Neighbor went crazy on me

[Jonathonmp]

In the U.S., it's not illegal to fly in our neighborhoods. There is no reason not to.

I regularly fly around my neighborhood. There is nothing inconsiderate about it. One person being PO'd is not justification for me not enjoying my hobby or profession.

but when that one person make accusations that has severe implications such as peeping Tom laws and being labeled and tagged with what could come of that is not a good feeling. Not scared obviously juat anger and rage.

 

[ChipDjipro]

If people are doing nothing wrong then they shouldn’t be worried about a drone flying over their home. Homeowners do not own the airspace plain and simple. I can see if you’re sitting there 50 feet above their house when someone’s in a swimming pool sunbathing.

 

[Jonathonmp]

My ham radio hobby is already a tough one in here. I managed but that a different story to get that solved

 

[WobblingWillie]

Like I said, Jonathan, I understand the rage and anger part. It's a natural reaction. You will need to let that go though. You can't fix her paranoia.

 

[Jonathonmp]

Like I said, Jonathan, I understand the rage and anger part. It's a natural reaction. You will need to let that go though. You can't fix her paranoia.

Oh yea that's never going to be corrected. She's insane. Coming into my property complaining about me flying 400 ft in public airspace over here clearly shows that. I wasn't to angry about it until the police rolled around here now. Nothing this morning from the police since the last drive by but that's when I got really angry.

 

[Simone L]

Sorry you had to go through that. Generally, if you do not fly at night, over people, or over moving cars, you should be fine ... there are definitely safety reasons for that. I am known as "that guy with a drone" in my neighborhood, but I like to let people know the day before I fly and share a few pictures. That has gone a long way in building trust.

Hopefully you get a chance to make peace with your neighbor. Why would it not be you that allegedly flew right down over them? Because those props are spinning at several thousand RPM, and getting hit by those HURT ... and you do not want to have to explain to the FAA why you sent someone to the hospital or caused more than $500 in property damage.

It’s a great idea to build trust. To be proactive. Share photos. That goes a long way to neighborhood peace.

 

[WobblingWillie]

Oh yea that's never going to be corrected. She's insane. Coming into my property complaining about me flying 400 ft in public airspace over here clearly shows that. I wasn't to angry about it until the police rolled around here now. Nothing this morning from the police since the last drive by but that's when I got really angry.

Reading the law, the only area you need to be concerned with is any area that is fenced in with a privacy fence.

 

[WobblingWillie]

It’s a great idea to build trust. To be proactive. Share photos. That goes a long way to neighborhood peace.

I can say, from experience, that sharing that info with paranoid people is NOT a good idea.

 

[Vic Moss]

So 3 weeks in to the hobby and had a neighbor now come to me angry.

last evening I was flying during sunset and shooting the sun. Well today I take off a little bit ago and I was 300 ft over her house flying forward. Not stationary mind you. Well I see this car pull up to my driveway and this woman jumps out and says are you flying a drone. I replied yes. She said well last evening we were getting ready for camping in our back yard and a drone scared my young son as he was in the tent getting ready for camping. We thought maybe its a pervert but it came right down over us. I called the police and they said they weren't using any drones.

I said well if it came right down over you guys then that wasn't me. I am flying legal when I fly. She says well ok I love in the big house with the red roof. Trying to be a hot shot the way she said that.

she then replies well they are patrolling for a drone now in the evening and night.

I am in Florida. What if any laws could I be in violation of?

Hi Jonathan.

I'm sorry you had to put up with that.

You have some good info and bad info here. First unless there is some reason the FAA has restricted the airspace you're flying in (TFR, Controlled Airspace, etc.) there is no reason for you not to enjoy your hobby. This lady needs to chill. If she continues to be a pest, have her call the cops and complain. When (actually, "if") they come, ask them what law you are breaking.

If they mention FS 934.50 (Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine), tell them you are not

So 3 weeks in to the hobby and had a neighbor now come to me angry.

last evening I was flying during sunset and shooting the sun. Well today I take off a little bit ago and I was 300 ft over her house flying forward. Not stationary mind you. Well I see this car pull up to my driveway and this woman jumps out and says are you flying a drone. I replied yes. She said well last evening we were getting ready for camping in our back yard and a drone scared my young son as he was in the tent getting ready for camping. We thought maybe its a pervert but it came right down over us. I called the police and they said they weren't using any drones.

I said well if it came right down over you guys then that wasn't me. I am flying legal when I fly. She says well ok I love in the big house with the red roof. Trying to be a hot shot the way she said that.

she then replies well they are patrolling for a drone now in the evening and night.

I am in Florida. What if any laws could I be in violation of?

Be proactive and reach out to your local cops (best bet is to go in person if their stations are open to the public yet), and tell them about your problem.

Ask them what law you are breaking.

Odds are you aren't breaking any laws unless there are current FAA airspace restrictions in place.

FS 934.50 (Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine) uses the term "reasonable expectation of privacy". That term has been defined in numerous SCOTUS cases and anything visible from the NAS (National Airspace System) is not considered private.

Florida Statute 934.50 has some questionable First Amendment issues.

The issue is that it needs to be challenged, and as of yet, it has not.

934.50 is something that many drone operators have questions about. Fly and don't worry about it. Many people just don't understand drones, and people fear what they don't understand. It's frustrating for many.

 

[Vic Moss]

but when that one person make accusations that has severe implications such as peeping Tom laws and being labeled and tagged with what could come of that is not a good feeling. Not scared obviously juat anger and rage.

Other's fear shouldn't prevent us from enjoying our hobby. She can accuse all she wants. If she is persistent, have her call the cops. Show them your flight records to prove her wrong. Ask them to go talk to her and tell her to quit harassing you. Because that is exactly what she is doing.

