Drone Privacy - Is it ok to fly over peoples houses (UK)

jontracey · Jul 28, 2017

In a follow up to my video earlier this week, I created a video on the section 4 of the drone code, specifically to answer the question is it ok to fly over peoples houses. Love to get your feedback.

ps. even kept it under 2.5 minutes for the reddit crowd as their attention spans are not the best

gremlin16 · Jul 28, 2017

Interesting point. I had actually taken it to mean no over fly. Having watched your video and looked at the diagram, I'm inclined to agree.

Disclaimer: my experience level - owned a drone for 5 days

4wd · Jul 28, 2017

Technically you shouldn't unless they agree.
In practice quickly passing over at some height is unlikely to be a problem.
Hovering close by even if recording the other way is likely to arouse suspicion if not hostility.
It would feel a bit worrying if you saw someone else apparently recording your house deliberately - though if it were an attractive building it probably gets photographed often anyway.

jontracey · Jul 28, 2017

4wd said:
Technically you shouldn't unless they agree.
In practice quickly passing over at some height is unlikely to be a problem.
Hovering close by even if recording the other way is likely to arouse suspicion if not hostility.
It would feel a bit worrying if you saw someone else apparently recording your house deliberately - though if it were an attractive building it probably gets photographed often anyway.

Lets separate into two things, firstly I was trying to address the "are you allowed to do it" and from the information posted by CAA and NATS I think the answer is yes.

The "should" you do it, thats a different issue and open to everyone to debate, I agree we should be sensitive to others, don't upset people un-necessarily, and generally try to be a good citizen, so just because you are allowed to do something does not automatically mean you should on every occasion.