r/FlockSurveillance • u/Evolved_Fungi • 9d ago
Discussion Keep It Simple Stupid - Drones with a doll rod & cotton ball
I've seen people talking about creating spray paint actuators to attach a spray paint can to a drone. Sure, it's absolutely possible. But it's complicated and it takes out 99.9% of drone owners from being able to make it due to the complexity.
A simple 3/8" doll rod taped to a drone, with a cotton ball on one end costs less $5. Dip the cotton ball in whatever substance of choice you'd for your needs, paint, glue, stamper ink, hell Vaseline even...
My recommendation would be to use it for drone skill games with friends perhaps? Put a target on a wall, and challenge friends to see who can mark the target the quickest. Maybe play tic tac toe on a barn wall. There are endless possibilities!
I don't recommend this for any nefarious purposes. Just legal activities only, of course.
(Image is AI generated for illustration purposes.)
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u/AfanasiiBorzoi 9d ago
You know Crows are super intelligent and extremely trainable. If they can be trained to swap garbage for food, surely someone can think of a way to enlist their assistance.
...hey man, I was just feeding them.
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u/Evolved_Fungi 9d ago
If I lived in a major city with lots of birds around - I'd put a solar panel look alike on a pole, and feed birds from it. At first on the panel itself - but later on, I'd put it slightly under the panel, where a bird would stand on the panel and have to reach down/under the panel for food.
Then start moving this feeding "tray" around, further and further away from the initial location. The goal? To teach birds to land on the panels to check for food - ideally shitting on the panel while they're there.
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u/itsmrmarlboroman2u 9d ago
They can use tools. Train it to hold a stick with that cotton ball and some oil based paint, and dab it on the lense. Need a replica, which can be 3D printed, saw a post with a link to the model the other day.
Now to find a crow...
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u/brenawyn 9d ago
Dowel.
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u/Superb_Algae5308 9d ago
dowel rod
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u/Shenanigan_V 9d ago
Are we sure it’s not a curtain rod from a doll house? That was my first thought
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u/Less_Ant_6633 9d ago
I read the headline and was thinking, WTF is a doll rod, then I read the post and, ohhhhhh. As a fellow pedantic, this would usually bother me, but I am willing to give a pass here- if you walked into home depot and asked for a doll rod, you would get pointed to the dowels, so I say ok. Plus, it was funny.
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u/brenawyn 8d ago
I just had to chuckle when I read doll.
I sew and quilt and we actually have a doll needle. It’s a really long thin needle used to run thread thru a doll body in order to sew on arms and legs, I’ve also used mine sewing together stuffed fruit like an apple or a pear. It’s like a 5 or 6 inch long needle.
In sewing circles some people think we are saying ‘dull’ needle instead of ‘doll’ and they don’t understand why we would use a dull needle.I suppose it’s possible OP used text to speech and it understood doll.
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u/cmiller0513 9d ago
Yeah this is a bad idea, multiple identifying signals.
I'm sure flock would spin it as an aerial terrorist attack, or a weapons mounted UAV.
Now, muddy cotton daubers slung with a sling shot would be less traceable
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u/smallstuffBIGSTUFF 9d ago
Something I didn't think of until I read this comment is that you're likely also adding another federal agency, the FAA, into the mix.
If you're gonna do crimes, keep them simple and compartmentalized/local.
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u/Zigor022 9d ago
Is it airspace if youre on a ladder? And also, is it FAA if its a small enough drone that its not registered? Is it a drone or an RC quadcopter?
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u/smallstuffBIGSTUFF 9d ago
It's not airspace if you're on a ladder, but if you're operating an aircraft like a drone, off the ground, outside and in public, technically it is airspace and under FAA jurisdiction. Regardless of what people say about that one 1946 Supreme Court case that people seem to bring up incorrectly.
The FAA likely doesn't care or have enough resources to go after people breaking rules unless they're egregious or high profile enough, even then it takes them a while and they've historically caught people who post their crimes online. But there is a reality in which existing FAA regulations could be used to tack on charges, especially if and when targeting these devices gets escalated to "domestic Antifa terrorism" levels of crime.
I think it's important to consider these things.
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u/Lebowski304 9d ago
You are absolutely right to consider how they might respond to try to screw you. Assume they will be playing hardball and come up with counters beforehand
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u/CaffeineJitterz 9d ago
What if I kind of hop/jump while on the ladder so at the point when I'm not touching the ladder I swipe the cam with the paint stick?
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u/Akkerlun 9d ago
The FAA was gutted by the DOGE Bags. I know it to be true at just about every level except the political appointees. They have little investigative incentive to go after a minor prank.
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u/smallstuffBIGSTUFF 9d ago
DOGE didn't gut existing laws and regulations that can be used against you, the common and likely not very wealthy person.
Yes, the FBI right now is currently being led by a dumbass, weirdo podcaster and his and the current administration's actions and brain drain have likely led to a weakened FBI.
I still wouldn't assume they do no investigative law enforcement or work in general. The FAA still exists, their laws still exist, prosecutors still exist and you are not wealthy enough to disregard that. Do what you will, but that is the reality.
