Are you liable if someone else uses your media for commercial purposes without your permission?

[Droning on and on...]

Simply an idea that occurred to me, thought I'd throw it out there...

Suppose your a recreational pilot, no 107 cert. You have a YT channel where you post amazing video and pictures, all captured in compliance with local, state, and FAA regulations. People love your channel.

Someone downloads/captures some of your media, and uses it for their own commercial purposes without your permission or knowledge. You find out, contact them, and demand that they cease and desist, remove your media, never use it again, and do not have permission to do so.

They ignore you.

What's the legal standing of that media and its use? Are you somehow legally liable, and in jeopardy of the FAA coming after you? Is the "thief" legally liable for the FAA violation?

While you may have a legitimate civil complaint against the other party, you decide it isn't worth the time and expense to pursue it. Can the FAA force you to?

 

[mavic3usa]

FAA regulates drone flights.
FAA does not regulate drone media and its usage.

 

[Rchawks]

How can that not be considered Theft?

 

[Felix le Chat]

In the UK this would fall under the Copyrights & Patents Act, I'm sure there's a similar legislation in the US.

It's always important to register copyright ownership in the properties of any still or video file before it's posted on any platform. It's the authors first line of defense.

If the media (still or video) has been copied and used by an unauthorized individual: the owness for that infringement lies with the copyright thief.

If the video clip illustrates a flagrant infringement of Aviation Authority regulations: the author of the clip is still responsible for the illegal action.

Arguing against that would be like blaming the whistleblower for the actions of the individual or corporation that broke the law in the first place.