Drones and the First Amendment

mavic3usa · May 1, 2025

How is a drone able to fly over or near a federal detention center?

This is an interesting story and as a big believer in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, I'm ok with this:

DRONE CAPTURES HEART-WRENCHING SOS FROM TEXAS DETAINEES FACING DEPORTATION

Drone Captures Heart-Wrenching SOS From Texas Detainees Facing Deportation

On April 28, 2025, a Reuters drone hovering over the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, recorded a chilling scene: 31 men in red and orange

dronexl.co

paulhackerllc · Friday at 11:07 AM

mavic3usa said:
How is a drone able to fly over or near a federal detention center?

This is an interesting story and as a big believer in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, I'm ok with this:

DRONE CAPTURES HEART-WRENCHING SOS FROM TEXAS DETAINEES FACING DEPORTATION

Drone Captures Heart-Wrenching SOS From Texas Detainees Facing Deportation

On April 28, 2025, a Reuters drone hovering over the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, recorded a chilling scene: 31 men in red and orange

dronexl.co

To use the “SOS” example in the article, all a drone does is highlight what the detainees want the onlookers to believe. It does not give creedence or validate whether they have a due process voice. How the writer can sway an audience is a complete different story.

I’m probably a bigger believer in the 1st and 2nd amendment than anyone here, but unless there is a way to prevent a drone pilot from dropping contraband into the prison yard, I don’t think we should be allowed to fly close to a prison without authorization. But, I have been wrong many, many times in my life. So, if anyone has a counter argument please let me know.

mneeze · Friday at 11:21 AM

The article seems to suggest that they received some sort of "approval" for the flight. Seems unlikely. I'm definitely interested in the logistics and legalities of the flight itself, and what authority(s) allegedly approved it. Thanks for the share.

HoozierDroneDaddy · Friday at 11:42 AM

I had two thoughts when I saw this. Last I knew flying over or near prisons was not permitted. However, the media or someone wanting a story would take the risk. The biggest concern I had is that this was planned on both sides, and possibly with someone inside the prison other than the detainees. Otherwise, how would the detainees know that drone was going to be there at that time enabling them to plan and set up the SOS signal at the same time the drone flew over?

mneeze · Friday at 11:46 AM

HoozierDroneDaddy said:
The biggest concern I had is that this was planned on both sides, and possibly with someone inside the prison other than the detainees.

Very plausible.

paulhackerllc · Friday at 12:24 PM

HoozierDroneDaddy said:
I had two thoughts when I saw this. Last I knew flying over or near prisons was not permitted. However, the media or someone wanting a story would take the risk. The biggest concern I had is that this was planned on both sides, and possibly with someone inside the prison other than the detainees. Otherwise, how would the detainees know that drone was going to be there at that time enabling them to plan and set up the SOS signal at the same time the drone flew over?

Exactly! Hell, it’s hard enough just to get two people to coordinate together, let alone enough to make an SOS sign. Totally planned ahead of time and I’ll put money on what political affiliation it was that planned it.