drones

[contender1]

"why do threads always have to get derailed, i started this to show the benefits of drones to property owners, specifically larger land owners that might need a way to check their own property."

My apologies for being part of the derailing.

Your post wasn't totally clear as to what you were trying to convey. And others made comments that caused me to put in my posts. Maybe you didn't realize the fact that not everyone has a lot of acreage that can easily benefit from a good device like a drone. Heck, my place is only about 30 acres,, and I use my drones to look it over.

I said I wouldn't post anymore about this. And I'll say I won't discuss my case anymore.

Again, my apologies for my part in the derail.

[Omega]

"why do threads always have to get derailed, i started this to show the benefits of drones to property owners, specifically larger land owners that might need a way to check their own property."

My apologies for being part of the derailing.

Your post wasn't totally clear as to what you were trying to convey. And others made comments that caused me to put in my posts. Maybe you didn't realize the fact that not everyone has a lot of acreage that can easily benefit from a good device like a drone. Heck, my place is only about 30 acres,, and I use my drones to look it over.

I said I wouldn't post anymore about this. And I'll say I won't discuss my case anymore.

Again, my apologies for my part in the derail.

Don't need much acreage, I use mine to fly the fence line on my 7.2 acres looking for trees or branches on it. Due to the terrain, it's much easier to do it that way instead of risking a twisted ankle or other injury, and I can target areas that need attention faster. Just got 30 acres and will use it there to scout trails and possibly to inspect my stands without needing to leave any scent.

[Minerat]

Keep it on topic please! Thank you.

Steve
Cast Boolits moderator

[Big Tom]

Sorry, but that is incorrect. FAA controls everything above ground. Try flying a drone in a prohibited space / altitude - special use airspace - (e.g. airport, military installation, white house etc.) and they will explain the details. Same if there is a temporary flight restriction, e.g. during President's visits.

The drone pilots can take videos and photos of your property as they please (some limitations regarding commercial use and "spying"/invading privacy e.g. by checking out bedrooms, but these are just reasons to sue the operator, not shoot anything down...). You have absolutely zero legal authority to shoot a drone down and unless the local law enforcement has no clue regarding this (quite common...), you will get into serious legal trouble.

Also, 400 ft altitude maximum altitude is not correct either. You are legally allowed to fly the drone 400 ft above any hill/mountain/building/tower etc., so when inspecting a 200 ft. tower, you are allowed to go up to 600 ft.

And yes, I am a licensed, commercial drone pilot and know what I'm talking about - take any legal action you want if you have a "drone problem", but I highly recommend not shooting it down and get caught doing it.

... Yes,, the FAA has "jurisdiction" over airspace. BUT,, over your own property, you have a 400 ft max altitude you can use to fly a private drone. The FAA has a 500 ft ceiling for airspace control.
And in my case,, the US Marshal & I discussed the airspace thing. The drone was WELL below 100 ft, AND videoing my property. And my property,, is a GUN RANGE. I said; "Hey,, I can't help it I missed the clay bird & hit a drone." He realized I had a strong argument for shooting it down. And as noted,, it was WELL across the property lines, onto my property.

But,, a drone can be fun. It can also be a great tool when used properly & legally. Checking crops, cattle, private inspection of your home, etc. All kinds of good uses.
But since we do have privacy laws, and trespass laws,, my actions were well within my legal rights.

[uscra112]

OK, a legal, licensed operator can fly his legal, registered drone can go anywhere, no matter how offensive it may be.

What about the unlicensed operators of unregistered drones? And please don't tell me there aren't a LOT of them. Just as there are thousands of criminals carrying guns illegally in every city. How do we defend ourselves against illegal droning by people with ill intent toward us?

[Big Tom]

Just does not make a whole lot of sense. Google Earth would have sufficient quality images readily available for almost any place on earth. Absolutely no need to send a drone. You stay with your believe that taking photos or videos of your property is a crime, it will most likely never become a problem for you - but be rest assured, you are incorrect.

....
Videoing my property is illegal. Privacy laws here....

[Big Tom]

Same thing - you can take legal actions, but not take law into your own hands. Same as if somebody peeks into your windows - calling the sherrif is fine, shooting that person not so much...

Also, check what is "illegal" - it might not line up with your understanding/hope of what it should be

To get back to the original question though - in the U.S., you are not allowed to fly any drone out of sight. As a licensed commercial drone pilot, you can apply for a "Part 107" waiver, that - if approved - would allow it. The best thing you could legally do is have an observer who keeps an eye on the drone and can tell you where it is, while you for example focus on the screen, or fly "FPV".

So, while many people do fly out of sight and most likely will not get into trouble doing so, it is not legal, so flying over a large property, that would technically be possible, but would not be legal...

OK, a legal, licensed operator can fly his legal, registered drone can go anywhere, no matter how offensive it may be.

What about the unlicensed operators of unregistered drones? And please don't tell me there aren't a LOT of them. Just as there are thousands of criminals carrying guns illegally in every city. How do we defend ourselves against illegal droning by people with ill intent toward us?

