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I don't care if people fly their little man toys around my neighborhood but I did get upset when this guy down the block hovers hsd drone 15-20ft above my son's head as he's playing in my fenced in backyard. He was up there a good 20 minutes just hovering, watching. I confronted the losers and now they only hover over the other neighbors kids.
Only 15-20 feet? I'dh ave just gotten out the hose.
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?"
Hmmm. That gave me a bit of pause.
What say you?
In TEXAS that is illegal because of not just Federal legislation but also legislation passed by the state last year
I don't know what the laws of Colorado might have to say about it...
What is also illegal is taking any action personally to drop the drone...
People are upset because they're new and unfamiliar. In a friendlier time, they'd be curious and go ask the neighbor and talk to him about it, let him show off his new toy.
We use it for our real estate business. It takes nice wide-angle shots of the property and the house and the general layout of the neighborhood and surrounding area. That's it - it's not going to see anything happening in any detail unless it is close enough to grab it. Honest.
I'm a drone writer and expert. There are a number of issues which are relevant here.
First, as you say, is "new and unfamiliar". I live in Rhode Island (the island) which I think is 26 square miles. From ANYWHERE on the Island I can hear planes spin up and take off at the local airport. They often fly overhead fairly loud (sightseeing, etc.) even tho I am 3 miles from the airport. Do you think people call the airport and complain? Of course not.
Same goes with roads. The island has two main highways which extend N/S. I'd say that well over 50% of the Island can open their doors and windows in the morning and hear the rush-hour traffic. Do any of them complain to.....the state? The car makers?
To say nothing of lawn mowers and assorted other machines (trash trucks) which are part of daily life.
Now - let's talk about the drones. ALL of the laws in place about peeping toms, disturbing the peace and/or anything else of that nature apply.
In a general sense, people should NOT fly over populated areas. Period. Camera drones are not designed for just "flying around the neighborhood and seeing what they can do". They are to take aerial photos and videos. So it's one thing if they fly high over your property on the way to the beach which you border, etc. - and quite another if they are just doing loops around the general subdivision.
YOU DO NOT OWN YOUR AIRSPACE - NOT EVEN ABOVE THE TOP OF A BLADE OF GRASSS. That is according to the FAA. So your local town, county or even state cannot change that. I refer back to all the other laws which cover anyone hassling you on your property.
Just for kicks, let's say a neighbor builds a 3 story house with a roof deck. With a zoom cam or telescope he gets pictures 10X as good as a drone. He has full rights to take those pics - but if he takes 20 of them close up of you in your bikini at your pool you can probably call the authorities (although maybe not...depends somewhat on whether you are a public figure, celebrity, etc.).
Now - let's get back to common sense. As a pro and licensed drone pilot and author, I try to maintain at least 150 feet and usually 200 feet above any residential properties I have to fly over (on the way somewhere else). That is considered reasonable.
There is only one case in the history of the SCOTUS which addresses personal airspace - and it really doesn't address the airspace, more the noise and hassle. This was a case where the military was flying over said property as low as 100 feet. They determined that the homeowner was due some compensation for the noise and PITA of it.
"it nullified the doctrine that property extends indefinitely upward."
Drones, of course, do not create the noise and other problems of an actual plane flying at 83 feet (the SCOTUS case)....
In current situations, 150-200 feet...where a drone would be hard to see or hear and where any picture would be similar to that of a cell phone from the same height - is a good standard to use.
If this dude is lower regularly I would get a couple neighbors together and write him a nice certified letter saying that unless he stays above 150-200 feet you are going to hire an attorney or else hassle him constantly by calling the Police.
A drone for real estate photos? Sure, since it involves a designated property.
A drone for photos over public land? Heck no, since a large number of drone owners will lose their units and end up polluting the countryside.
How about horse poop on public lands? How about human waste? How about plastic kayaks and thousands of other things made of plastic that often get destroyed in the streams, waters, etc. and then left there?
