Harassed by homeowner

[Mpb4mavic]

While flying my mavic 2 pro around an oceanfront hotel for a real estate agent's photos, an individual began trying to grab my attention by shouting, "hey you with the drone - what are you doing?" My first instinct (most likely the correct one) was to ignore him. After his incessant yelling, I looked up and stated i was doing RE work. The confrontation then proceeded to, "youre not allowed..." etc. This individual was clearly hostile and trying to have a shouting match from his balcony. Luckily, I had just finished up and was heading to my car. He quickly ran into his unit, as if to either call someone or grab a gun! I calmly loaded up and drove off. I was within an authorized airspace and not flying near anyone's unit. Can tenants or HOAs arbitrarily forbid you from flying and doing your job?

 

[shb]

Hopefully nothing will become of it. People just like to complain for no reason.

 

[Cafguy]

Can tenants or HOAs arbitrarily forbid you from flying and doing your job?

NO You cannot make rules on your private property that infringe on other peoples rights. Never mind the fact that the airspace is regulated federally and is not on their property. I have a handout I give to people, outlining their concerns and in big bold red numbers I put the police contact number. Its always best to contact the police if someone starts acting confrontational.

 

[Vic Moss]

Can tenants or HOAs arbitrarily forbid you from flying and doing your job?

Simple answer: Nope!

More complicated answer: Nope!!!

Best way to handle something like this is to tell them to call cops if they have a problem. Then keep flying.

 

[MS Coast]

While flying my mavic 2 pro around an oceanfront hotel for a real estate agent's photos, an individual began trying to grab my attention by shouting, "hey you with the drone - what are you doing?" My first instinct (most likely the correct one) was to ignore him. After his incessant yelling, I looked up and stated i was doing RE work. The confrontation then proceeded to, "youre not allowed..." etc. This individual was clearly hostile and trying to have a shouting match from his balcony. Luckily, I had just finished up and was heading to my car. He quickly ran into his unit, as if to either call someone or grab a gun! I calmly loaded up and drove off. I was within an authorized airspace and not flying near anyone's unit. Can tenants or HOAs arbitrarily forbid you from flying and doing your job?

No, they can't. I have friends who are insurance agents who have had similar experiences while shooting photos with a camera to document a new policy. It's not exclusively a drone issue. Telling them what you're doing will end most situations. Apply @Vic Moss's suggestion for the rest.

 

[Palenshus]

NO You cannot make rules on your private property that infringe on other peoples rights. Never mind the fact that the airspace is regulated federally and is not on their property. I have a handout I give to people, outlining their concerns and in big bold red numbers I put the police contact number. Its always best to contact the police if someone starts acting confrontational.

IF your handout is not 'proprietary', I (and I bet a lot of others in our community) would really love to duplicate what you have found to be successful - if you don't mind sharing. Thanks for posting a file, picture, or your words... like a pdf document... Thanks again.

 

[BigAl07]

A single "tenant" can't do anything other than try to call LE etc.

On the other hand, the HOA can restrict your access (physically) to the property and make it a lot more complicated but they can't stop you from flying "over" their property only FROM their property.

It's probably a good thing you left when you did as to not escalate it into something more that could have repercussions.

 

[BobaFut]

No, they can't. I have friends who are insurance agents who have had similar experiences while shooting photos with a camera to document a new policy. It's not exclusively a drone issue. Telling them what you're doing will end most situations. Apply @Vic Moss's suggestion for the rest.

Yep, not exclusively a drone issue (although people may be more likely to react to a drone). I worked for a property management company and occasionally had to go take exterior photos of our units and would get renters or neighbors coming out to ask me what I was doing. Although none of these escalated, they always started with at least a hint of hostility.

 

[Paul Harvey]

...I have a handout I give to people, outlining their concerns and in big bold red numbers I put the police contact number. Its always best to contact the police if someone starts acting confrontational.

Does it work? What's it say?

 

[TonyPHX]

This happens quite often when doing commercial drone work. You are the visitor to their neighborhood and they know you do not belong there. The hostility can usually be addressed with just being professional and stating your business and when you are going to be finished. Of course, some people are unreasonable and cannot be dealt with. In this case, just make sure all of your facts and right to fly are in order.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I live in in HOA an surprisingly they do have a lot more power and authroity that I had thought.
About 7 years ago , I had to get myself on the board so I could ask to fly my drone from my deck and there very quick to sue , an take pictures but no guns.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water, an make friends with Neighbors.

