It's true, it WILL happen

[Gimme the copperheads Dom]

Looks like it has finally happened. I've occasionally been flying from our backyard in the last few weeks. Since the landscape is obviously rather boring the sole purpose has been checking various camera settings, lenses, practicing smooth flight techniques etc. I like to be prepared before going to a more remote spot to take footage. Due to my job I have very little time to actually play with my toy. It's a matter of practicality and most of the times I actually hover over our own house to try out settings.

I've just bitten many bullets to cool down a heated situation with a neighbor. I was super apologetic - even when he refused to believe even a single fact and had no legal leg to stand on. My ego took a hard hit when I was apologizing repeatedly instead of telling him what the real situation was and that I don't mind in the least if he called the police. Don't get me wrong, I would have told him I'd stop flying around here but not because of him or his threats but because for the sake of peace. He was prob mid thirties - younger than me - and SHOULD have been super interested in it, ask questions and all that. I'm still boiling inside...stuff you do for the sake of peace, I guess. He was on the phone with the police when I came out to talk to him. Chances are cops don't exactly know the law themselves which added to my concern about potentially having a police car pulling up in the middle of the day.

For my stress relieve and your entertainment, here is what I have learned today:

1. My neighbors, especially the one who gave me a hard time, are convinced their life is of utmost importance and of tremendous interest to other people and drone pilots in particular have nothing better to do than to follow each and every step of them.
2. All children in my neighborhood are victims of pedophile activity.
3. Neighbors call the police before they talk to you.
4. Drones are equipped with military grade, super zoom, night vision cameras.
5. Neighbors can't tell the difference between 100f and 300f.
6. Neighbors are not interested in seeing flight data since it's fake and/or edited.
7. Neighbors will not take the time to take a look at some YouTube footage either.
8. Hover means spying on a house below.
9. Neighbors think it is illegal to even look at a house from 250-300f in the air.
10. I am pedophile and likely pervert.
11. I somehow manage to fit in a secret life of a Peeping Tom, during night and day, while I'm also spending time with my beautiful wife, my very demanding career, my dog and way too many hobbies.
12. Occasional flight (6-8 times in 6 weeks, each one lasting 5-15 mins) really means daily & nightly and for many months.
13. Pit bulls running around unleashed in the neighborhood, while actually illegal, is far more acceptable than drones. No concern about the kids here.
14. Neighbors that are complaining were actually watching ME while I haven't taken any notice of THEM.
15. Shooting down drones is considered to be a viable option.
16. We are actually moving soon which is why I have even dared flying around my backyard. I will not fly a drone in our new neighborhood, period. It WILL cause bitter trouble, no matter what the law says. Don't need that, at the end of the day you have to live with these people and showing some extra courtesy by NOT doing what they hate most helps keep the peace.
17. The public view on drones is devastatingly grim.
18. There are modern mid thirty guys out there that have less knowledge or understanding of technology than my own elderly parents!

 

[ryo]

 

[Mr. Salty]

That's a lot of bull**** to take away from one guy having his shorts in a twist.

I fly in my neighborhood. It's my neighborhood, too, and I get to enjoy it just as much as the people who walk their dogs off-leash and whose teen-aged kids drive up and down the street at twice the speed limit at all hours of the night.

I make sure I keep my altitude up, I don't hover or linger over houses, and I keep flight records of everything. If somebody doesn't like it --- well, life is tough. I'll be respectful and neighborly. If they aren't, that's on them.

 

[Cyberpower678]

Life lesson number 10034:

You are always wrong. Live with it.

 

[Fearless Flight]

When you do find a new house find it in a neighborhood where people aren't living on top of each other.
That helps.

I never flew in my old neighborhood. I moved (not for any drone reason) and found an area where people have some room between houses. I can now fly out my backyard and avoid anyone's house by a far enough distance where they have no idea I'm flying or realize it's far enough away that I'm not "spying" on them.

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

I call it "drone madness". There's no being rational with these people.

 

[CRCs Reality]

I'm lucky in that every neighbor I've encountered has been very cool with my drones.. I tend to launch from the backyard and go straight up until I'm 250-300 feet before going anywhere though (so nobody feels I'm "buzzing" them).
Still, can't wait until we move to an area with more space next year

 

[Bongohutch]

Man Im sorry your stuck with such a difficult neighbor. I get that as flyers there are certain things we do, or can do, that would arouse suspicion and/or just be inappropriate. Hovering over houses, low buzzing, and the like ... but the general impression of the non-flying population is that these things have camera possibilities FAR beyond reality. The only way the Mavic can "spy" on anything is an an altitude that generates a sound like a swarm of mad hornets.

Good luck on your situation!

It's a shame ignorance isn't painful.

 

[MrsTreat]

I'm lucky in that every neighbor I've encountered has been very cool with my drones.. I tend to launch from the backyard and go straight up until I'm 250-300 feet before going anywhere though (so nobody feels I'm "buzzing" them).
Still, can't wait until we move to an area with more space next year

Same. I start out from the deck and go up till I'm 200ft and go from there. I've seen folks looking up at my drone as I pass even at that height but have never had any complaints. Maybe if it's that high they can't imagine it as 'spying'.

