I've been asked to contact an FBI agent tomorrow since he has some questions regarding my drone flying.

[abtocmeptb]

Yeah look at that Khashoggi dude. Even though he was a terrorist sympathizer....don’t walk into a trap

 

[FLPilotshark]

Long story short - I take pictures for someone who uses them in City Council meetings in their fight against a large company that conducts illegal operations. The FBI saw my pictures, questioned my neighbor how they were obtained & they were forced to rat me out. Ha HA.

I mainly take off from my residence & fly over the business after hours & on sundays when it doesn't endanger any employees or the business & I doubt they've ever spotted my drone while I was flying. It looks like the FBI is concerned about my flying since the business is located on the Mississippi River & drones have the potential for being used in terrorist attacks against ships.

I'm a hobbyist, my drone is registered, however I don't keep a copy of the registration on me when I fly nor could I locate mine if I was asked. I spent the $5 tonight & re-registered since I know I'll be talking to the FBI tomorrow.

The main point of my post is to advise others to register their drone if they haven't done so & keep a copy of the registration on you when you're flying. The FBI is apparently trying to contact anyone who flys a drone & make sure they are registered. The potential fines are huge including jail time so it makes sense to spend the $5.

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I am not sure why the FBI would be involved for flying over this business unless it's a government building b/c usually 99.9% of the time, you will either get a letter in the mail from the FAA or they will send the FAA out to your house about your flying! First, if I were you I would buy the ID card for $10.00 bucks and it comes with the FAA decals and everything. Plus, if I were you I would take the part 107 exam and get your Airmen Certificate. Does it hurt to have one, even if you're not trying to make money with your bird!

 

[Vegasdad]

I get so sick of this ****... So you think the FBI couldn’t find your registration let me tell you they know every thing about you before they called. This 107 and all around is just a money grab for the government do you really think the FAA has people sitting in every little town watching. Please tell me drone gods why I should have to know what the different signs mean on a runway. Now let me say this I’m getting ready to take my test but Idon’t believe in it. I have a contractors Lic and again anther money grab for the government. I do like the new geo fenceing as it has opened up a lot of air space by recon forming the boundaries around our town. So now lets keep stirring the pot!!!!!!!

 

[Mossiback]

If the "illegal operations" are a federal crime, the FBI may only want to verify the authenticity of the photos and see if you have others.

 

[Jackcutrone]

I get so sick of this ****... So you think the FBI couldn’t find your registration let me tell you they know every thing about you before they called. This 107 and all around is just a money grab for the government do you really think the FAA has people sitting in every little town watching. Please tell me drone gods why I should have to know what the different signs mean on a runway. Now let me say this I’m getting ready to take my test but Idon’t believe in it. I have a contractors Lic and again anther money grab for the government. I do like the new geo fenceing as it has opened up a lot of air space by recon forming the boundaries around our town. So now lets keep stirring the pot!!!!!!!

Have to strongly disagree. 107 is about safety not money. Though I agree that some of the part 107 subjects are really not very appropriate for drone pilots

 

[norm256]

I paid $59 2 months ago since purchasing my drone what the FAA, I'm still waiting on my stickers and identification. So I feel your pain the system sucks

 

[NetDep]

Just a guess but I guess we don’t hear how it went from the OP. [emoji53]

 

[Jackcutrone]

I paid $59 2 months ago since purchasing my drone what the FAA, I'm still waiting on my stickers and identification. So I feel your pain the system sucks

What in the world did you pay them $59 for? Registration as hobbyist is $5. Part 107 is$150 for the test. If I remember correctly $5 per UAS.

 

[Jackcutrone]

Just a guess but I guess we don’t hear how it went from the OP.

That was my guess too

 

[AMann]

I paid $59 2 months ago since purchasing my drone what the FAA, I'm still waiting on my stickers and identification. So I feel your pain the system sucks

Who did you pay? FAA online registration is $5 and they instantly send you a PDF of your registration “license” and number. If you paid through a private website, do a credit card chargeback. Sorry to say, if you didnt use the official FAADroneZone.faa.gov website, someone probably ripped you off.

Use this one: FAADroneZone

 

[Chip]

...Another poster mentioned search and seizure issues. That is not going to be a concern at all. You were a private citizen taking pictures for a private company. The constitution only prohibits illegal searches and seizures by government employees or private citizens acting on behalf of the government...

He never said he was taking pictures for a private company. He said he was taking surveillance video for someone who was using it as evidence of illegal activities in some kind of presentation to a city council. If the FBI is now requesting an interview, and I did not know why, I would be very concerned about all of it.

