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We are having a heated debate in our neighborhood. One of our neighbors is flying their drone with a camera over and around the houses in our subdivision. This is ticking off some of the neighbors. Just for background, our subdivision is a non HOA with all of our lots being 1/2-1 acre in size.
Some of the neighbors are saying their home ownership rights extend up vertically and that the neighbor's camera drone is infringing on the home owner's privacy.
I really don't care but my hubby said "What if some neighbor flew their drone past the high bathroom window we have (that has no curtain treatments on because it's too high) and you or one of our kids were getting out of the tub or shower?"
If it were low enough I'd spray it with the hose. High enough I'd fry the bas tar d's camera with a high-intensity laser (I've actually done this. If it were legal I'd just blow it out of the air with the shotgun but I'm in the city so I can't.
A similar discussion came up a while ago on another board one ofm y buddies is on and he proposed cooking them with a herf gun made out of a discarded microwave. Draw your own conclusions.
You don’t necessarily own all of the air rights above your property. But generally, you do own the immediate air rights surrounding the top of your home.
This concept has mostly disappeared from American courts in the 21st century, now that common electrical wires and pipes run under our homes, and aircraft fly above them.
Legislation has not yet caught up with new drone technology – small hovering crafts that can fly far closer to your home than an aircraft.
Killing the drone might get you into deeper trouble with the police for criminal mischief.
Contact the neighbor and tell him about your concerns. Ask politely to please refrain from flying the drone over your property -- suggest that the neighbor fly it, perhaps, in a public park or simply hover it over his own backyard. He might not know that his action is annoying or even illegal.
Next time take pictures of the drone, it might make him think twice to fly it close to your home.
The vast majority of neighbors will stop annoying conduct when asked nicely.
Try that first, and come back if he doesn't stop this behavior.
Vermont had a court case come up on that a few years back, where the drone was used to gather evidence in a court case. The legal opinion was that if the homeowner had posted "no trespassing" signs in compliance with the law, that it extended to drones spying on the homeowner, whether inside property boundaries or not. It came down to privacy rights and an assumption of privacy within a properly maintained property.
IIRC, Federal aviation rights begin at about 500 ft in most cases.
Downing a drone would be illegal. Having a personally owned drone over your own property that accidentally intercepted a neighbor's drone might be perceived as a form of "death by misadventure."
Downing a drone would be illegal. Having a personally owned drone over your own property that accidentally intercepted a neighbor's drone might be perceived as a form of "death by misadventure."
Actually that's where a high-power laser would be a good compromise. It (probably) wouldn't take it down but if targetted right it would overload the camera and potentially destroy the sensor.
Agreed on the "no trespassing" argument. The airspace above someone's private property (up to the federal altitude boundary) is still someone's private property and nobody has the right to take uninvited aerial photographs within that protected space. At what point does the law consider it voyeurism or peeping tom?
I'd get together with my neighbors and find a way to kill it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ttark
If it were low enough I'd spray it with the hose. High enough I'd fry the bas tar d's camera with a high-intensity laser.
You both make neighbors I wouldn't want to even know. What happened to a simple approach and a conversation? Something bothers you - voice your concern. Don't act like a hateful simpleton who can only solve problems with a force.
It has nothing to do with calling people immature names like "hateful simpleton". Don't want problems? Don't intentionally cause problems that violate my privacy, like flying your RC helicopter over my private property. That's pretty simple isn't it? If you can't do that then there will be consequences, like I would expect if I were to do that to you. Like it or not That's how it works here in America.
If you don't want a fight then don't do things that provoke one.
Mind your own business and don't spy on me and we'll get along as neighbors perfectly.
Check your local city or town ordinances. More and more cities, and at least 33 states, have drone laws. There are also federal regulations. If you happen to live within 5 miles of an airport, it's illegal to fly them.
Guess what's going to happen to any drone that's close enough to hover near my windows?
BTW, I have no problem with Channel 13's news drone. They make sure it's flown at the legal height and aren't playing peek-a-boo with my bathroom windows.
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