 

[Hands Down]

I wonder if these folks, as they're enjoying their TV programs that all contain drone footage, are constantly calling Netflix, HBO, etc. to question whether they were allowed to capture that arial footage. Hmm, I bet most of them don't. Somehow it's OK unless they are personally in the vicinity. [Comment removed by ADMIN]

 

[Cafguy]

Does it work? What's it say?

Yes it works very well along with calmly telling the person why I am flying, My phone number, along with an apology for upsetting them. Stating I will do all I can do to stay away from them and their property and if they are still upset the local police dept. number and contact info. [If you have contacted them prior} {good practice} If working in a populated area I usually contact the police Beforehand and give them a heads up. The page also states the penalties for downing my drone or causing me to lose control.

 

[BobaFut]

You are the visitor to their neighborhood and they know you do not belong there.

This is not how public space or, just like, society in general works (at least on paper). To accept it is to believe that people who reside near a certain public space have particular rights to that public space, to include the right to exclude others. Drone pilots are like, 9,874 on the list of people this mentality is harmful for, but if you concede that you're a visitor to others' (public) space, then you concede that they can dictate your lawful conduct in that space.

 

[DARKSeifer]

That's why I never take off from the place I want to take pictures from. In my case karens may hear/see the drone, but they have no one to shout at from their balcony.

Then at some point the drone flies away, and I haven't even noticed how many karens I've pissed off nor I've been interrupted by some shouting maniac.

PS: I learned this quite early with the Mini 2, when I was doing some photos of the damage of a facade for the owner of a building, but when I went home to process the images I saw on the local Facebook group that someone had called the police because a drone peeping through the windows (the building in front of the one that I was taking the pics, so the drone wasn't even facing the windows), ha, nevermore. Funny thing, I was right there under the building, the only time I've flown VLOS in my life.

Now whenever you see my drone you have to find me in a 3Km radius, good luck with the karen app

 

[mobilehomer]

This is not how public space or, just like, society in general works (at least on paper). To accept it is to believe that people who reside near a certain public space have particular rights to that public space, to include the right to exclude others. Drone pilots are like, 9,874 on the list of people this mentality is harmful for, but if you concede that you're a visitor to others' (public) space, then you concede that they can dictate your lawful conduct in that space.

I agree with your sentiment, but a HOA is not a public location.

 

[BigAl07]

This is not how public space or, just like, society in general works (at least on paper). To accept it is to believe that people who reside near a certain public space have particular rights to that public space, to include the right to exclude others. Drone pilots are like, 9,874 on the list of people this mentality is harmful for, but if you concede that you're a visitor to others' (public) space, then you concede that they can dictate your lawful conduct in that space.

HOA isn't "Public Property" at least it isn't in the state of NC. Maybe it's difference other places but in NC, if it's HOA property it is genuinely "Private Property" and you can be removed/restricted by the HOA.

 

[Droning on and on...]

This is not how public space or, just like, society in general works (at least on paper). To accept it is to believe that people who reside near a certain public space have particular rights to that public space, to include the right to exclude others. Drone pilots are like, 9,874 on the list of people this mentality is harmful for, but if you concede that you're a visitor to others' (public) space, then you concede that they can dictate your lawful conduct in that space.

There's the law, and there's social custom. You won't go to jail or pay fines for ignoring the latter, but you can find yourself in a bigger world of metaphorical hurt if you do.

It's why people refer to "their neighborhood" as if it's a possession, and why strangers get treated differently.

Just as you have a right to be there, the locals have a right to be unfriendly to you. There are ways to defuse this natural human behavior, even turn it around to friendly encounters.

Hint: It doesn't include making statements and demands about the rights you have in their neighborhood.

 

[anotherlab]

HOA property is private property and they can restrict you from being on the property and from launching on the property. Once the drone is launched, they have no more rights over the airspace than anyone else. If someone complains, then defuse the situation as described in the other posts in this thread.

If you are a member of the HOA, you could be restricted from flying your drone over HOA properties. By being a member of the HOA, you have agreed to abide by the rules and regulations of that HOA. The only exceptions are when local/state laws explicitly allow for something and prohibit HOAs from blocking it. Solar panel installations are an example of that.

 

[BobaFut]

I agree with your sentiment, but a HOA is not a public location.

Well a HOA isn't a location. HOAs can oversee a building or buildings spanning public and/or private property. If the streets are public streets, then the HOA has no enforcement authority there. HOAs could prevent owners from launching drones from their property, but a HOA doesn't necessarily mean all the property within the boundaries of the association is private.