 

[Miss Chrisy Co]

So we fly in our neighborhood all the time, especially during the quarantine, but we do not fly over people, try not to fly over houses or backyards. We usually just skirt the outside of the neighborhood or fly over the area behind it. We are also a very close knit neighborhood, we are always involved in activities, and contribute photos and videos to the neighborhood facebook group. I think most people appreciate it, I'm sure there are those who don't, but they haven't said anything yet.

My husband is known in the neighborhood as "the guy with the drone". We had one incident with a neighbor when we were "walking the drone" one day, the drone lingered in their backyards direction for too long and they got the impression someone was spying on them. They made a post in the facebook group and we immediately let them know it was us, that we were not spying, and any are welcome to review all our footage. Not a single incident since.

 

[Vic Moss]

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So we fly in our neighborhood all the time, especially during the quarantine, but we do not fly over people, try not to fly over houses or backyards. We usually just skirt the outside of the neighborhood or fly over the area behind it. We are also a very close knit neighborhood, we are always involved in activities, and contribute photos and videos to the neighborhood facebook group. I think most people appreciate it, I'm sure there are those who don't, but they haven't said anything yet.

My husband is known in the neighborhood as "the guy with the drone". We had one incident with a neighbor when we were "walking the drone" one day, the drone lingered in their backyards direction for too long and they got the impression someone was spying on them. They made a post in the facebook group and we immediately let them know it was us, that we were not spying, and any are welcome to review all our footage. Not a single incident since.

I fly regularly in mine as well, but I have no problem flying over other's houses. Definitely at higher altitudes, but over them still the same.

However, like you're husband, I'm "the drone guy". Of course, having a license plate that says "Drone U' adds to that.

 

[Jonathonmp]

Other's fear shouldn't prevent us from enjoying our hobby. She can accuse all she wants. If she is persistent, have her call the cops. Show them your flight records to prove her wrong. Ask them to go talk to her and tell her to quit harassing you. Because that is exactly what she is doing.

She did call the cops. I didn't believe it till my neat cams went off last night twice. One around 8 if I remember from my post earlier and one after midnight or something

 

[Vic Moss]

She did call the cops. I didn't believe it till my neat cams went off last night twice. One around 8 if I remember from my post earlier and one after midnight or something

You're not doing anything illegal, so don't worry about it. Avoid her home if possible, but continue to fly. She shouldn't dictate you're enjoyment.

 

[Jonathonmp]

I really appreciate the support and opinions especially on the law but also juat how my anger is justified. I want to make sure also that the original compliant is stated again so people are having to read all the comments to keep up.

I flew about 396ft in the air behind my home about 30 yards over to over words from my and the rest of our property lines that are up against the woods. This was as the evening sunset was happening.

I hovered behind her home still at and never desecended below 396 or 397 feet until I was landing in my yard. The claim from the woman when I tooy two new drones out yesterday to try them out and she could follow where it went and again was over the wooded area right at 400ft pretty much. Once she saw me standing in my driveway with my 3 year old nephew she started reading me the right act. Saying there was drone last evening that came right down over them camping in their backyard and scared her son so bad so she called the police to see if they were doing anything woth a drone. I then reported it to them and juat ao you know they will be patrolling. She said at least I know it was you and not some peeping Tom pervert. I said I never flew down over your house. Wasn't me terrorizing your son. I was flying within my legal requirements.

now I didn't believe the police would patrol. Didn't even think twice about them being called but holy cow Last night they were caught twice on my security cams patrolling. They have never ever come through here ever. We have security guards at all entry point and security guards that drive around. Can't say 100% but there is a good chance they were they're looking for the pervert drone pilot.

 

[WobblingWillie]

She did call the cops. I didn't believe it till my neat cams went off last night twice. One around 8 if I remember from my post earlier and one after midnight or something

A song for you this morning, Jonathan.

 

[Jonathonmp]

You're not doing anything illegal, so don't worry about it. Avoid her home if possible, but continue to fly. She shouldn't dictate you're enjoyment.

Thank you. You and wobbling willie as well as other sharing that mantra really make me feel not as angry. It's hard because when I knew I was doing nothing wrong she totally has the world including the police department if the actually came out here twice because they felt it was that bad so wrapped around her finger I was ready to say screw it.

 

[WobblingWillie]

Thank you. You and wobbling willie as well as other sharing that mantra really make me feel not as angry. It's hard because when I knew I was doing nothing wrong she totally has the world including the police department if the actually came out here twice because they felt it was that bad so wrapped around her finger I was ready to say screw it.

I know how hard it is NOT to be mad and offended....but you ain't the jackass whisperer...so you can't fix stupid.

 

[Gkinghrn]

In the U.S., it's not illegal to fly in our neighborhoods. There is no reason not to.

I regularly fly around my neighborhood. There is nothing inconsiderate about it. One person being PO'd is not justification for me not enjoying my hobby or profession.

i did not say it was illegal. Yes you can do it ... and yes it can be inconsiderate ... My personal view is flying over someone else's property in a built up neighbourhood is inconsiderate regardless of the law - I know I do not want someone flying over my house recording me in my back garden - ... sometimes you need to think how others feel when someone flies over their head with a camera recording it - How do they know you aent doing anything circumspect with that recording.

We clearly disagree on what is considerate flying ....

 

[Jonathonmp]

i did not say it was illegal. Yes you can do it ... and yes it can be inconsiderate ... My personal view is flying over someone else's property in a built up neighbourhood is inconsiderate regardless of the law - I know I do not want someone flying over my house recording me in my back garden - ... sometimes you need to think how others feel when someone flies over their head with a camera recording it - How do they know you aent doing anything circumspect with that recording.

We clearly disagree on what is considerate flying ....

But again I was never over her house