind the camera.

amazing building jump

After months of hiding their identities, James Brady, Marco Markovich and Kyle Hartwell have turned themselves in and are already raising legal funds for their defense. They are charged with burglary, reckless endangerment and jumping from a structure.

base jump caught video

nyc street landing strip

skydiving street landing

According to the New York Times, the trio have been “described by their lawyers as experienced, amateur sky divers who also sought thrills leaping from buildings, bridges and other structures.” As for how they got in and up in this case: apparently, they simply slipped through a hole in the fence, scaled the stairs and did not encounter any security along the way to the top of the tower above. A similar stunt was pulled by a teenager not too long ago, but reporters who tried to follow suit found themselves caught and arrested.

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Look Before You Leap: Crazy Parkour Building Jump Video

Parkour is an extremely challenging urban sport that involves big jumps, impressive acrobatics, and a lot of guts. This group captured all that in a crazy jump.
Click Here to Read More »»


Secret Speakeasy: Abandoned Water Tower Nightclub in NYC

New York has a long history of hidden and illicit venues – one that did not stop when prohibition was lifted. For instance, this now-defunct venue inside a …
Click Here to Read More »»


Video Tours Take You Around the World in Just One Minute

Even if you can’t afford a trip around the world, these three short films will show you just what it is like to visit 11 countries in 44 days.
Click Here to Read More »»


Share on Facebook



[ By WebUrbanist in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Caught on Video: Illegal BASE Jump Off NYC Freedom Tower

Posted in Creativity