Crazy Neighbor and my Drone

[Droniac]

The Investigation Channel (ID) on cable has a show called "Fear Thy Neighbor". Most episodes end badly. The police are always called, its a he said/she said, sometimes cameras are used as evidence, but mostly, the guy with the gun ends up going to prison, and always, both families are destroyed.
The potential for conflict resolution exists, but seems to elude both parties.
There are neighbors who get into peoples faces given any perceived injustice, imagined or real. Mostly, it happens when they are seen with a beer in their hand, go figure.
When crazy knocks on my door, (it has happened), the police are notified. There is a RING doorbell that captures movement.
My drone experiences with the public, so far, have always been positive. When reading up on the local, state and federal ordinances, new restrictions are learned that were unknown before. In McAlester, Oklahoma, there is a "fence law" that states its illegal to fly above a property if the property has a fence. (A few years back anyway, maybe its changed now).
Anyway, good luck, stay safe.

Hard to believe that a ground backyard fence can justify “owning airspace” above it, etc. I believe it. I just think it worth a truck load of ridicule. And the FAA is ok with it.?… all the rules from state to state sadly seem a bit random. Although it’s a weak opinion on my part I suppose. Very confusing. Godspeed Droniac

 

[Droniac]

Flying over his house is an activity over which the FAA has sole jurisdiction......it is not a police matter...now if he comes to your house and gets abusive and threatening...that is a separate matter under the local police department's jurisdiction...iI don't think the cops even have any idea that flight logs exist...if it gets to the FAA...send them what they want...meantime ...get that RING doorbell...if you look into them I think you will see how useful it can be...i think I paid $129 each for mine...you do not have to "turn it on"....if he ( or anyone) shows up...it will be recorded automatically....just don't lose your cool, don't react at all......if you don't control yourself...you won't be able to control the situation

I’d say Mark wrapped that up ?? Godspeed, Droniac

 

[Aboveitall]

Mr. Mint: I'm a new member of this forum and have just owned a Mavic Air 2 drone for one week (birthday gift). Let me give you a different spin on this situation. I live in the country too. I have 18 acres of land. All properties around Chesbro Lake in Morgan Hill, California (very hilly terrain) have 10 to 20 acres min land (required because we surround a drinking water lake) and thus the residents are a mixture of "Off-grid" types to retired or semi-retired Silicon Valley types like me. A neighbor is selling his property. About one month ago I was taking my morning walk on my property (about a 1 mile of walking trails) with the dogs and a drone appeared overhead at I estimate 150' feet. It hovered there for 3 or 4 minutes. I felt "invasion of privacy", "shoot it down", WTF, "really", all of those emotions...and I have no young kids on the property or in the pool. Using my rational brain (what's left of it) I surmised that this drone was likely a realtor's photographer trying to capture the topography for a website presentation to sell my neighbor's house as it's going on the market. The drone camera wasn't likely pointed down at me but back down the hill toward my neighbor's house. I'm sure the pilot took off at 400' AGL but as he backed up the hill toward my house and at least 1000' horizontally onto my property he was now about 150' AGL. My property is my castle. If I had young kids in a pool and a drone hovering overhead I'd call the police immediately. And, given the poor behavior of some drone pilots (like any activity there are those that are conscientious and those that don't give a "S") I get how your neighbor might get extremely agitated--especially with young kids. This might not be the first time a drone has invaded his space (not your drone). And, worst case scenario, maybe a drone did hover over this guy's pool as a voyeur or someone with weird intent. So, in my humble opinion, de-escalate. Give it time. Stay far away from this guy. In the future there might be an opportunity to have a conversation that is not emotional and gets things back on track. If he is at your door again agitated--then someone could be flying drone around his property and I'd call the police immediately to mediate (and make sure he realizes it is not you but someone else). Emotional = irrational. Bad things can happen. Meanwhile, I think drone pilots should not wave the "this is my right" banner in people's faces. Be considerate; be conservative; follow rules and regulations; help educate; be sensitive to different situations; and, above all else, know your AGL! At the end of the day, it's not about right or wrong. We're engaged in a relatively new activity with very sophisticated aircraft that most people don't understand. Remember, missionaries were many times killed and eaten by the natives. Best with your situation. Allan

 

[Chaosrider]

I was recently approached by one of my neighbors that lives about 1000 feet away from me just down the road. He came to my front door and told me to stop flying over the top of his house. I don't know this person so I am dealing with a perfect stranger. I just want to mention that we live in the country and there are open fields both in front and back of my house. I usually fly in the front field with no problems. He informs me that I was looking at his kids in their back yard swimming pool at his house. If I don't stop flying over his house he will call the police.
I told him that I have not been do such thing but I would check my flight logs to be sure. I did check my logs and sure enough I had not even once come near his property. I told him that I am flying legally and then asked him to leave. He was quite an aggressive neighbor. My wife says to me that I should go and see him at his door and inform him that I have not flown over the top of his house but I think that I just don't want to get into another war. He never did call the police but I was ready with my flight logs if need be What would you do. Go see the neighbor with the flight logs or leave things alone. Any advice or opinion would be appreciated. Thank You Mr Mint

I'd let it go. Unless he comes to your door again making false claims, in which case *YOU* should call the cops!



TCS

 

[Chaosrider]

Just one more thing that I forgot to mention and that is I am somewhat nervous about this crazy neighbor and I am sure he will be spreading a lot of bad fake stories about me to a lot of people in the village. I suspect I will be known as the Man with the Drone. I really don't feel comfortable about this aspect. Any further comments? Thanks Mr Mint

Some pro-active good will might help. Perhaps visit your non-crazy neighbors, and/or your local LEOs, and cheerfully ask them if they would like a drone-demo. Alternatively, ask the non-craazy neighbors if any of your flying has bothered them, and assure them that you'll change your flight patterns if it does.

If nothing else, the responses that you get will give you some sense of what the community feeling is about drones generally.

Good luck!

TCS