[uscra112]

Doesn't address my post at all. Let me put it this way - who enforces the requirement that drones be registered, and how? The way I see it, the situation now is like the cities where shoplifting under $1000 is not prosecuted. So shoplifting has become an industry. Ditto the offensive use of unregistered drones over other peoples' property by anonymous operators. Just calling the sheriff will never stop the offensive behavior, because the sheriff cannot do anything meaningful to the perpetrator even if by good luck he's caught red-handed.

What action does law enforcement take when an unregistered drone is flown onto the grounds of an airport, or a military base? Surely they don't just call the sheriff, and then grin and bear it.

In the not so recent past I had a guy blatantly trespassing on my property. When confronted he refused to identify himself. (I'm morally certain that he was working for a gas-well-drilling company.) He had to leave on my demand, because the sheriff could have arrested him had I pressed the issue. Had the guy used a drone, he would be immune? The ordinary property owner does not see that as justice.

Your law is going to have to catch up with our reality.

I propose that my Congressman introduce a law along the lines of deer hunting rules in my state: That I can use a shotgun, but not a rifle, to avoid the risk of "spare rounds" traveling far enough to do damage to my neighbors' person, property, or livestock. Fair enough?

[HollowPoint]

I just came across this thread about drones.

I recently started studying for the Part-107 Commercial Pilots license exam. Some of the information that one is required to learn is just brain-numbing but, if that's what it takes to get properly licensed to fly commercially and legally well, I guess I'll just have to study harder.

Right now, I own what many would consider a toy-drone. I bought it off of the Flea-Bay market sight a few years ago. I got scammed in a bait and switch Ebay listing. Long story short; I got my money back and I was allowed to keep the toy drone I had paid for.

Anyway, I've been using that toy drone to get acquainted with flying a drone. It's worked out ok but, unfortunately for me, this toy drone is so light weight that a sneeze or a fart thrown in the direction of the drone will knock it off course. Once I've passed my Commercial Pilot's license test, I'll be making a major upgrade. At this point in time, I see no reason to splurge on an expensive drone.

With the ever-changing rules and regulations of flying a drone, I think it would be wise for me to wait until after September. After that time frame the "Remote-ID" rule will go into effect which in my mind will mean that there will be a glut of very good used formerly high-priced drones on the market. If I don't buy new, I may be able to buy an excellent used commercially viable drone that I can simply retrofit with a remote ID transponder.

HollowPoint

[HollowPoint]

Doesn't address my post at all. Let me put it this way - who enforces the requirement that drones be registered, and how? The way I see it, the situation now is like the cities where shoplifting under $1000 is not prosecuted. So shoplifting has become an industry. Ditto the offensive use of unregistered drones over other peoples' property by anonymous operators. Just calling the sheriff will never stop the offensive behavior, because the sheriff cannot do anything meaningful to the perpetrator even if by good luck he's caught red-handed.

What action does law enforcement take when an unregistered drone is flown onto the grounds of an airport, or a military base? Surely they don't just call the sheriff, and then grin and bear it.

In the not so recent past I had a guy blatantly trespassing on my property. When confronted he refused to identify himself. (I'm morally certain that he was working for a gas-well-drilling company.) He had to leave on my demand, because the sheriff could have arrested him had I pressed the issue. Had the guy used a drone, he would be immune? The ordinary property owner does not see that as justice.

Your law is going to have to catch up with our reality.

I propose that my Congressman introduce a law along the lines of deer hunting rules in my state: That I can use a shotgun, but not a rifle, to avoid the risk of "spare rounds" traveling far enough to do damage to my neighbors' person, property, or livestock. Fair enough?

After September of this year, drone flyers flying a drone with a weight of more than .55 pounds will be required to have on their drones a remote-ID transponder. With this new transponder requirement, a person concerned about someone illegally flying a drone in their area can download an app that will be able to give them enough specific information about any drones flying in their vicinity that it will make it easier to track down the owner of the drone.

Armed with this information, presumably, you can contact the FAA or the police and the FAA to have the pilot of such a drone looked into.

As usual though, it seems that every one of life's hobby niches has its bad actors. What I mean is, in the same way that gun laws passed to try to stop the bad actors in the gun community from their illegal or dangerous behavior, the bad actors in the drone community will negatively affect the overwhelmingly larger number of legal drone owner/flyers.

They can pass all the laws they can think of, and it will never change the crooked behavior of those lives are lived around crooked behavior.

HollowPoint

[rancher1913]

hello, do i really need to repeat my above sentence. our town is NOT the place for arguments either way. guess you might as well lock it like you wanted to minerat.

[uscra112]

If not here, then where?

[Big Tom]

Is this arguing / a pointless discussion or the attempt to get clarity on what one can or should not be done? I don't see anything going personal...

The question was, if a drone is helpful monitoring private property, if it is at risk of being shut down while flying it and the OP wanted to stay "out of harms way". I think this got addressed well with explaining what current laws are and input was given to "stay out of harms way" by doing something illegal (shooting down a drone or flying out of sight).

Technically, all possible things, just not quite legal and if caught doing it, it could be a more severe thing than a speeding ticket.

hello, do i really need to repeat my above sentence. our town is NOT the place for arguments either way. guess you might as well lock it like you wanted to minerat.

[Minerat]

hello, do i really need to repeat my above sentence. our town is NOT the place for arguments either way. guess you might as well lock it like you wanted to minerat.

Sorry it happened Rancher. I'll close this thread as you request.