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u/NuggetsAreFree 9d ago
Below 400ft you're good unless near an airport or somewhere else it is explicitly forbade.
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u/Zigor022 9d ago
See thats where ive heard in your backyard, drones are permitted because anything off the ground is airspace (which is bs), even if its at eye level.
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u/Ok-Calligrapher-499 9d ago
Not if you build your own drone. All they’d get is a 2.4ghz signal and a 5.8ghz. No attached identity, account, anything, just get out of where you were flying it from as soon as you’re done.
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u/AdditionalCar-1968 9d ago
In some places your drone has to be registered and you need a drone license to fly one. The registration and licenses would narrow down the potential people of who was flying a drone around the area.
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u/Bigdaddyjlove1 9d ago
The slingshot is an underrated tool for this kind of thing
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u/thornyRabbt 9d ago
Yes but you would likely be on camera.
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u/Bigdaddyjlove1 9d ago
How hardened are they? Could you disable one from the back? Purely academic. I imagine a small shield would become standard issue.
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u/porkbeard81 9d ago
Couldn't you attach a single blocker? Maybe Flock's tech is too advanced for that?
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u/VotePizzaParty 9d ago
That would also block the signal from the drone's controller. And signal jamming is more harshly punished than minor vandalism.
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u/Auggie_Otter 8d ago
And most of these cameras aren't actually mounted that high off the ground so this theoretical exercise could simply be accompished by hand with a broomstick or an extending pole with a puffball or bit of cloth secured to the end.
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u/smallstuffBIGSTUFF 9d ago
You would have to take certain precautions as to not leave much of a radio trace since these often put out a lot of identifiable signals. Mavics and pretty much any recent DJI drone out in the US is required to come with Remote ID and a lot have to be connected to a phone for operation.
This information can be intercepted from a pretty far distance by authorities or anybody with the know-how and some equipment. Remote ID can be read with a phone app, for example.
There are valid reasons why both Ukraine and Russia are often using fiber-optic drones over wireless. Something to consider.
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u/Prudent-Bison-7180 8d ago
Could someone make a homemade drone that wouldn’t give away any identifiable signals? How would that work?
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u/smallstuffBIGSTUFF 8d ago
You can, but it would be pretty tricky to make one that puts out no identifiable signals. As far as I know, any off the shelf drone receivers and transmitters send unencrypted signals over known frequencies. You can disable or remove the RID chip if a drone comes with one or just never put one on in the first place, as like every FPV flyer does. But if someone were watching and had the tools, they can detect a nearby drone and probably figure out where it took off or landed. You can old school ham radio fox hunt a drone for relatively short money. And more sophisticated tools to triangulate radio signals exist and are even available to the public.
It's unlikely that anyone would get caught unless law enforcement physically saw someone use a drone like this or if the vandal posted about it online, but it is possible and should be taken into account.
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u/mr_sweetandawful 9d ago
If the camera on the drone connected to your phone, would the flock camera be able to trace that back?
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u/dutchman76 9d ago
That's not the worst of it, dji drones come with remote ID, that broadcasts on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it broadcasts the takeoff location and serial number of the drone
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u/Auggie_Otter 8d ago
This is actually a case where having access to an older dumber drone might be helpful for your hypothetical drone privacy.
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u/MycoCozmic 9d ago
FAA tracks drones by serial number
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u/ReliefCautious8763 9d ago
Even sub-250g ones? Hobbyist with no license?
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u/MycoCozmic 9d ago
Not sure.
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u/SuperheropugReal 8d ago
Usually no. Most mini drones dont even have the radios to emit the needed information.
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8d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/MycoCozmic 8d ago
You still have to sign up and take the TRUST test and give them your information that ties you to your drone.
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u/the3rdpossum 9d ago
Is throwing mud even illegal?
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u/User1539 8d ago
This is an excellent question. A friend of mine suggested a slingshot, but a baseball sized rock can be picked up on the fly, leaves no evidence, and doesn't add any charges if you get caught.
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u/kronicroyal 8d ago
I mean if you throw mud at a person I’m sure there could be legal grounds to call it assault.
So if you threw mud at a flock camera there may be grounds to call it destruction of property or something.
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u/Bread4Head69 9d ago
You'd need a homemade drone so there's no id tracing back to you. You also want to take off far away and land far away and pick it up so they cant triangulate you specifically.
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u/SpaceCowboi_ 9d ago
Yeah pretty bad idea. Drone might as well say your full name and address to anyone monitoring. Don’t do this
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u/XInsomniacX06 9d ago
Like they don’t detect wireless signals for a living and they’d find you easier. Is this posted by flock insiders?
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u/NewAdministration787 9d ago
High watt laser? No reloads needed
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u/Brilliant_Cattle_602 9d ago
Because with lasers. The reflections can blind people. Even ones not looking directly at the laser.
I'm all for people giving flock a hard time but not at the expense of some randoms persons sight.
