this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2024
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Idk if anyone had a similar problem before, but I live in EU by the countryside, at first there were only a few but now it happens more and more often to see drones passing over my house, I am sure they are civilian drones because law enforcement has no reason to use them since the area is quiet (and honestly I doubt they would be able to do so), however it bothers me enough to know that there are people who get over the fence and enter my property going to look at what they want, does anyone have any advice on what to do?

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago (4 children)

I'm not sure for the EU but in the USA the airspace above your private property is public domain and since drones are classified as aircraft they are entitled do fly over your property just as an airplane or helicopter might. When a drone is being used to record and surveillance it depends on local jurisdiction.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Almost. Any drone that weighs more than .55lbs must be registered with the FAA and as part of that it is required to be compliant with RemoteID. RemoteID requires the drone to broadcast both its identification and location of the control station.

If it's being operated over a home then it will almost certainly have to follow the rules on Operation Over People and those can be quite restrictive, especially for drones that weigh more than .55lbs.

There ARE Federal Rules for this in the United States, drone operators cannot legally fly any type of drone anywhere they want at any time.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago

If it's being operated over a home then it will almost certainly have to follow the rules on Operation Over People and those can be quite restrictive, especially for drones that weigh more than .55lbs.

That is incorrect... If you actually read the law you are trying to reference you will learn it's a prohibition on flying over "open-air assemblies of people" and if you read the final rule report (found on the very bottom of the page you linked under resources) on page 128 & 129 you will see how the FAA classifies "open-air assemblies of people".

The FAA received a few comments addressing the proposal to prohibit Category 3 operations over open-air assemblies of people. One commenter recommended the FAA clarify what it means by an “assembly of people” and provide a quantity or density of people that constitute a significant risk. The FAA has declined to define this term by regulation; rather, the FAA employs a case-by-case approach in determining how to apply the term “open-air assembly.”58 Whether an operational area is an open-air assembly is evaluated by considering the density of people who are not directly participating in the operation of the small unmanned aircraft and the size of the operational area. Such assemblies are usually associated with public spaces. The FAA considers some potential examples of open-air assemblies may include sporting events, concerts, parades, protests, political rallies, community festivals, or parks and beaches during certain events. Some potential examples that are less likely to be considered open-air assemblies include individual persons or families exiting a shopping center, athletes participating in friendly sports in an open area without spectators, individuals or small groups taking leisure in a park or on a beach, or individuals walking or riding a bike along a bike path, but whether an open-air assembly exists depends on a case-by-case determination based on the facts and circumstances of each case.

While the FAA refused to strictly give a definition, what was provided is enough to construed that private property does not constitute an "open-air assemblies of people".

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (2 children)

There is a reasonable expectation of privacy though. It's the cameras that make it illegal, not the drone intruding in the first place

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

That is incorrect on a federal level, your milage may vary with city/country/state laws. Federally in the United States the right to reasonable expectation of privacy does not extend to outside of your house per Hester v. United States, 265 U.S. 57 (1924). The government is allowed to surveil you from public airspace without a warrant per Florida v. Riley, 488 U.S. 445 (1989).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There's only a reasonable expectation of privacy in private. As the courts have ruled many times, it's something is visible from the street or from the air, it's probably not private.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (2 children)

No expectation of privacy from the street, yes, at any elevation, sure. But if youre flying a drone over my property within the private airspace I own, that is trespassing

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

How far up do you own, I didn't release anyone owned space above their place.?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

In the United States that is not true. The airspace above your private property is only sorta yours. You are entitled to do whatever you like with the airspace however you do not have the right to dictate what can fly through your airspace.

Since drones are classified as aircraft by the FAA they are entitled to transit the navigable airspace just as a manned airplane might [1]

Navigable airspace is defined in 'public law 85-726 -AUG. 23, 1968'

"Navigable airspace" means airspace above the minimum altitudes of flight prescribed by regulations issued under this Act, and shall include airspace needed to insure safety in take-off and landing of aircraft.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

In most parts of the EU you're not allowed to fly over private property.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Actual airplanes must have a hell of a time abiding by that rule then.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Addendum: drone licenses and permits doesn't allow you to fly over private property or main roads.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Yes I meant drones, not airplanes or helicopters.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 week ago

If I remember the rules correctly you are allowed to fly over private property as long as it isn't fenced off. You cannot overfly buildings without permission. You can take pictures of private property without permission as long as they don't contain anything personally identifiable (ie. don't take pictures of people, but no people is fine).

[–] AA5B 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This is the first search result that came up for me, and claiming the opposite

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

That site is full of false claims with zero sources to back up those claims which is pretty funny seeing as that article is claiming to be written by a retired corporate attorney. The site is also chocked full of SEO tricks which is possible why it was the first result that came up for you. For example on 5. the word drone is stealthily a link to another irrelevant article about drone deliveries on a different as sketchy site. Link hiding is a well known trick to gain the system and bump up your page.