 

[MadMaqx]

Need to make a great big sticky on that FAA drone Because I got took on it too 25.00. The excitement and you spent 25 dol was not important at the time.

 

[Jackcutrone]

You are right he said someone not s company which I took to mean a private citizen appearing before the city council. If it was a city council member then it might be governmental action but you are still wrong about search and seizure law. Taking photos of what is exposed to the public is not a search regardless of who does it nsince he was in the air there is no trespass or entry onto the property. What is visible from the air is not private

 

[dannybgoode]

Just a guess but I guess we don’t hear how it went from the OP. [emoji53]

Where they went no one ever escapes

 

[Oregon guns]

If it was anything important they would be calling you.

 

[Chip]

you are wrong about search and seizure law. Taking photos of what is exposed to the public is not a search regardless of who does it nsince he was in the air there is no trespass or entry onto the property. What is visible from the air is not private

Are you sure about that? What if you are in Idaho?

(a) Absent a warrant, and except for emergency response for safety, search and rescue or controlled substance investigations, no person, entity or state agency shall use an unmanned aircraft system to intentionally conduct surveillance of, gather evidence or collect information about, or photographically or electronically record specifically targeted persons or specifically targeted private property including, but not limited to:
(i) An individual or a dwelling owned by an individual and such dwelling’s curtilage, without such individual’s written consent;
(ii) A farm, dairy, ranch or other agricultural industry without the written consent of the owner of such farm, dairy, ranch or other agricultural industry.
(b) No person, entity or state agency shall use an unmanned aircraft system to photograph or otherwise record an individual, without such individual’s written consent, for the purpose of publishing or otherwise publicly disseminating such photograph or recording.
(3) Any person who is the subject of prohibited conduct under subsection (2) of this section shall:
(a) Have a civil cause of action against the person, entity or state agency for such prohibited conduct; and
(b) Be entitled to recover from any such person, entity or state agency damages in the amount of the greater of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or actual and general damages, plus reasonable attorney’s fees and other litigation costs reasonably incurred.

 

[Chip]

What if you are in Florida?

(3) PROHIBITED USE OF DRONES.—
(a) A law enforcement agency may not use a drone to gather evidence or other information.

(b) A person, a state agency, or a political subdivision as defined in s. 11.45 may not use a drone equipped with an imaging device to record an image of privately owned real property or of the owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of such property with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image in violation of such person’s reasonable expectation of privacy without his or her written consent. For purposes of this section, a person is presumed to have a reasonable expectation of privacy on his or her privately owned real property if he or she is not observable by persons located at ground level in a place where they have a legal right to be, regardless of whether he or she is observable from the air with the use of a drone.

 

[AMann]

What if you are in Florida?

(3) PROHIBITED USE OF DRONES.—
(a) A law enforcement agency may not use a drone to gather evidence or other information.

(b) A person, a state agency, or a political subdivision as defined in s. 11.45 may not use a drone equipped with an imaging device to record an image of privately owned real property or of the owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of such property with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image in violation of such person’s reasonable expectation of privacy without his or her written consent. For purposes of this section, a person is presumed to have a reasonable expectation of privacy on his or her privately owned real property if he or she is not observable by persons located at ground level in a place where they have a legal right to be, regardless of whether he or she is observable from the air with the use of a drone.

Those laws won’t hold up in Federal Appeals, the FAA’s jurisdiction supersedes them. People use other aerial platforms like Google and planes to do exactly the same thing those laws try to prohibit. When I worked as a GIS tech back in college, my employer had a contract with a county and I used aerial photos to help identify property tax cheats who claimed their property was a tax exempt church by identifying what was on their property, including in their backyards like pools, outbuildings, RV’s, etc.

 

[JDawg]

I paid $59 2 months ago since purchasing my drone what the FAA, I'm still waiting on my stickers and identification. So I feel your pain the system sucks

I would have registered it for you for only $50
-ACME Registrations

 

[Chip]

Those laws won’t hold up in Federal Appeals, the FAA’s jurisdiction supersedes them. People use other aerial platforms like Google and planes to do exactly the same thing those laws try to prohibit. When I worked as a GIS tech back in college, my employer had a contract with a county and I used aerial photos to help identify property tax cheats who claimed their property was a tax exempt church.

I agree that many state and local laws which restrict drone flights may be preempted. But, the FLA and Idaho laws cited above do not restrict drone flights. They only restrict using drone to conduct aerial surveillance. Not even the meglomaniacs at the FAA can presume to control aerial surveillance rules throughout the country.