Is this photo, taken from a plane, illegal ?

[susaan]

Taken over Indonesian airspace,last month.

I'm asking generally,as we also travel by air internationally, ,and understood it was fine,since my camera has no wifi ,etc,abilities.
I would have put the camera away,had I been requested to do so by cabin crew - but none that saw me use it commented.
Can my camera really interfere with radar,etc ?
I hear all kinds of rumors about"only above 1000 feet","only if the cabin crew allows" etc,and would like to know where I stand,legally speaking .

[jetrim]

Only time I've EVER been hassled about a camera was inside the terminal at Sheremetyevo II in Moscow, and that was just the usual local cops trying to shake down the Americanyetz for money, pretty standard in those days. Regarding electronic devices, the reason they don't want you to use them is because they can overpower other voice radio transmissions (especially on the ground), NOT because they mess with the instruments. I-pods, laptops, cell phones, etc all produce radio waves, that's one of the main reasons they ask you to turn them off and put them away. I'm pretty sure your camera doesn't fall into that category. I would expect the worst that would happen is that they demand you stow it. I've taken a lot of photos on a lot of commercial flights with digital as well as film cameras and have never been bothered by any authority figure.

[SmartWombat]

Can my camera really interfere with radar,etc ?

Almost certainly not.
You are on the inside of a Faraday cage and the radar is on the outside.
Probably over 25 maybe 30 metres away.
And your camera has a metal body shell ?
Interference from the camera's CPU should be negligible, interference from the display may be measurable inside the cabin, but not outside.
Should be similar to a cellphone in "flight safe mode" or games playing mode.

Legally, I have no idea. Some countries used to have really paranoid seeming restrictions about photography in their airspace. Particularly if the airport also shares space with a military airfield (Greece comes to mind).

But from the electronic compatibility point of view, would be no problem.

Now if every passenger had their cellphone on, or every passenger had a camera, (or even both) then that is a different proposition if you add up the number of electronic devices you could have on a 747.

Once the door is closed, then the cellphones may pump up the TX power in response to the lower RX signal, that's a maximum of 2WERP each handset I think. Think of a roomful of people trying to shout to someone outside ... that would interfere with things I'm sure.

The rules are not made for the one, but for the many.

[SmartWombat]

I've taken a lot of photos on a lot of commercial flights with digital as well as film cameras and have never been bothered

Me neither.
Sometimes using two cameras

[AnthonyH]

99.9999% of electronics will not interfere with the aeronautics. They are so shielded that almost nothing will bother them, it's an urban legend, like cell phones causing gas pumps to blow up.

[Frog]

Yes, Susan! And the KGB and CIA, secret service and MI6 will be knocking on your door tonight!

[susaan]

Many thanks,guys,

I feel morally ok with it,and will try to keep out of trouble by complying with anyone in authority,but keep shooting !

Yes, S.W, my camera has a metal body - really appreciate the info.

Seriously,AnthonyH ? - I watched a fight break out,last week,cos a guy tried to use his phone in a gas station !
- The problems seem to be as much with uninformed,self-designated "watchdog" members of the public acting on the latest rumors as over-zealous security guards.

[susaan]

Yes, Susan! And the KGB and CIA, secret service and MI6 will be knocking on your door tonight!

Hope they like thousands of photos of cats....