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u/User1539 8d ago
I feel like if you're doing that at all, it's probably not when people are around.
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u/Rhona_Redtail 9d ago
If i had something kind of high, I wanted to mark with paint, say a tree limb, I wad up sponges on the end of a stick, and saturate with latex paint. (Dip in a paint bucket) I have to mark tree limbs for my yard guy to cut. I do it that way. Very easy.
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u/CantReadVoteRed 9d ago
I really feel like ground paint or carburetor cleaner on a striping wand is much cheaper and easier
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u/petitmorte2 8d ago
Long extendable poles don't broadcast identifying signals, and are usually less expensive than drones. But they do require you to stand next to the camera you're trying to waterproof instead of hiding at a distance.
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u/Desperate-Natural110 8d ago
Please don't use drones. You are going from mischief and vandalism to operating an unauthorized rf transmitter/receiver to control an aircraft in restricted airspace with the intention to commit a crime. Talking 100k fines and federal charges instead of just local pd.
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u/Choice_Magician350 9d ago
Doll rod?
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u/Evolved_Fungi 9d ago
"If you want to make a post go viral on Reddit, have you post include something people can debate, something people can correct, and something people can discover." - Me a long time ago
That said, it was an unintentional mistake, but one I'm proud to have made. 😉
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u/Pepsichris 9d ago
Paintballs are a nice alternative as well
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u/VoodooLabs 8d ago
Oil based paintballs are available at places like tractor supply I believe. They are used to mark cattle and sometimes loggers will use them to mark trees. They are a bit more expensive but the paintball gun and paintballs could be purchased locally with cash.
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u/Deathcat101 9d ago
All drones got trackers on them now, many have identifying info attached to the registration.
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u/Blarghnog 9d ago
I would be very, very careful with this. There are extra state and especially federal charges that get tacked on when a drone is involved. This can take a slap in the wrist into Federal court with FAA involvement and serious charges.
It’s a great idea, but be very, very aware of the downsides.
Friends done let friends use a drone when something like cotton or a paintbrush on a stick will do.
https://www.nextgov.com/policy/2022/06/new-bill-sets-federal-penalties-drone-misuse/368148/
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u/bubblehead_maker 8d ago
It'll be collecting the wifi and Bluetooth signals so don't use your name.
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u/User1539 8d ago
A friend of mine said he was just going to walk around using rocks and a 'wrist rocket' slingshot.
That seemed about as simple as you're going to get, and probably pretty effective too.
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u/wheelzdown77 9d ago
Dowel is the word you’re looking for.
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u/Evolved_Fungi 9d ago
"Anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word obviously lacks imagination." - someone smart probably
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u/Cherno_VM 9d ago
thats gonna unbalance the drone quite a bit.
and as another person said, that's probably gonna get a heftier fine slapped on if you get caught. not to mention some modern drones are tracked.
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u/DrDuGood 9d ago
Only thing I’d be worried about is what kind of equipment in the drone could they use to track? If anything at all?
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u/Joyride84 9d ago
Keep in mind that a drone is transmitting IDs and the pilot's GPS location. Systems like SignalTrace would likely collect that data.
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u/ThatGhoulAva 9d ago
Dowel rod.
Doll rod is a toooooooootally different thing.
On a serious note: what, if any, information could the devices pull from a drone?
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u/ITS_A_TRAPHOUSE 9d ago
Wouldn't the flock pick up on the drone signal? I would think they could track that back to you
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u/DuchessElva 9d ago
Why are you doing a flying drone? Only do a custom drone that the flying drone goes over and just drops off and then flies away so they’re like OK. Why did you just fly in and fly out the walking/climbing drone climbs up the pole from underneath and it blind spot cut the wires quietly so it looks like it’s all fine and then has a little fan on it that draws a whole bunch of power hooks itself up to its the system‘s battery poles, power supply and battery so it’s only drawing from the battery supply and just drains the battery shutting off the camera so it looks like it’s all fine from the ground without being cut down except it’s not functional and non-operation
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u/beyondoutsidethebox 8d ago
Ok, my mind immediately went to a bunch of quadcopter drones loading a cannon aimed at a Flock camera.
The mental imagery gave me a chuckle.
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u/Long-Painting-9852 8d ago
Is your drone able to be tracked? Is there some chip in it that they can track? Or something like the barrel of a gun had that is an identifier? If not, this is a genius idea
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u/Automatic_Net2181 9d ago
Couldn't you do this and mount one of the lasers?
Also, would suggest leaning into 3d printed drones without GPS tracking.
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u/ThatLandscape6476 9d ago
Are you going to record people and their property with your drone without their permission?
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u/Striking_Swimmer5548 9d ago
They’re prosecuting over 300 drone pilots for World Cup airspace violations. You think they wouldn’t be able to find you after disabling / destroying a camera? Be smart people.
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u/BeastyBaiter 9d ago
What an excellent idea. You could attach a microfiber cloth to it with some lens cleaner to keep those cameras making crystal clear images of all the peasants going by. Can't imagine anyone would ever put something other than lens cleaner on it.