 

[Gimme the copperheads Dom]

See that's the thing, I used to start from my yard and then shoot that thing up full stick to 250-300f as fast as possible so that nobody freaks out. I even tried night flying so that I would not disturb anyone but no, they are on my case. It's bizarre how they notice it that far up. People's sensitivity and alertness is far higher than I thought. After having done some more research I have concluded that the legal situation is too gray to feel safe as a drone pilot. Actually, the FAA is our friend. The local governments are our enemy. I don't trust ours and I would not bet that I would encounter cops that actually know about the law or lack thereof.
The problem: Everything above 500f is officially and undisputedly governed by FAA. Anything below, say 100-499f is kind of disputed while most agree 85ish (based on an old legal case in the 40's) feet belongs to the property below. It's an ongoing battle between FAA and local authorities. In order to be safely in FAA zone we'd have to be over 500f. But hey, the FAA doesn't want the full responsibility over us either and restricts us to 400f. Hence they effectively leave us to the mercy of local authorities. Super risky and very gray area.

 

[mavicn00b]

Throw a Molotov cocktail over the fence. Let God sort them out. Film it on the mavic

 

[Nightowl702]

My back yard has too many obstacles in the form of trees to take off from so when I fly in my hood I fly down the middle of the street until i'm up at altitude. But I never have any problems with the neighbors. If I did have someone have a problem with me flying over my own property though I would just very politely tell them to go **** themselves.

 

[jaredalanmitchell]

I haven't had any of these encounters yet. I constantly get people who want to watch me fly and think it is super cool. I also try to fly in a manner where I don't intrude on people's privacy (and it sounds like you weren't either).

There's a lot of miserable folks out there who want nothing more than to spread their negativity - I would just keep flying in a legal manner - and we he comes out to say something, extend that middle finger up.

 

[phoenixaerialsusa]

Interesting article related to this:

Are drones spying on you? No they're not, and here's five reasons why - DIY Photography

 

[Bongohutch]

Your neighbour sounds pretty defensive, better put the mavic up in the air and investigate whats going on over there...

LoL

+1

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

I live in a pretty nice gated sub-division and fly all over the place. So far no complaints. All my interactions with neighbors have been positive or at the very least "neutral" (just asking questions about the range, etc).

My best advice: know the law and know your rights. Be polite, but firm. Best response to someone harassing you: "I'm fully authorized by the FAA to fly here. If you have an issue feel free to call the authorities. Good day." and then ignore them.

 

[krakow_marcin]

Interesting article related to this:

Are drones spying on you? No they're not, and here's five reasons why - DIY Photography

I'm always laughing out loud when I see those "Privacy is a big deal" statements. No it's not. Those folks shooting down our drones (or willing to do so) are more likely already exposed on the Internet with photos of them, their kids, houses, cars, holidays or throwing out personal data on each occasion of registering in the new webshop. Their private life quite often is revealed to the world more or less consciously by themselves...
But oh, yes - those nasty drones will for sure strip them of their precious privacy... LOL, I say once more.

 

[Gimme the copperheads Dom]

I live in a pretty nice gated sub-division and fly all over the place. So far no complaints. All my interactions with neighbors have been positive or at the very least "neutral" (just asking questions about the range, etc).

My best advice: know the law and know your rights. Be polite, but firm. Best response to someone harassing you: "I'm fully authorized by the FAA to fly here. If you have an issue feel free to call the authorities. Good day." and then ignore them.

This might do as a response to shut most people up but if somebody diggs their heels in the ground the situation might become more tricky, unfortunately. First of all, the FAA might easily be overruled on local level. It has only undisputed reign over 500f (which is why all we have from them are guidelines, not laws). Secondly, even the FAA says not to fly over populated areas which is pretty much the definition of neighborhood. I believe their guidelines even state that flight is only OK if nobody feels disturbed by it. Night flight isn't without issues either. In other words, if push comes to shove we can't expect much support from FAA.
Last but not least, it's highly unpredictable how local authorities and law enforcement will be dealing with you. There were reports of cops being interested and were asking the pilot questions about their hobby etc. Unfortunately there have also been plenty of reports of confiscations and citations or worse. The outcome can be different in every town, heck, every police SHIFT. I wouldn't want to gamble with that. In the long run, authorities will always stand with the majority and the majority of people are not precisely drone enthusiasts.

 

[SneakinUpOnU]

Go to Kinkos before you move and have them enlarge a huge color picture of your bare backside .. as you are moving, set this picture up in your front yard with a small sign below that states "If you don't like my drone, kiss this" Hate to hear about all you trouble .. good luck in your new neighborhood.

 

[stratos]

Well, yes OP generally people are like that about our hobby.
I findi t very ironic also on the media, as hey usually take us for pervs and privacy invaders.
and if you add all the "drone police tards" that are just actively looking for drone footage to attack it and share in the social media complaining about how many rules has the people broken.

But when there is a major development ie, news of a flooding or other disaster, the media just gets the best footage from a drone and the media and general public just salivate in amazement went they see those great shots.

Look, for peace of mind, take your hobby far away from urban cities, yeah you might need to drive 1 hr or something but you will get less tension and stress and you will enjoy a day out.
Peace mate.