How about fishermen who leave amazing amounts of hooks, floats, lines, nets, traps, etc. at the bottom of every waterway in the USA?
There are already laws keeping drones out of national parks and most nature preserves but not all "public lands". Public lands (such as local baseball fields when not being used, etc.) are often the best place to fly drones.
The real key is that, in most cases, drones are not for taking pictures of loads of people. I always try to fly when no one is around. Drones really don't mix with highly populated areas.
If drones do not have identifying numbers then they should not be protected under FAA laws. If they 'fall' into your yard? Finders, keepers. You may remember that model airplanes never were allowed to fly over random houses. They always had clubs that rented space in open fields. When a kid built a smaller version, he always flew it in his own back yard or found an open field somewhere for a short flight. Made sense.
A drone for real estate photos? Sure, since it involves a designated property.
A drone for photos over public land? Heck no, since a large number of drone owners will lose their units and end up polluting the countryside.
Except they are protected and under the jurisdiction of the FAA. All drone owners over, essentially, the smallest size are required to register them with the FAA. Also, "Finders Keepers" is a great way to catch a theft charge. I've dealt with people just like you before, its amazing how fast property is returned to its rightful owner when handcuffs come out. P.S. I am not defending drone owners, but I am going to let you know that just because you find them 'annoying' does not give you some kind of made up authority to steal, attempt to damage, or otherwise harass or threaten someone utilizing a drone.
How about horse poop on public lands? How about human waste? How about plastic kayaks and thousands of other things made of plastic that often get destroyed in the streams, waters, etc. and then left there?
How about fishermen who leave amazing amounts of hooks, floats, lines, nets, traps, etc. at the bottom of every waterway in the USA?
There are already laws keeping drones out of national parks and most nature preserves but not all "public lands". Public lands (such as local baseball fields when not being used, etc.) are often the best place to fly drones.
The real key is that, in most cases, drones are not for taking pictures of loads of people. I always try to fly when no one is around. Drones really don't mix with highly populated areas.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
BTW, although human and horse poop are disagreeable to most, at least they are rapidly biodegradable. Batteries are considered hazardous waste.
Public lands such as baseball fields can set their own rules. Highways, canyons, beachfront, etc. need to be protected. Can you imagine driving 65 mph on a highway and having a drone come right at you? Of course not. Citizens need some guidance and they/we need it now.
Except they are protected and under the jurisdiction of the FAA. All drone owners over, essentially, the smallest size are required to register them with the FAA. Also, "Finders Keepers" is a great way to catch a theft charge. I've dealt with people just like you before, its amazing how fast property is returned to its rightful owner when handcuffs come out. P.S. I am not defending drone owners, but I am going to let you know that just because you find them 'annoying' does not give you some kind of made up authority to steal, attempt to damage, or otherwise harass or threaten someone utilizing a drone.
You mean innocent little old ladies who pale when you bully them? Finders keepers just refers to an old nursery saying, whereby children were encouraged to keep track of their stuff. Sheesh.
Except that's not the context how you used the "old nursery saying" but your back peddling is amusing throwing in 'little old ladies' to try and play the victim when you were advocating the theft of peoples property before just because you find said property annoying.
Except they are protected and under the jurisdiction of the FAA. All drone owners over, essentially, the smallest size are required to register them with the FAA. Also, "Finders Keepers" is a great way to catch a theft charge. I've dealt with people just like you before, its amazing how fast property is returned to its rightful owner when handcuffs come out. P.S. I am not defending drone owners, but I am going to let you know that just because you find them 'annoying' does not give you some kind of made up authority to steal, attempt to damage, or otherwise harass or threaten someone utilizing a drone.
The registration requirement for private individuals was thrown out in court and no longer applies.
FAA "ownership" of airspace is a misnomer. Objects that interfere with aviation, such as tall antennae, are regulated. The idea that the FAA has control over everything above grass level is as unenforceable a bit of nonsense as the EPA having jurisdiction over your backyard water fountain.
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