A remote pilot is filming solo at a public park for a YouTube travel channel. The flight began with a clear area below. Partway through the mission, 15 spectators gather directly beneath the drone at 120 feet AGL to watch. The pilot wants to finish the planned shot. What is the correct course of action?
Why →Regardless of how the flight began, when a crowd gathers beneath the aircraft the remote PIC must immediately eliminate the overhead hazard. The pilot cannot continue overflying the gathered spectators, even briefly. The correct action is to maneuver laterally away, then evaluate options: ask bystanders to relocate, reposition the shooting area, or terminate the mission.
The trap →'Finishing quickly' accepts a real hazard to avoid operational inconvenience. A 15-second continuation overhead a crowd is not meaningfully safer than a 60-second one. Bystander verbal consent does not satisfy Part 107. § 107.39 sets firm rules about operating over people.
Field note →For public area shoots where crowds may gather, plan a 'crowd appears' contingency before launch: an alternate camera position, a designated clear zone, or a procedure to redirect spectators. Flying at a park is inherently attention-getting. A crowd-management plan is part of professional preparation.